In 2003, the Annual Los Angeles African Marketplace & Cultural Faire moved from our home of 12 years at Rancho Cienega Park in South West Los Angeles to a much larger site. We will present the New Millennium version of the African Marketplace in Exposition Park, centrally located in South Los Angeles, and adjacent to the city's famous Sports Arena and Coliseum. This new location will afford a much larger space and freeway accessible site for our growing audience. We are excited about this growth potential which will provide additional audience support from the University of Southern California's athletic schedule, as well as the popular cultural and science museums in Exposition Park.

The primary goal of the African Marketplace is to promote an understanding and appreciation of the global influence of the African Diaspora. Africa's impact stretches around the world from its continent to Europe, the Caribbean, South America, North America, the Pacific Rim and Asia. The mission of the African Marketplace is to embrace the concept of a global village, uniting disparate populations of the world together.

The African Marketplace features exhibits by over 200 importers, exporters and crafts merchants. Highlights of the annual event include: the educational and interactive Children's Village, an annual health fair, multiple performance stages, an ethnic restaurant pavilion, a Fine Arts Pavilion, literary village, short film festival, technology village and athletic competitions including a Family Tennis Tournament.

The expanded 2002 attraction will welcome more than 250,000 visitors. Additionally, our two 6,000 square foot retail centers - located in southwest Los Angeles and Culver City - are incubators to more than 100 small cottage entrepreneurs which appeal to local and tourist consumers. These upscale boutiques are testaments to the potential success of an eventual world trade/import center of African Diaspora cultures. More than 43 countries support the example set by the Los Angeles African Marketplace to encourage investing in Africa and Africa's investment in its Diaspora.

The African Marketplace, Inc. is a nonprofit cultural organization. It is the umbrella organization of the Los Angeles African Marketplace & Cultural Faire and the African American Tourism and Hospitality Council of Greater Los Angeles. Its Board of Directors consists of prominent civic leaders of Southern California who represent the corporate, business, political, nonprofit, arts and entertainment communities.

The African Marketplace & Cultural Faire has been designated as one of the "Top 100 Events in North America" by the American Bus Association's (ABA) elite tourism industry selection committee. Inclusion in the Top 100 list indicates that the African Marketplace offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world.

Our original theme of the Los Angeles African Marketplace appropriately remains "Africa … Not a Continent Away!"
Join us in a unique celebratory experience of the African Diaspora.