National Black Events Guide (TEST)

A curated guide to Black cultural, professional, and recreational events attracting national audiences

Event Locations

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82 upcoming events
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82 events matching filters/search

Curation: Travel-worthy Black cultural, professional, and recreational events selected for their national audience and appeal

EventCity / State
April 10-11(past event)
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Memphis, TN
May 29-31(past event)
Newport Beach Jazz Festival★ BAR Pick
Newport Beach Jazz Festival brings contemporary jazz and R&B artists to Orange County’s Back Bay Amphitheater and golf course stages each spring.
Newport Beach, CA
June 2-5(past event)
National Association of Black Accountants Convention
The National Association of Black Accountants draws over 2,000 members and 70-plus corporate partners to its Convention & Expo, the country’s premier gathering and recruiting event for Black finance, accounting, and business professionals.
Las Vegas, NV
June 4-7(past event)
Chicago Blues Festival
Founded in 1984, the Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free blues festival in the world, drawing crowds to Millennium Park each June to honor Chicago’s foundational role in the music’s history.
Chicago, IL
June 5-7(past event)
Capital Jazz Fest
Held every June during Black Music Month since 1993, Capital Jazz Fest brings more than 30 contemporary jazz, R&B, and soul acts to Merriweather Post Pavilion across three days, one of the longest-running Black music festivals in the DMV.
Columbia, MD
June 9(past event)
Real Men Cook
Founded in Chicago in 1990 by Yvette and Kofi Moyo, Real Men Cook is the country’s largest and longest-running Father’s Day celebration, with Black men cooking for and serving their communities across multiple cities.
Chicago, IL
Opens June 18(past event)
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Gwinnett County, GA
June 18-20(past event)
San Francisco Black Film Festival
Founded in 1998 by arts impresario Ave Montague, the San Francisco Black Film Festival has screened more than 10,000 films celebrating the cinematic legacy of African Americans and the global Black diaspora.
San Francisco, CA
June 19-21(past event)
Baltimore African American Festival★ BAR Pick
One of the country’s longest-running African American festivals, AFRAM has anchored Baltimore’s summer cultural calendar with music and community programming for decades.
Baltimore, MD
June 20(past event)
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Fort Worth, TX
July 2-5(past event)
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Gwinnett County, GA
July 3-5(past event)
Essence Festival of Culture★ BAR Pick
The 2026 Essence Festival of Culture brings a “Ladies First” lineup to New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, headlined by Cardi B, Kehlani, Patti LaBelle, and Brandy.
New Orleans, LA
July 6-12
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Grand Boule★ BAR Pick
Zeta Phi Beta’s 2026 Grand Boule unites thousands of members in Nashville under the theme “The Extraordinary Power of S.H.E.,” with programming spanning leadership, health equity, and economic empowerment.
Nashville, TN
July 8-12
Taste of Chicago★ BAR Pick
Taste of Chicago is one of the world’s largest free food festivals, bringing the city’s chefs and vendors to Grant Park each summer.
Chicago, IL
July 9-19
Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration★ BAR Pick
One of the nation’s largest African American cultural expositions, this multi-day Indianapolis event blends business, entertainment, and community programming.
Indianapolis, IN
July 10-12
Africa World Festival★ BAR Pick
Now in its fifth decade, Detroit’s African World Festival gathers more than 20,000 people on Hart Plaza each summer for one of the nation’s largest celebrations of the African diaspora, presented by the Charles H. Wright Museum.
Detroit, MI
July 11-12
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Castro Valley, CA
July 12-18
Reggae Sumfest★ BAR Pick
Established in 1993 in Montego Bay, Reggae Sumfest is Jamaica and the Caribbean’s largest music festival, drawing tens of thousands of fans for a week that has hosted reggae and dancehall’s biggest names.
Montego Bay, Jamaica
July 14-16
Black Tech Week★ BAR Pick
Black Tech Week brings founders, engineers, and investors together in Cincinnati to build connections across the Black tech ecosystem.
Cincinnati, OH
July 15-18
Black Data Processing Association Convention
Founded in 1975 to expand Black representation in technology, BDPA gathers IT professionals and students in Indianapolis, where its national student coding competition reaches its championship rounds alongside sessions on AI and emerging tech.
Indianapolis, IN
July 16-19
National Dental Association Annual Convention
National Dental Association Annual Convention is a professional or membership gathering with meetings, networking, and related programming.
Richmond, VA
July 17
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Houston, TX
July 18-19
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
City of Industry, CA
July 18-22
NAACP Annual Convention★ BAR Pick
The 117th NAACP National Convention returns to Chicago’s McCormick Place, continuing the century-old flagship gathering of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization.
Chicago, IL
July 19-21
Association of African American Museums Conference
The Association of African American Museums holds its annual conference, the field’s premier gathering for the curators, directors, and scholars who steward Black history collections, drawing hundreds of museum professionals for sessions and site visits.
Philadelphia, PA
July 22-24
International Hotel Ownership & Investment Summit
Founded in 2001 by Andy Ingraham, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers hosts its International African American Hotel Ownership & Investment Summit in Miami to expand Black ownership across the hospitality industry.
Miami, FL
July 23-25
Cincinnati Music Festival
Tracing its roots to the 1962 Ohio Valley Jazz Festival, the Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G is one of the longest-running R&B and soul events in the country, drawing 50,000-plus fans to Paycor Stadium each July.
Cincinnati, OH
PayCor Stadium hosts one of the nation’s largest black music festivals; past performers include the biggest names in Soul Music.
July 24-25
Chicago Gospel Music Festival★ BAR Pick
Chicago’s free Gospel Music Festival brings decades of gospel tradition to Millennium Park, one of the city’s signature summer cultural events.
Chicago, IL
July 25-31
National Bar Association Annual Convention★ BAR Pick
The NBA’s 101st Annual Convention marks a full century of Black legal excellence, gathering judges, lawyers, and advocates in Nashville under the theme “The Rhythm of Excellence.”
Nashville, TN
July 25-29
National Medical Association Annual Convention★ BAR Pick
NMA’s Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly is the nation’s largest gathering of Black physicians, convening in San Juan for its 124th year of medical scholarship and health equity advocacy.
Puerto Rico
July 26-30
National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Conference
Founded in 1974, the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice brings corrections, courts, and law-enforcement professionals together for its Annual Conference and Training Institute, focused on equal justice for Black communities.
Tampa, FL
July 27 – August 1
National Black Theatre Bi-Annual Festival
Founded in 1989 by Larry Leon Hamlin with Maya Angelou as its first chair, this biennial Winston-Salem festival draws nearly 60,000 people for six days and over 100 performances of Black theater.
Winston-Salem, NC
July 28 – August 2
National Black Nurses Convention
Founded in 1971 and now representing over 300,000 nurses, NBNA brings more than 1,200 nurses to its annual Institute and Conference for clinical training focused on the conditions that disproportionately affect Black communities.
Dallas, TX
July 29
National Urban League Conference★ BAR Pick
The National Urban League Conference marks the 50th edition of its State of Black America report, convening thousands in Nashville to confront economic and civil rights challenges nationwide.
Nashville, TN
July 30 – August 3
Caribana Weekend★ BAR Pick
North America’s largest Caribbean festival, Caribana fills Toronto’s streets with mas bands, steel pan, and soca ahead of its signature Grand Parade.
Toronto, Canada
July 30 – August 3
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Grand Conclave★ BAR Pick
The 85th Grand Conclave brings over 10,000 members to Cincinnati’s First Financial Center for the fraternity’s biennial international convention – the region’s largest event in three years.
Cincinnati, OH
August 1-2
Umoja Family Festival
With roots stretching back more than eight decades, Seattle’s Umoja Fest celebrates African diaspora culture in the Central District each August, anchored by the Africatown Heritage Parade.
Seattle, WA
August 1-2
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Atlanta, GA
August 1-2
Satchmo Summerfest
Launched in 2001 on what would have been Louis Armstrong’s 100th birthday, Satchmo SummerFest is a free French Quarter celebration of the New Orleans jazz icon, with brass bands, local cuisine, and a scholarly lecture series.
New Orleans, LA
August 6
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Dallas, TX
August 7-15
Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival★ BAR Pick
Now in its 24th year, MVAAFF is an Oscar-qualifying festival celebrating Black storytelling on the island’s Performing Arts Center stage.
Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs, MA
August 8-9
Long Beach Jazz Festival★ BAR Pick
Now in its 36th year, Long Beach Jazz Festival is a three-generation, family-produced festival blending jazz, Latin, and R&B along the Southern California waterfront.
Long Beach, CA
August 12-14
National Sales Network Convention
National Sales Network Convention is a professional or membership gathering with meetings, networking, and related programming.
Washington, DC
August 12-16
National Association of Black Journalists Convention
National Association of Black Journalists Convention is a professional or membership gathering with meetings, networking, and related programming.
Atlanta, GA
August 15
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Fort Worth, TX
August 21-22
Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival
Produced by Norfolk Festevents, the Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival is the region’s longest-running outdoor jazz festival, staging two days of performances each summer at Town Point Park on the downtown waterfront.
Norfolk, VA
August 22-23
Africana Virginia Beach Funkfest
Africana is a Virginia Beach oceanfront festival of African and African American culture at the 24th Street Park and boardwalk, pairing the long-running FunkFest music series with dance, specialty vendors, and programming that supports African community causes.
Virginia Beach, VA
August 22-23
Sundiata Festival
Founded in 1980 and named for the Mali Empire’s legendary king, Festival Sundiata is the longest-running African American festival in the Pacific Northwest, presenting its Black Arts Fest free each year at Seattle Center.
Seattle, WA
September 4-6
Chicago Jazz Festival★ BAR Pick
One of the longest-running free jazz festivals in the country, Chicago Jazz Festival anchors the city’s Labor Day weekend at Millennium Park.
Chicago, IL
September 5-6
John Coltrane Jazz & Blues Festival
Held in High Point, NC, where John Coltrane spent his boyhood, this festival launched in 2011 to honor the saxophonist’s legacy, with proceeds funding music education for area youth.
Greensboro, NC
September 7
West Indian American Parade
Rooted in Harlem in the 1920s and settled on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway since 1967, the West Indian American Day Carnival is North America’s largest Caribbean celebration, drawing millions each Labor Day.
Brooklyn, NY
September 11-13
National Women Of Color Empowerment Conference
National Women Of Color Empowerment Conference is a professional or membership gathering with meetings, networking, and related programming.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
September 18
Bill Pickett Rodeo Championship
Bill Pickett Rodeo Championship highlights Black rodeo culture with competition, entertainment, and community programming.
Washington, DC
September 23-25
National Black MBA Association Conference★ BAR Pick
NBMBAA’s 48th Annual Conference and Career Expo returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center, pairing professional development with the nation’s largest diversity career fair.
Los Angeles, CA
September 25-27
Monterey Jazz Festival★ BAR Pick
The 69th Monterey Jazz Festival returns to the Monterey County Fairgrounds, one of the world’s longest continuously running jazz festivals.
Monterey, CA
October 8-11
Silicon Valley African Film Festival
Founded in 2010 by Nigerian filmmaker Chike Nwoffiah, the Silicon Valley African Film Festival screens more than 90 films from 30-plus countries each October in San Jose, reframing Africa through African storytellers.
San Jose, CA
October 10
Bronner Brothers International Award Show
For more than 75 years, the Bronner Bros. International Beauty Show has been the country’s largest trade show for the multicultural beauty industry, drawing stylists and barbers to Atlanta for competitions, education, and product showcases.
Atlanta, GA
October 15-18
Black Travel Summit★ BAR Pick
Black Travel Summit gathers travel content creators, brands, and destination marketers around the growing Black travel movement.
Milwaukee, WI
October 17
Taste of Soul Festival★ BAR Pick
Taste of Soul draws hundreds of thousands to Crenshaw Boulevard for LA’s largest African American street festival, blending food, music, and community vendors.
Los Angeles, CA
October 17
Hatitude Cultural Flair
Part of Eatonville’s ZORA! Festival honoring Zora Neale Hurston, the HATitude Cultural Flair brunch celebrates Black women’s hat tradition and fashion while raising funds for the festival’s year-round K-12 academic programs.
Orlando, FL
October 21-23
Black Men XCEL★ BAR Pick
Formerly Black Men XCEL, this Black Enterprise summit was created to give Black men in business the same dedicated space for recognition and growth as the Women of Power Summit.
Orlando, FL
November 7-13
Afro Wine Week★ BAR Pick
Afro Wine Week celebrates Black winemakers, sommeliers, and wine culture through tastings and educational programming in Cape Town.
Cape Town, South Africa
December 26 – January 1, 2027
Kwanzaa Celebrations
Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration of African heritage observed December 26 through January 1, built around the Nguzo Saba, its seven guiding principles from unity to faith.
Across America
January 19, 2027
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Established by the King Holiday and Service Act of 1994, MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, mobilizing Americans to volunteer in their communities in the spirit of Dr. King.
Various
January 29 – February 1, 2027
Zora Neale Hurston Festival
First held in 1990 in historic Eatonville, one of America’s first self-governing Black towns, the ZORA! Festival honors author Zora Neale Hurston with concerts, exhibitions, and an academic conference on the Black experience.
Eatonville, FL
February 2027
Black Joy Parade★ BAR Pick
Oakland’s Black Joy Parade is a community-built celebration of Black culture and creativity, drawing thousands to the city’s downtown each winter.
Oakland, CA
March 7-10, 2027
Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit★ BAR Pick
Marking its 20th anniversary in 2026, Black Enterprise’s Women of Power Summit has drawn over 1,500 executive women of color annually since founder Barbara Graves launched it in 2006.
Las Vegas, NV
July 3-4, 2027
Fillmore Jazz Festival★ BAR Pick
San Francisco’s Fillmore Jazz Festival celebrates the historic Fillmore District’s jazz legacy with live music and vendors along Fillmore Street.
San Francisco, CA
(2027 date not yet announced)
BET Experience
Launched in 2013 as the live counterpart to the BET Awards, the BET Experience takes over L.A. Live each summer with arena concerts, celebrity panels, and fan activations celebrating Black music and entertainment.
Los Angeles, CA
(2027 date not yet announced)
National Forum for Black Public Administrators
Founded in 1983, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators develops Black leadership in government; its annual FORUM convenes public-sector professionals for training, mentorship, and networking.
Philadelphia, PA
(2027 date not yet announced)
National Society of Black Engineers Convention★ BAR Pick
NSBE’s Annual Convention is the largest gathering of Black engineering students and professionals in the country, held this year at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Baltimore, MD
July 7-11
Alpha Phi Alpha Constitutional Convention★ BAR Pick
Alpha Phi Alpha’s General Convention, the oldest Black intercollegiate fraternity’s flagship gathering, next convenes in Orlando in 2027.
Orlando, FL
(Date not yet announced)
Taste of Louisiana Festival
The Taste of Louisiana Festival transforms Sugar Land’s Town Square Plaza outside Houston into a Louisiana street festival, bringing Cajun and Creole food, music, and culture to the Gulf Coast’s Louisiana transplant community.
Houston, TX
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
New York, NY
(Date not yet announced)
African American Street Festival
African American Street Festival celebrates Black culture, heritage, arts, and community traditions.
Nashville, TN
(Date not yet announced)
Hollywood Black Film Festival
Founded in 1998 by Tanya Kersey and known as the ‘Black Sundance,’ the Hollywood Black Film Festival returned in 2025 after a six-year hiatus, spotlighting Black filmmakers over five days in Hollywood.
Hollywood, CA
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Philadelphia, PA
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Philadelphia, PA
(Date not yet announced)
BE Smart Hackathon
Running since 2015, Black Enterprise’s BE Smart Hackathon brings 200 students from HBCUs together to build technology solutions over a weekend, doubling as a recruitment pipeline connecting emerging Black tech talent to major corporations.
Location TBA
(Date not yet announced)
ADCOLOR Awards★ BAR Pick
Marking its 20th anniversary, ADCOLOR is the creative industries’ largest diversity conference, founded in 2005 by advertising veteran Tiffany R. Warren.
Location TBA
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Brooklyn, NY
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Brooklyn, NY
(Date not yet announced)
Western Region 2026 Urban Winterfest
Presented by the National Brotherhood of Skiers, founded in 1975, Urban Winterfest brings Black skiers and snowboarders to Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly resort each January; the 2026 edition marks the group’s 50th anniversary.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
(Date not yet announced)
Healdsburg Jazz Winter Festival
Presented by the nonprofit Healdsburg Jazz, founded in 1999, the Winter Festival brings rising and renowned jazz artists to intimate venues across Sonoma County wine country over four days each winter.
Healdsburg, CA
TBD
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Fort Worth, TX
(Date not yet announced)
AfrobeatsFEST 757
Presented by the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance and Norfolk State University, AfrobeatsFEST 757 brings Afrobeats artists and dancers to Hampton Roads, spotlighting the African diaspora’s fastest-growing sound.
Norfolk, VA
(Date not yet announced)
Gullah Celebration
Held every February since 1996, the Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration is a month-long tribute to Gullah Geechee heritage, with art, storytelling, and Lowcountry culinary traditions across the island.
Hilton Head, SC
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Greenville, SC
(Date not yet announced)
Pan African Film & Arts Festival★ BAR Pick
Now one of the longest-running Black film festivals in the country, PAFF screens features, documentaries, and shorts from across the African diaspora in Los Angeles.
Culver City & Los Angeles, CA
February 13-15(past event)
NBA 2026 All-Star Experiences★ BAR Pick
NBA All-Star Weekend lands at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, bringing the league’s marquee midseason showcase to Los Angeles.
Inglewood, CA
4th Saturday of February
International Pretty Brown Girl Day
Founded in 2012 by Sheri and Corey Crawley, International Pretty Brown Girl Day is celebrated the fourth Saturday of February to build self-esteem in Black and brown girls, anchoring a movement of 85-plus self-esteem clubs nationwide.
Detroit and various cities
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Miami, FL
February 28 – March 7(past event)
National Brotherhood of Snowsports Summit 2026★ BAR Pick
NBS’s annual Summit unites the country’s Black ski and snowboard clubs for a week of racing, socializing, and building the sport’s Black community.
Keystone, CO
March 12-15(past event)
Black-Out Weekend Ski Event★ BAR Pick
Black-Out Weekend brings Black skiers and snowboarders together at Lake Tahoe for a weekend built around winter sports and community.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
(Date not yet announced)
Jazz In The Gardens Festival
Started in 2006 by founding mayor Shirley Gibson, Jazz in the Gardens has grown from a parking-lot event into a two-day, 60,000-person celebration each March in Miami Gardens, Florida’s largest majority-Black city.
Miami Gardens, FL
(Date not yet announced)
Berks Jazz Festival
Berks Jazz Festival is a music and culture event with performances and related festival programming.
Reading, PA
March 24-28(past event)
National Association of Black Social Workers Conference
Formed in 1968 out of the Civil Rights movement, the National Association of Black Social Workers convenes its annual conference with CEU workshops, healing circles, and programming grounded in service to the Black family and community.
Detroit, MI
(Date not yet announced)
Charlotte Jazz Festival
Launched by Blumenthal Arts in 2016, the Charlotte Jazz Festival spreads jazz across the city with ticketed headliners, free neighborhood concerts, and New Orleans-style second-line parades.
Charlotte, NC
TBD
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Atlanta, GA
TBD
San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival presents film screenings, filmmaker programs, and arts-focused events.
San Francisco, CA
(Date not yet announced)
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival★ BAR Pick
Jazz Fest brings decades of New Orleans musical tradition to the Fair Grounds Race Course, spanning jazz, blues, gospel, and Cajun music across multiple stages.
New Orleans, LA
(Date not yet announced)
St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival★ BAR Pick
St. Lucia’s signature cultural event pairs world-class jazz performances with the island’s food, art, and heritage.
St. Lucia
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Birmingham, AL
Month of May
Beale Street Music Festival
The flagship of Memphis in May, the Beale Street Music Festival returns to Tom Lee Park in 2026 after a two-year pause, staging rock, blues, soul, and hip-hop acts on the banks of the Mississippi.
Memphis, TN
(Date not yet announced)
Barbados Gospelfest
Established in 1993, Barbados Gospelfest is the Caribbean’s premier Christian music and arts festival, drawing gospel headliners like Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin to the island for a week of worship and concerts.
Barbados
(Date not yet announced)
Sweet Auburn Springfest
Celebrating 40 years in 2026, Sweet Auburn Springfest is the Southeast’s largest free outdoor festival, drawing tens of thousands to Atlanta’s historic Auburn Avenue for music, food, and community across ten stages.
Atlanta, GA
TBD
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason and named for the Black cowboy who pioneered steer-wrestling, the Bill Pickett Invitational is the country’s premier touring Black rodeo, celebrating Black cowboy culture across a multi-city season.
Fort Worth, TX
(Date not yet announced)
Umoja Festival Portsmouth
Now in its fourth decade, Portsmouth’s Umoja Festival is one of the oldest African American cultural festivals in the country, filling the downtown Virginia waterfront with jazz, gospel, reggae, and R&B each May.
Portsmouth, VA
(Date not yet announced)
Original Gullah Festival Celebration
Founded in 1986 by Rosalie Pazant and family to revive Beaufort’s Decoration Day traditions, the Original Gullah Festival draws over 40,000 people to the South Carolina waterfront for a celebration of Gullah Geechee art, food, and music.
Beaufort, SC
(Date not yet announced)
DanceAfrica
Created in 1977 by Chuck Davis, DanceAfrica is America’s largest festival of African dance and BAM’s longest-running program, filling Brooklyn each Memorial Day weekend with performances and a 200-vendor outdoor bazaar.
Brooklyn, NY
(Date not yet announced)
Cancun Jumpoff
Held every Memorial Day weekend for over a decade, the Cancun Jumpoff draws roughly 12,000 travelers to Mexico for the largest urban music and party weekend outside the U.S., spanning five days and 17-plus events.
Cancun, Mexico
(Date not yet announced)
Bayou Bon Vivant
Bayou Bon Vivant transforms Norfolk’s Town Point Park into a weekend of Louisiana culture, serving crawfish, gumbo, and beignets alongside New Orleans musicians and a Cajun crafters’ market on the downtown waterfront.
Norfolk, VA
(Date not yet announced)
Atlanta Jazz Festival★ BAR Pick
One of the largest free jazz festivals in the country, Atlanta Jazz Festival fills Piedmont Park with national headliners over Memorial Day weekend.
Atlanta, GA
TBD
Brooklyn Film Festival
Brooklyn Film Festival presents film screenings, filmmaker programs, and arts-focused events.
Brooklyn, NY
TBD
Universoul Circus
Universoul Circus is a music + culture event with public-facing programming and community activity.
Atlanta, GA
(Date not yet announced)
American Black Film Festival★ BAR Pick
Celebrating its 30th anniversary under the theme “Homecoming,” ABFF remains the premier platform for Black film, from screenings to master classes, in Miami Beach.
Miami Beach, FL
Juneteenth
Juneteenth Celebrations
Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when Union troops reached Galveston to enforce emancipation two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Made a federal holiday in 2021, it is now celebrated nationwide with parades, cookouts, and cultural programming.
Various Cities
(Date not yet announced)
Congressional Black Caucus Scholarship Classic
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Scholarship Classic pairs a golf tournament with networking to fund scholarships for more than 500 students nationwide who show leadership, community service, and academic promise.
Chesapeake Bay Resort, MD
(Date not yet announced)
Baltimore Natural Hair Care Expo
Founded in 2001 by master loctician Malaika Tamu-Cooper, Baltimore’s Natural Hair Care Expo is one of the longest-running events of the natural hair movement, now past its 24th year of workshops, demonstrations, and Black beauty-business vendors.
Baltimore, MD

Thumbnail images are curated editorial visuals used to help represent each event. Bay Area Registry is not responsible for the accuracy of event information listed. Confirm all details with the event organizer before attending.