INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Madam Walker Legacy Center will host its third annual Legacy Fest this weekend.

Crews are adding the finishing touches to the sidewalks and benches along Indiana Avenue ahead of the two-day event, which features the Legacy Fest Concert on Friday and a Block Party on Saturday. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail near the Walker building will shut down for the event.

“There will be tents outside. We’ll have a lot of different activities for kids outside as well. There will be music and live stages, DJ’s. This will be a really fun day,” Kristian Stricklen, president of the Legacy Center, told News 8.

The Legacy Center is located in the Walker building, which was once the headquarters and manufacturing plant of Madam CJ Walker Hair Care and Beauty Products. The building, located at 617 Indiana Ave., is on the National Register Historic Places.

Officials at The Legacy Center are celebrating Juneteenth and Black Music Month all while honoring 97 years of the Walker building

“This space has really started the careers for a lot of local musicians, but has also brought in a lot of the legends that we’re continuing to bring in. What better way to celebrate June and this space than to really celebrate what the core of it is? A lot of that has to do with black music,” Stricklen explained. 

R&B group Boyz II Men will headline the sold-out Legacy Fest gala on Friday. Organizers hope the community will support their largest fundraiser of the year. The money raised will support the organization’s year-round STEAM, entrepreneurship, women’s equity, social justice and arts programming.

“People should donate because we don’t want to lose this space. If I’m being very honest, there’s not that many spaces that are black-owned spaces in the country anymore. We are so lucky that we are a nationally historic space that we have right here in Indianapolis that’s nearly 100 years old and it was built by none other than Madam CJ Walker — but it doesn’t pay for itself,” Stricklen said. 

The free Legacy Fest block party on Saturday will be held outside of the Walker building on Indiana Ave. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Click here to learn more about Legacy Fest.