The modern, stately Black Cultural Center will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting, dedication ceremony and reception today beginning at 11 a.m.

Provost Loren Crabtree and Jane Redmond, assistant vice provost of student affairs, will be among the guest speakers featured at the ceremony. Various student organizations are also expected to be involved in the celebration.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, students and others attending the event will be able to take tours of the new center. Afterwards, the reception will feature both food and entertainment. Drummers and dancers are scheduled to perform to add some cultural flavor to the event.

“We are looking forward to having something to commemorate this historic event for the university,” said Denelle Niles, interim director of Minority Student Affairs and the Black Cultural Center.

According to Niles, the center will be holding events as a platform to educate the community.

For example, on Saturday, the BCC is hosting a Harambee Festival, featuring an African motif with live entertainment and authentic food, for the whole community.

The festival is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We are going to have an African marketplace to highlight the culture,” Niles said. “It will be complete with vendors with jewelry and artifacts.”

Community members who attend the event will be exposed to hourly entertainment from a gospel choir, steel band, drummers with dancers and various student organizations.

Audience members will be given the opportunity to experience the African culture first hand, with drumming workshops for those who wish to learn the craft, and traditional African games.

More events will be scheduled throughout the year.

“We will always have a calendar full of events that highlight the African-American culture,” Niles said.