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Eat, Drink And Support Brooklyn's Black-Owned Restaurants And Bars During Kwanzaa Crawl

Organizers expect thousands of revelers to descend on more than 20 black-owned bars and restaurants this year.
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Kwanzaa Crawl 2023.

Kwanzaa Crawl returns for its seventh year of revelry, education and support for Black-owned businesses, on Thursday, Dec. 26. 

Far more than an average bar crawl, thousands of patrons have gathered together in sunshine, rain, sleet or snow to spread joy and Black dollars on Dec. 26, in an exercise in community building and solidarity, according to a press release. 

Founded by actress, comedian, writer and community activist Kerry Coddett, and her sister, talent manager Krystal Payne, the annual one-day event is dedicated to celebrating the diversity of Black diasporic culture and fostering collective economic empowerment through the key principles of Kwanzaa.

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Kwanzaa Crawl 2023. Photo: Supplied/Kwanzaa Crawl, Kolin Mendez

To date, sales during past events have directly generated over $2 million in revenue for participating businesses.

"I can't help feeling we––as a city, as a country––are at a place that feels very similar to where we were when we started our incredible journey with our community to co-create the Crawl," said Payne. "We have seen so many shifts in the social, political and economic landscape this year alone that have made it difficult for business owners to continue operating, for people to live well. Now more than ever before, our focus is steady on developing practical ways to enact change through cooperative economics centering a culture of joy and our local Black community and businesses." 

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Kwanzaa Crawl 2023. Photo: Supplied/Kwanzaa Crawl, Sebastien Prudent

For the first time ever, this year’s event is sponsored by Casamigos, a premium brand known for its reputation for fostering moments of genuine connection.

Born in 1966, Kwanzaa is a seven-day holiday honoring African heritage that takes its name from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which in Swahili means "first fruits." The week-long celebration is rooted in several bedrock principles, such as 'Umoja' or Ujamaa (community).

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Kwanzaa Crawl 2023. . Photo: Supplied/Kwanzaa Crawl, Brian Fraser

To kick off the holiday with the Kwanzaa Crawl, revelers must purchase their tickets online prior to the event. For more information, to learn about the "rules to crawl by" and to purchase tickets, go here.

Drink, be merry and crawl responsibly!




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