Photo of drummers by Jeff Evans
The Gullah/Geechee Nation invites the world to the epicenter of Gullah/Geechee culture—historic St. Helena Island, South Carolina—for Gullah/Geechee Famlee Weekend 2026, a two-day cultural homecoming rooted in ancestral legacy, artistic expression, intergenerational unity, and the living traditions of the Gullah/Geechee people.
Hosted in the heart of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, this annual gathering will take place Friday, July 24, 2026, and Saturday, July 25, 2026, on the historic grounds of Penn Center, where generations have gathered, organized, taught, worshipped, created, and preserved the cultural soul of the Sea Islands.
Under the powerful theme “Hunnuh mus tek cyare de root fa heal de tree!”, Gullah/Geechee Famlee Weekend 2026 calls all Gullah/Geechee descendants, cultural supporters, families, artists, educators, elders, youth, entrepreneurs, and community members to reconnect to the roots that continue to nourish the tree of Gullah/Geechee survival, self-determination, and cultural continuation.
“Disya da we Gullah/Geechee famlee reunion and a sacred cultural gathering,” said Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation. “When hunnuh come ta historic St. Helena Island, hunnuh da come ta de heart ob de
Photo from 2025 by Margaret Evans
Gullah/Geechee Nation. We call all de famlee home fa celebrate who webe, support we own, and keep de root strong fa de chillun yet ta come.”
The weekend begins on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 6 PM with the Gullah/Geechee CREATE Artists Collective Reception and Exhibition at the Dr. York W. Bailey Museum at Penn Center. This spirit-filled opening evening will celebrate Gullah/Geechee creativity, visual storytelling, cultural memory, and the brilliance of artists who continue to shape and preserve the cultural landscape. Featured artist Bruce Ingram will debut folk art as part of the exhibition, and guests will have the opportunity to meet the Gullah/Geechee CREATE Artists Collective, purchase the artwork, and participate in an art auction.
Tickets and registration for the Friday reception are available at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988660864178?aff=oddtdtcreator
On Saturday, July 25, 2026, from Noon to 3 PM, the celebration continues with Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day 2026 at Penn Center, 16 Penn Center Circle East, St. Helena Island, SC. This signature gathering is the annual reunion for Gullah/Geechee people worldwide and a powerful invitation for families to return to the land, language, music, foodways, and traditions that define authentic Gullah/Geechee culture.
The day will feature authentic Gullah/Geechee language, music, African drumming and dancing, food, books, art, handmade traditional items, cultural vendors, and famlee fun. DJ Kwame Sha of All Mobile Productions™, Wona Womalan African Drummers and Dancers, Geechee Mayne, Marcus Allen, Beth Inabinett and For the Funk of It Band, and other cultural artists will help keep the rhythm moving and the crowd dancing beneath the oaks.
Traditional Gullah/Geechee culture keepers and business owners, including sweetgrass artist Anastatia Ketchens, painter Quadré Stuckey, and quilter Carolee Holmes Brown, will offer handmade Gullah/Geechee items. Native Gullah/Geechee vendors will also have books, T-shirts, cultural items, and Gullah/Geechee cuisine available for purchase, making this weekend not only a celebration but also a direct opportunity to support Gullah/Geechee-owned businesses.
Photo from 2025 by Margaret Evans
Tickets and registration for Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day 2026 are available at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988660700689?aff=oddtdtcreator
The public is also encouraged to watch and share the Gullah/Geechee Famlee Weekend video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjeJTnQHAhk
Gullah/Geechee Famlee Weekend 2026 is a call to come home, to stand in cultural truth, to honor the ancestors, to celebrate the elders, to uplift the youth, and to continue the living legacy of the Gullah/Geechee Nation. In a time when land, language, traditions, and sacred spaces continue to face pressure, this gathering affirms that the Gullah/Geechee people are still here, still rooted, still rising, and still moving forward together.
All Gullah/Geechee families, descendants, community members, cultural supporters, and visitors who respect authentic Gullah/Geechee culture are invited to attend, register early, bring the elders and the children, support the vendors, and come prepared for a blessed-up time fa tru.
“E gwine be a Gullah/Geechee Famlee good time! Cum celebrate who webe!”
About the Gullah/Geechee Nation
The Gullah/Geechee Nation is the internationally recognized nation of Gullah/Geechee people whose homeland extends along the Sea Islands and coastal areas from North Carolina to Florida. Led by Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, the Gullah/Geechee Nation works to protect and continue Gullah/Geechee land, language, cultural heritage, sacred sites, waterways, foodways, arts, and traditions for current and future generations.
For Tickets & More Information
Gullah/Geechee CREATE Artists Collective Reception and Exhibition:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988660864178?aff=oddtdtcreator
Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day 2026:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988660700689?aff=oddtdtcreator
Gullah/Geechee Famlee Weekend Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjeJTnQHAhk
