One of the performers will be Batata & Las Alegres Ambulancias which was started in 1905 in San Basilio de Palenque to preserve the Afro-Colombian musical traditions of the funeral ceremony known as Lumbalu. They represent the culture of Colombia’s Caribbean coast; a living demonstration of how this 500-year-old African tradition is surviving in a globalized world.

This momentous event will feature five groups directly from Colombia, as well as top talent from across the U.S. and Chicago.