This Saturday, the Fresno VIBE will be holding its second largest event of the year: the VIBE Barbecue Festival.

According to Adrian Harris, president and CEO of both VIBE and Fresno Black Wall Street, this event will be a day of renewal and celebration. “It’s meant to bring black businesses together, to entertain, feed and educate at the same time.”

The barbecue will be located at Bitwise Industries in Downtown Fresno, and will run from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. It will be free to attend the first hour, but will increase to five dollars per adult at 6 p.m. Children may attend free of charge all evening.

Fresno VIBE will host 20-25 restaurant and business vendors at the event, all of which are independent, local, black-owned businesses. Some of the restaurants included will be Fresno Gumbo House and Edible Desserts and Creations. Musicians DJ Straws and Janice Summer will both be performing at the barbecue.

Harris went on to explain that the educational portion of the event refers largely to VIBE the Vote. This is an organization seeking to educate and encourage people vote, and is also a main sponsor for the barbecue.

“One of our guest speakers will be a candidate from District Three who will be running in the 2018 election. We really want people getting out there and making their voice heard,” Harris said.

Fresno VIBE put on a soul food event just three weeks ago, and will also be hosting the Seafood and Crab Fest in November. According to Harris, the VIBE plans to host these three events every year on the first Saturday of their respective months.

The company, simultaneously named the Very Intelligent Black Entrepreneurs and the Very Intelligent Business Entrepreneurs, is meant to be very inclusive for the entire city. “VIBE is multicultural, with a focus on the black community,” said Harris.

“For now, we only have black-run businesses for vendors, but in the future we will reach out to the rest of the multiculturally diverse community.”