These Ann Arbor Kwanzaa events are a great choice for your family – whether you have been celebrating Kwanzaa for years or want to learn more about the celebrations and introduce them to your children.
We have found very few Kwanzaa events. If you know of others we have missed, please let us know
Kwanzaa Events Near Ann Arbor
Last year the main Kwanzaa event in the Ann Arbor area was the African American Cultural and Historical Museum.
African American Cultural and Historical Museum Kwanzaa 2025
The African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County typically announces their Kwanzaa events late – last year was December 19. As of December 7, they list a Business Mixer for December 29 on their Facebook page, but have no other 2025 details.
You can find information on their 2024 celebration on their Facebook event.:
| Date/Time | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 💙 | December 26 6:30pm-8:30pm | UMOJA -Opening Celebration & Candle Lighting at African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor Michigan |
December 27 6:30pm-8:00pm | Kujichagulia - Open Mic Night at 734 Brewing Company, Ypsilanti Michigan | |
| 💙🆓🎟 | December 29 6:30pm-8:30pm | Kwanzaa Business Mixer - Ujamaa - Cooperative Economics at African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙 | December 30 6:30pm-8:00pm | NIA - Young Royalty Day at African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙 | December 31 2:30pm-4:30pm | Kuumba - Kid's Kwanzaa Party at African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor Michigan |
Other Kwanzaa Events Near Ann Arbor
Typically The Charles H Wright Museum of African American History has held daily Kwanzaa programming. As of December 7, we don’t see the 2025-2026 details. We did find the 2024-2025 details which were not available the last time we checked on December 12, 2024.
| Date/Time | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 💙🆓 | December 26 3:00pm-7:00pm | Kwanzaa Celebration & Kinara Lighting at Cadillac Square, Detroit Michigan |
| 💙 | December 27 10:00am-2:00pm | The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa with Mama Jahra at Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn Michigan |
Events we’re Watching From 2024
| Date/Time | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 💙 | December 28 12:00pm-2:00pm | UJIMA - Warming Center Donation Drive at African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙 | January 1 2:00pm-3:30pm | Imani - Closing Celebration at African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor Michigan |
About Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa brings families and communities together to remember the past and celebrate African American culture. It was created in 1966 by Dr Maulana Ron Karenga. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” in Swahili, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. Matunda ya kwanza means “first fruits”. The practices of Kwanzaa are rooted in the first fruits celebrations found in cultures both modern and ancient across Africa.
Nguzo Saba (Seven principles) form the core of Kwanza and were drawn from community values found through Africa:
- Umoja – Unity
- Kujichagulia – Self-Determination
- Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility
- Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics
- Nia – Purpose
- Kuumba – Creativity
- Imani – Faith
The Symbols of Kwanzaa are:
- Mazao – The Crops
- Mkeka – The Mat
- Kinara – Candle Holder
- Mishumaa Saba – The 7 Candles
- Muhindi – The Corn
- Kikombe cha Umoja – The Unity Cup
- Zawadi – The Gifts
Sources: The National Museum of African American History & Culture, part of the Smithsonian Institution. and The Official Kwanzaa Website
The National Museum of African American History & Culture has the following video to introduce kids to Kwanzaa.
