Disneyland Celebrates “Soulfully” for Black History Month

Disney has continued to expand the stories it tells in movies and theme parks to reflect the diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences of Disney fans around the world. Part of that evolution has been the reimagination of attractions – including updates to the Jungle Cruise and the upcoming re-theming of Splash Mountain to The Princess and the Frog – but it’s also been through cultural festivals and events like the recent Lunar New Year celebration and “Celebrate Soulfully” honoring Black History Month.

Because Disneyland wasn’t open last February, the west coast park wasn’t able to join the celebration, but this year “Celebrate Soulfully” debuted in Anaheim as well as Orlando, paying tribute to Black heritage and culture through food, art, and music that “feeds the soul,” including an expansion of Disneyland’s popular “Celebrate Gospel” performances.

“Celebrate Gospel”

For the first time in Disneyland (it has previously been featured at DCA’s Stage 17 and Hyperion Theater), “Celebrate Gospel” is centered in and around the Fantasyland Theater. “Celebrate Gospel” provides interactive and educational opportunities, and whether you’re already a fan of Gospel Music or want to learn more about it, the music, displays, and activities will surely enhance your appreciation of this “celebration of good news.”

“Part of ‘Celebrate Gospel’ that we’ve been doing for over a decade has always been our community groups, our church choirs, and acapella groups,” said Disneyland Senior Operations leader Veronica Horton, who is also a leader within Disney’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Employee Resource Groups. “We would do that one day in February, and they would be able to showcase all that talent, so now we’ve [expanded to] two weekends, and we love that connection of the Southern California groups and to be able to showcase them here.”

Along with talented local singers and musicians, Celebrate Gospel provided Disneyland guests the opportunity to hear a live performance by Stellar Award-winning Gospel singer Kierra Sheard and the Gospel group Sacred Groove on Feb. 19 2022. The audience was on their feet during Saturday’s performances.

I even spotted Goofy dancing in his front yard (which, lucky for him is right behind the theater).

On Feb. 26, 2022, contemporary Gospel artists Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music (who won a 2021 Grammy Award for their song “Movin’ On”) will take the stage with acclaimed Gospel choir The Singers of Soul.

Throughout February, Disneyland guests can also enjoy nightly live jazz performances in the Grand Californian lobby by The Mood Indigo Group (with the addition of a vocalist on weekends).

Daily R&B, reggae, funk, Motown, jazz, and Doo-Wop performances on the “Celebrate Soulfully” stage in Downtown Disney feature groups like Island Reggae, Del Atkins and the LYFE Band, Midnight Hour, Philly Phonics, Forward Motion, StandardMel & Friends, Urban Music Society, and LALA Brass.

Guests who missed Sacred Groove’s in-park performance on Feb. 19^th can see them in Downtown Disney from 1-3:30 p.m. on Feb. 26^th.

“We’re so grateful to be here for this extremely special event at this park,” said James, a performer with Sacred Groove. “It’s Black History Month, and to have this many black voices on this stage – the choirs you’ve seen and the bands you’ve been hearing – understand what a special moment this is, and we hope this continues in a long-lasting legacy for this park.”

While listening to the talented artists on stage, guests can also decorate “church fans” and leave messages on a Gratitude Wall.

Guests should also be sure not to miss the colorful chalk-art installations that come to life each week behind the Celebrate Soulfully stage in “Downtown Disney,” created by award-winning visual artist, chalk muralist, and Disney Live Entertainment Senior Production Artisan Marcella Swett. 

“Celebrate Soulfully” Food and Beverages

Throughout February, Ralph Brennan’s is offering a special “Celebrate Soulfully” menu featuring Louisiana crawfish spring rolls, NOLA BBQ shrimp & grits, and sweet peach tea.

Inside the park, Troubadour Tavern at Fantasyland Theater is serving up a caramelized apple-filled hand pie with brown butter streusel, but this seems like a missed opportunity for Disneyland chefs to create special menu items throughout the park – especially in New Orleans Square.

Thankfully, “Celebrate Soulfully” is making its way to the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, which starts March 4, 2022.

“We want to leverage what we’ve learned from our partners at Walt Disney World since their ‘Celebrate Soulfully’ is connected to their Food & Wine Festival, so we want to do the same thing and showcase some of the Black wineries and breweries that we have [in California],” Horton said. “We’re showcasing the same Black-owned wineries, breweries, and distilleries you’ll see at Food & Wine early in the [Grand Californian] Hearthstone Lounge.”

Through February, in addition to wines by the glass from the McBride Sisters Collection and the Brown Estate Napa Valley, craft beer from Crowns & Hops Brewing Co., and a cocktail made with Uncle Nearest 1884 Tennessee whiskey, the appetizer menu at Hearthstone Lounge (served 5-9 p.m. nightly) features crispy chicken wings with habanero maple syrup glaze, Cajun shrimp flatbread, and loaded sweet potato fries with crispy bacon, corn relish, barbecue sauce, spicy aioli, and parsley.

Where Are The Characters?

We’re very spoiled at Disneyland with the number (and diversity) of character appearances throughout the parks on a regular basis, which makes it even more curious that there aren’t special character appearances, performances – or dare I say, cavalcades – celebrating African American Disney characters voiced by great African American actors, including Joe Gardner voiced by Jamie Foxx in Soul, Tiana voiced by Anika Noni Rose in The Princess and the Frog, Frozone voiced by Samuel L. Jackson in the Incredibles movies, and General Mattias voiced by Sterling K. Brown in Frozen II.

The Warriors of Wakanda show in Avengers Campus is being highlighted as part of “Celebrate Soulfully,” but performances in New Orleans Square by Tiana and her band (along the lines of Disney Cruise Line’s Tiana’s Place show) would also certainly be appropriate – and in my opinion, expected – for a celebration of Black heritage and culture, as would be performances showcasing Jon Batiste’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning jazz music from Soul.

In my dream world (where I’m naturally in charge of Disneyland), there would be a performance by a Gospel group in Town Square followed by the singers and characters parading down Main Street U.S.A. – and all the way to the Fantasyland Theater. Thankfully, there’s reason to hope. According to Disneyland Creative Director Susana Tubert, the park “started small,” and she hinted that “Celebrate Soulfully” will expand in the future, so it’s definitely possible characters may be incorporated down the line.

Similarly, Horton said, “we’ll have different beats throughout the year that will be ‘Celebrate Soulfully,’” including the upcoming return of “Tale of the Lion King” (this time to the Fantasyland Theater). Fans of the show, which was previously performed in California Adventure, will be happy that the popular adaptation of The Lion King includes the return of the Storytellers of the Pride Lands to present Simba’s story through music and dance, but Tubert promises, the bigger stage also means “more performers and more production value.”

There’s still one more week to catch the “Celebrate Soulfully” and “Celebrate Gospel” performances at Downtown Disney and inside Disneyland Park. And be on the lookout for additional “Celebrate Soulfully” experiences in the parks this year.

Let’s Hear From You

Have you experienced Disneyland’s “Celebrate Soulfully” celebration of Black History Month? Do you have a favorite element? And what would you like to see added to “Celebrate Soulfully” in the future? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!