Brooklyn residents are celebrating the holiday of Kwanzaa in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Kwanzaafest kicked off Saturday at Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Center.

The organization put the event on hold for many years, but decided to bring it back to educate young people about African-American culture.

The festival featured drum and dance lessons, as well as craft activities. Adults were also invited to celebrate by dancing into the evening.

President Barack Obama on Saturday released a statement acknowledging the first night of Kwanzaa by saying: "Kwanzaa's seven principles - unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith - are also shared values that bind us as Americans. And in the spirit of the season, we reflect on the blessings of the past year and commit to building a brighter future for all our children."