By Tricia Hall
The Truth Reporter
The streets surrounding Belmont Street filled with people excited to taste various delicious receipts that included collard green.
The 24th annual Collard Green Festival occurred on Saturday, September 14 at Belmont Enterprise, located at 1699 Belmont. The festival opened with a welcome, a Glenn Stubblefield Sr. special tribute and jazz sensation Ramona Collins.
Belmont Enterprise is a neighborhood sanctuary that features community gathering, fellowship, entertainment and memories. According to event organizer, Joyce Stubblefield, Glenn’s widow, the original concept of expanding into a neighborhood festival came about because of an assignment from her mother.
“My mother loved collard greens and sent me to look for green collards,” said Stubblefield. “There are several strands of collard greens, and I wanted to learn and try them all.”
The festival began in 2000 as a private family and friends gathering, yet over 150 individuals showed up. For 24 years, the festival has remained on Belmont Street, even after receiving support to move the festival outside of the neighborhood.
“The festival grew and grew, my husband used to say that we created a monster,” shared Stubblefield. “I want people to feel a sense of community because this a labor of love. Whatever we have, we share it at no charge.”
Guests dinned on collard spaghetti casserole, collard greens & mac and cheese, collard mozzarella balls, chili & cheese collards, loaded potato collard & buffalo chicken casserole and jerk chicken rice collard casserole.
