AFRICAN AMERICAN FESTIVALS AND EXPOS IN A CITY NEAR YOU!
| FEBRUARY |
California, Long Beach - Aquarium of the Pacific Event - The festival will feature live entertainment, arts and crafts, ethnic food, and more.
California, Long Beach - Ragga Muffins Festival - Held at the Long Beach Arena. Long Beach Ca. (310) 515-3322
California, Oakland - Ragga Muffins Festival - The Annual Ragga Muffins Festival. The Fox Theater, Oakland.
California, San Diego - Ragga Muffins Festival - The Annual Ragga Muffins Festival. Valley View Casino Center.
California, San Francisco - Black Choreographers Festival - Honoring the Legacy & Celebrating the Next Generation is theme of the Annual Black Choreographers Festival.
Maryland, Baltimore - Black Heritage Art Show - Features original works by African American artists from across the nation.
North Carolina, Durham - Hayti Heritage Film Festival - SJHF is dedicated to advancing cultural understanding through diverse programs that examine the experiences of Americans of African descent — locally, nationally and globally.
South Carolina, Savannah - Savannah Black Heritage Festival - Cultural education and exposure to the performing and visual arts, as well as ethnic cuisine, crafts, fun and family are emphasized throughout the celebration.
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| MARCH |
Georgia, Atlanta - National Black Arts Festival - A celebration of culture.
Georgia, Savannah - Savannah Music Festival - SMF gives attendees a chance to hit the dance floor with four dance parties - Cuban, Cajun, Funk, and Zydeco music - scheduled throughout the festival.
Louisiana, Lake Charles- Black Heritage Festival - Mouthwatering food, terrific music and great family fun.
Pennsylvania, Reading - Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest - One of the largest jazz festivals in the U.S., including over 130 scheduled events!
South Carolina, Charleston- Charleston Black Expo - Taste of Black Expo. South
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| APRIL |
D.C., Washington - African American Family Celebration - The event is open to all, come join us for a day of fun, learning and celebration.
D.C., Washington - Calvin Jones BIG BAND Jazz Festival - Celebrates 25 Years of World Class Jazz at the University of the District of Columbia. A hand-clapping, finger-snapping, foot-stomping good time.
Florida, Jacksonville - Jacksonville Jazz Festival - The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is held every April and is the second-largest jazz festival in the nation. Springing the Blues is a free outdoor blues festival held in Jacksonville Beach.
Georgia, Atlanta - Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival - The Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival, delivering Cinema in True Colour. Audiences can expect to be entertained and moved by films that showcase a plethora of untold stories.
Louisiana, Baton Rouge - Baton Rouge Blues Festival - The Baton Rouge Blues Festival is one of the oldest blues festivals in America.
Louisiana, New Orleans - French Quarter Festival - FQFI is a nonprofit corporation supported by the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. All French Quarter festivals are free and include the French Quarter Festival, Christmas New Orleans Style, and the Satchmo SummerFest.
Louisiana, New Orleans - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - This spontaneous, momentous scene—this meeting of jazz and heritage—has stood for decades since as a stirring symbol of the authenticity of the celebration.
Nevada, Las Vegas - Las Vegas City of Lights Jazz/Rhythm & Blues Festival - The spirit of your festival is in Las Vegas and doing well.
Ohio, Cleveland - Tri-C JazzFest - Tri-C JazzFest is the largest music festival in Ohio, and the largest educational jazz festival in the country.
Tennessee, Memphis - Africa In April Cultural Awareness Festival - Africa In April Cultural Awarenss Festival during the month of April designed to celebrate the arts, history, culture, and diversity of the African Diaspora.
Tennessee, Nashville - GMA Gospel Music Week & GMA Music Awards - The Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards are presented annually by the Gospel Music Association for outstanding achievements in the Christian music industry.
Texas, Austin - Austin Reggae Festival - A celebration that brings together incredible music, tasty foods, arts & crafts, plus premium people-watching.
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| MAY |
California, Los Angeles - JazzReggae Fest - The Annual JazzReggae Fest held at UCLA.
California, Sacramento - Sacramento Jazz Jubilee - Live Music! Dancing! Party! Jazz, Blues, Zydeco, Latin, Swing, Bluegrass, and more.
Georgia, Atlanta - Atlanta Jazz Festival - The city’s commitment was to present a free jazz festival. It would, in fact, be named The Atlanta Free Jazz Festival.
Georgia, Atlanta - Sweet Auburn Springfest - You can expect to enjoy concerts, carnival rides, film festivals, entertaining parades and a whole lot more!
Louisiana, New Orleans - Big Easy Comedy Festival - Held New Orleans Memorial Day Weekend.
Nevada, Las Vegas - Vegas Soulfest - Get the VIP hotel treatment and let your hair down with 24 hours entertainment in the city of sin. And remember what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
South Carolina, Atlantic Beach-Myrtle Beach - Black Bike Week - Dedicated to Black Bike Week also known as Memorial Day Bike Fest or Atlantic Beach Bike Fest.
South Carolina, Beaufort - Gullah Festival - Celebrates the accomplishments of the blacks of the low-country.
South Carolina, Columbia - Columbia Black Expo - Taste of Black Expo. South
Tennessee, Memphis - Memphis in May International Festival - Memphis in May International Festival hosts the city's largest events like the Beale Street Music Festival, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the Sunset Symphony.
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| JUNE |
California, Hollywood - Hollywood Black Film Festival - Dubbed "The Black Sundance," the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) is an annual 6-day celebration of Black Cinema drawing together established filmmakers, popular film and TV stars, writers, directors, industry executives, emerging artists, and diverse audiences from Hollywood and around the world.
California, Monterey - Monterey Bay Blues Festival - A non-profit supporting students and the arts. Festival features over 100 performers annually.
D.C., Washington - Capital Jazz Festival Preview - It's a place to people-watch, eat, drink, shop, mingle, relax, soak in the rays, and of course hear some of the coolest music performed by artists whom you won't see anywhere else in the Washington-Baltimore area.
Delaware, Wilmington - The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival - A free jazz music festival held annually in June at Rodney Square in Wilmington, Delaware. The first festival was held in 1989 on the open lawn in the center of the city, and has grown into the largest free jazz festival on the East Coast.
Illinois, Chicago - Chicago Blues Festival - The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event that features 3 glorious days of entertainment by the best blues musicians in the world.
Illinois, Chicago - Chicago Gospel Music Festival - This event is he largest outdoor, free admission event of its kind. 3 days of Gospel entertainment with more than fifty performances.
Illinois, Chicago - Taste of Chicago - Chicago’s tremendous array of culinary delights are located in one place at the ten-day lakefront festival where food choices range from ethnic to exotic to Chicago specialties.
Maryland, Baltimore - Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals - Celebrate every weekend of the summer with festivals featuring music, food, crafts, dance & live entertainment.
Nevada, Las Vegas - Reggae In The Desert - Showcasing both the unifying power of Reggae music & the Caribbean lifestyle.
North Carolina, Charleston - Charleston Carifest Caribbean Carnival - Wear a wonderful costume and dance through the streets of Charleston.
South Carolina, Greenville - Greenville Black Expo - Taste of Black Expo. South
Texas, Houston - National Black Book Festival - Dozens of authors, thousands of readers all under one roof.
Virginia, Hampton - Hampton Jazz Festival - The Hampton Jazz Festival has a 3 day exciting lineup of top blues, soul, pop and jazz talent from all over the world.
Washington, Seattle - Festival Sundiata - African-American Celebration - The festival celebrates the arts and educates the community about people of African descent who form a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities.
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| JULY |
Alabama, Florence - W.C. Handy Music Festival - Area restaurants offer live music most nights, and artists often perform in Wilson Park or along streets downtown.
California, Palm Springs - Party In Palm Springs Celebration - This Party In Palm Springs Celebration is for sexy, and single professionals over the age of 27.
California, San Francisco - Fillmore Jazz Festival - The Fillmore Jazz Festival is the largest free Jazz festival on the West Coast. Vendors, several stages with hot cultural music, good eats and alot of friendly people.
Florida, Miami Beach - Miami TakeOver! - Former NBA great Alonzo Mourning Celebrity Weekend event, and don't miss the "All White South Beach Parties."
Georgia, Atlanta - National Black Arts Festival - International marketplace resource for information.
Indiana, Indianapolis - Indiana Black Expo's Summer Celebration - The largest African American cultural event in our nation. Expect more than 300,000 people to attend.
Maryland, Baltimore - African American Heritage Festival - Celebrating the culture, history, heritage and the arts of African American accomplishments.
Michigan, Lansing - An Evening of Smooth Jazz - The annual summer music event takes place on the last Friday in July. Previous performers include Gerald Albright, Nick Colionne, Bob Baldwin, Tim Bowman, the Al McKenzie Trio, Penny Wells, The Miller Group, 496 West, Straight Ahead, Charles and Gwen Scales with Modern Tribe, Smooth for Notes, Impulse.
Minnesota, Duluth - Bayfront Reggae & World Music Festival - A celebration of world music representing Africa, Cuba, England, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, South Africa, St. Lucia, Trinidad, US, and more!
Texas, Houston - Houston CaribFest - Houston CaribFest is your one-stop for Caribbean entertainment in the Greater Houston area.
Virginia, Charlottesville - African-American Cultural Arts Festival - From it's beginning in July 1989, this festival celebrates the rich heritage of people of African ancestry and their contributions to the community, the nation and the world.
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| AUGUST |
Idaho, Boise - Boise Soul Food Festival - Popularized in the 1960s, the term soul food refers to a distinctive, traditional southern style of cooking. Make plans to attend the Boise Soul Food Extravaganza.
Indiana, Michigan City - Smooth Jazz At South Shore - Smooth Jazz At South Shore is one of the premier music festivals in the Midwest.
Indiana, South Bend - South Bend Reggae/World Music Festival - Live music events to raise money for The Pangani Foundation, Inc.
Louisiana, New Orleans - Annual Satchmo Summerfest - Satchmo SummerFest – the premier American Jazz Festival dedicated to the life, music and legacy of New Orleans’ native son, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong.
Michigan, Detroit - Detroit Jazz Festival - The International Freedom Festival, Jazz Fest was intended to bring people into the city and to provide all segments of the population with world-class entertainment.
Minnesota, Duluth - Bayfront Blues Festival - One of the largest annual outdoor music events in the upper Midwest held at Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park.
North Carolina, Winston-Salem - National Black Theatre Festival - The National Black Theatre Festival is held biennially in the City of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC. The festival has attracted more than 500,000 tourist to the city since it was established. Black Theatre is for everyone!
Pennsylvania, Bethlehem - Musikfest - Musikfest is a music festival that has been held each August in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA since 1984. The festival begins on the first Friday in August and ends on Sunday ten days later.
Tennessee, Johnson City - Umoja Festival - With an annual attendance of more than 30,000 people, the Umoja Festival brings in people from East Tennessee and across the region to celebrate African American culture, diversity and the acceptance and education of other cultures.
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| SEPTEMBER |
DC, Washington - Black Family Reunion Celebration - This multi-cultural, family focused festival attracts up to 250,000 people. It is a unique opportunity for you to display your organization’s programs, services, and activities to the thousands of African Americans and others.
Illinois, Chicago - African Festival of the Arts - Creating and keeping the culture. Enjoy clothing, jewelry that is handmade, soul food, and more.
Maryland, Baltimore - African American Culture Festival - The Festival serves as a vehicle to showcase Baltimore County communities and its residents.
Maryland, Baltimore - Cadillac Parade and Royal Theatre Reunion Parade & Festival - Good music, and witness the traditional Cadillac Parade.
Mississippi, Greenville - Mississippi Delta Blues Festival - The purpose of the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival is to reach a worldwide audience with a celebration of the contributions the Mississippi Delta Blues culture has made to the American story - and to help preserve that culture.
New York, Harlem - African American Day Parade - Showcase of positive Black achievements. The largest Black parade in America.
North Carolina, Raleigh - African American Cultural Festival - The African American Cultural Festival in partnership with the City of Raleigh and Wake County is proud to present a family friendly celebration of African American arts and culture in downtown Raleigh.
Tennessee, Nashville - Nashville's African Street Festival - Committed to celebrating and connecting the extensions of Africa to America by way of education, arts, business, family and community.
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| OCTOBER |
Florida, Jacksonville - Black Expo South - Gospel Sensations, R&B Artist, Business Opportunities, Best Selling Author, Actors, Political Analyst and more!
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia - October Gallery Art Expo - Three day weekend of art, music & great food in downtown Mt Airy, Philadelphia, PA. Features 200 arts and crafts exhibitors / vendors.
South Carolina, Camden - Carolina Downhome Blues Festival - Experience downhome blues in downtown Camden, South Carolina.
Texas, Houston - Good Karma Reggae Festival - Spreading awareness of Reggae Music, Love, and Peace & Unity.
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| NOVEMBER |
Georgia, Atlanta - Rhythm & Soul Awards
- Awards will be given to the most celebrated independent and well known singers, bands and DJs along with homages to a legend, a pioneer and a best new artist.
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