Kentucky Avenue Renaissance Festival
kentucky avenue renaissance festival also known historical kentucky avenue renaissance festival street fair held summer former black entertainment district atlantic city new jersey founded appeared annually resumed held around site razed club harlem today parking lot weekend fair commemorates rb jazz nightspot lined kentucky avenue attracted black white clientele heyday festival feature live performance rb jazz musician band dance performance street performer art craft child food concession draw hundred attendee kentucky avenue hub black entertainment district atlantic city district known kentucky avenue curb home africanamericans raciallysegregated city since end world war kentucky avenue arctic atlantic avenue home many blackowned business among nightclub attracted black white clientele premier nightclub club harlem leading black entertainer time appeared popular nightclub grace little belmont wonder garden paradise club street also numerous barbecue chicken rib joint jerry rib sapps booker bone cooker small soul food restaurant wash restaurant popular black entertainer patron club summer weekend music entertainment went around clock district went decline april easter morning shootout club harlem four member black mafia entered club show attended estimated people shot rival operative pointblank table ostensibly retaliation drug deal dealer bodyguard three woman killed melee ensued introduction hotel casino atlantic city eroded popularity district club harlem last nightclub operating shuttered demolished first kentucky avenue renaissance festival held month club harlem demolition june festival held around site club parking lot addition saluting entertainment yesteryear organizer hoped festival would spark interest redeveloping former entertainment district kentucky avenue festival staged every summer polaris development group headed steven young cooperation atlantic city public library casino reinvestment development authority local business owner reintroduced festival way cultivate interest reviving former entertainment district festival held annually since aside another break bad weather led rescheduling festival november claridge hotel first festival featured free concert art craft concession selling barbecued rib food chris columbo conducted club harlem orchestra year performed dance troupe recreating smart affair revue headquartered club harlem reintroduced tenyear hiatus renamed historical kentucky avenue renaissance festival drew estimated attendee course day together live rb jazz music dance group street performer festival feature historical exhibit attendee come atlantic city well nearby philadelphia pennsylvania july casino reinvestment development authority commissioned mural honoring former kentucky avenue entertainment district painted brick wall near corner kentucky baltic avenue byfoot × mural depicts leading musician performed area nightclub singer sammy davis jr billy eckstine ella fitzgerald drummer chris columbo mural painted student atlantic city high school received per hour casino authority entertained jazz musician painted chicken bone beach jazz chris columbo jazz drummer springwood avenue africanamerican historical music district asbury park new jersey griffin sp philadelphia black mafia social political history springer science business medium isbn waltzer jim wilk tom tale south jersey profile personality rutgers university press isbn willis cheryl tappin apollo african american female tap dance duo salt pepper mcfarland isbn