Roots to the Future
Fri, Oct 30
|Southwest Arts Center
A 3-day Afro-diasporic dance, drum, film, and culture festival in Atlanta — dance & drum classes, kids programming, a live concert & after-party, community panels, and more.
Time & Location
Oct 30, 2026, 3:00 PM – Nov 01, 2026, 6:00 PM
Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Rd SW, Atlanta, GA 30331
Guests
About the event
Wontanara's 7th Annual Cultural Dance & Music Festival — Roots to the Future. Three days of dance, drum, music, and community across two Southwest Arts Center venues: the Theater ('The Awakening') and Bara ('The Gather', the heart of the village).
Enjoy dance and drum classes, panel discussions, business workshops, a vendor marketplace ('Le Marché — The Vendor Marketplace of the Diaspora'), film showcases, a Saturday night concert, and family-friendly kids programming.
Saturday, Oct 31 concert 'The Awakening' (doors 7PM, show 8PM) features Morehouse Band, Asase Yaa, Giwayen Mata, Wontanara Entertainment, and Special Youth Guest Performers.
Proudly sponsored for the 2nd year by the City of South Fulton Cultural Affairs. Presented by Wontanara Institution Inc. (EIN 88-1149809).
Info: wontanarainc.org | admin@wontanarainc.org | 470-781-4144 | @wontanara.inc / @wontanaraevents.
Tickets
VIP Weekend Pass (Save $190+)
Full weekend (Friday- Sunday) pass to any dance, music, & free workshops+ front row concert seating + VIP Reception dinner access (includes dinner and drinks) + free T-shirt + Backstage/BTS access with artists and companies. One pass, the entire weekend, front to back — a savings of over $190 compared to buying each piece separately.
$249.00
+$6.23 ticket service fee
Full Weekend + Concert
Access to every workshop and class across the full festival weekend (Oct 30–Nov 1) at Southwest Arts Center, plus a ticket to The Awakening concert on Saturday, October 31 at 8:00 PM. Everything the weekend has to offer, with the concert built in. Does not include VIP Reception Dinner access.
$209.00
+$5.23 ticket service fee
Reception Mixer & Performance
Join us before the show for the Reception & Networking mixer on Saturday, October 31, 6–7:30 PM at Southwest Arts Center. Enjoy a catered reception and a drink at an intimate pre-show mixer with fellow festival guests, with access to meet the City of South Fulton Mayor, guest artists, and Wontanara leadership. Additional drinks available for purchase.
$0.00
Saturday Full Day Pass
6 Classes! Every class, every moment, Saturday, October 31 at Southwest Arts Center — from Kids Drum and Dance in the morning through adult Djembe, Dundun, and House Dance in the afternoon. Doors open 9:00 AM; classes run through 6:00 PM. (Does not include The Awakening concert — add a concert ticket separately.)
$139.00
+$3.48 ticket service fee
Sunday Single Day Pass
4 Dance Classes & Workshops! A full day of culture to close out the weekend, Sunday, November 1 at Southwest Arts Center — the Business Workshop with Abena, Hands of Heritage panel discussion, the Fete Function, and Djembe, Orisa, and Liberian dance classes. Doors open 9:30 AM; classes run through 6:00 PM.
$99.00
+$2.48 ticket service fee
Kids Combo Drum+Dance
Kids Only Combo — Kids' Drum + Dance (Saturday, Ages 5-17). Two classes, double the rhythm. This combo ticket gives your child access to both a children's West African drum and dance class on Saturday, October 31st, taught by master instructors in an energetic, welcoming setting built for young learners.
$25.00
+$0.63 ticket service fee
Single Class Ticket
One class, your choice of rhythm. Master-led drum and dance classes run throughout Wontanara Fest weekend (Oct 30–Nov 1) at Southwest Arts Center, South Fulton, GA — including Haitian, West African, Sabar, Dundun, Djembe, House, Orisa, and Liberian dance and drum styles. No experience necessary, just an open mind and a willingness to move. See the full festival schedule for class times and instructors.
$25.00
+$0.63 ticket service fee
Roots to the Future : T-Shirt
Take a piece of Roots to the Future home with you. Official Wontanara Fest 2026 merchandise — available for pickup on-site. (No event admission included.)
$20.00
+$0.50 ticket service fee
Free Grant Writing Workshop
A hands-on business workshop led by Wontanara founder Abena Camara, Sunday, November 1, from 10:00–11:00 AM at Southwest Arts Center, South Fulton, GA. Practical tools for creatives and entrepreneurs ready to turn their work into something sustainable. Space is limited — reserve your free seat.
$0.00
"Hands of Heritage" Panel Talk
Join us for Hands of Heritage, an elder panel discussion honoring the pioneers who paved the road — moderated by Frank Malloy, Sunday, November 1 from 11:10 AM–12:10 PM at Southwest Arts Center, South Fulton, GA. Free — RSVP to reserve your seat.
$0.00
Kirikou & The Sorceress Film
Join us for a screening of Kirikou and the Sorceress, part of Friday, October 30’s ROOT programming at Southwest Arts Center, South Fulton, GA @ 3:00 PM. A beloved animated tale of courage and wisdom rooted in West African storytelling tradition — gather with the Wontanara community before the festival weekend kicks into full gear. Free — RSVP required. (Oral storytelling activation is a separate Saturday activity, not included with this ticket.)
$0.00
Total
$0.00