It’s difficult to overstate the importance of African American influence on the music industry.
It can be found in the moving tones of the Blues, the funky beats of soul and the energy of hip-hop. It has impacted gospel, R&B and pop music through the decades.
At Black music festivals, the influence shines bright. Here are five Black music festivals where the African American influence can be heard.
Summer Celebration
Indianapolis
In July 2025, the annual Indiana Black Expo (IBE) Summer Celebration Music Heritage Festival, held annually in Indianapolis, celebrates its 55th year. IBE is a nonprofit organization that promotes advancements for African American youth and families through cultural events and programs. The Music Heritage Festival is the IBE’s largest event and in addition to an outdoor concert, it includes expos, conferences and a film festival. It brings hundreds of Black vendors, artists and businesses to Indianapolis to celebrate Black culture in support of Black youth.
The lineup for Summer Celebration’s 2024 concert included stars like Johnny Gill, Lalah Hathaway and Karyn White, as well as the band Atlantic Starr. In 2023, there were performances from Grammy-winner Stephanie Mills, R&B singer-songwriter Howard Hewett, R&B group Dru Hill and The O’Jays on their final tour.
Groups can attend the festival for a night of energetic performances. It’s held at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium, and general admission starts at $10. The All White Affair, an upscale party hosted the day following the concert, also features live entertainment.
Blue Note Jazz Festival
Napa, California
Napa’s Blue Note Jazz Festival is designed to feel as upscale as any other event in California’s wine country as the summer festival celebrates the intersection of jazz and hip-hop over the last 50 years. A relatively new festival first held in 2022, it got its start from the New York branch of the same festival, which began in 2011.
In 2024, the Blue Note Jazz Festival took a break to offer the Black Radio Experience, a Labor Day weekend festival with headline artists including Jill Scott, John Legend and André 3000. Despite this hiatus, the jazz fest plans to return in 2025. Previous lineups featured high-profile headliners, like Mary J. Blige and Chance the Rapper. In 2022 and 2023, the festival was hosted by Dave Chappelle at the upscale Silverado Resort.
The three-day festival spreads out over a large area with multiple stages. It also takes full advantage of the region’s award-winning culinary scene, with local food vendors and wineries on hand. A 21-plus after-party each day gives attendees more opportunities to meet the talent and enjoy live music.
bluenotejazz.com/jazz-festival-napa
Blavity House Party
Nashville, Tennessee
It’s no surprise Music City has its share of popular music festivals. One of its newest, Blavity House Party, focuses on Nashville’s Black culture and music, highlighting R&B and hip-hop performers, sometimes with a hint of country mixed in. The festival, hosted by Blavity Media Group re-creates the fun and intimate atmosphere of a house party and celebrates Black culture. With its energetic atmosphere and prominence of emerging artists, it appeals to Millennial and Gen-Z audiences.
Blavity House Party was held for the first time in June 2024 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Over two days, performers included R&B singer Monica, New Orleans native rapper Big Freedia, rapper and producer Rick Ross and R&B group Dru Hill, among others. Attendees were fueled by more than 20 Black-owned Nashville restaurants and vendors.
Blavity Media Group will host “house parties” in other cities, with the next one planned for mid-November 2024 in Houston.
Roots Picnic
Philadelphia
Set in the City of Brotherly Love, the Roots Picnic is an annual Black music festival founded by The Roots, the Philadelphia-based hip-hop group that is the house band for “The Tonight Show.” Since it was first held in 2008, the festival has been delighting audiences with its impressive lineups. It is held each summer at the Mann Center in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. In June 2024, the Roots Picnic drew in an impressive 60,000 attendees over two days of performances that included rap, hip-hop and R&B sets from André 3000, Jill Scott and Lil Wayne, as well as Victory Monet and The Roots, who frequently perform at the festival. In 2023, the festival’s lineup also included rapper Lil Uzi Vert, songwriter and rapper Lauryn Hill and a comedy performance by Dave Chappelle.
Three stages are set up in the park, including a podcast stage for live podcasts and other experiences. Local, Black-owned restaurants supply refreshments. Single-day tickets are available, as well as VIP tickets with pit access to the stages and meal and drink vouchers.
Jazz in the Gardens
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens, a Miami suburb with a population of about 113,000, is also the third-largest predominantly African American city in the U.S. so it makes sense that the multicultural music festival Jazz in the Gardens would be held there. The two-day music festival in March each year is hosted by the city at Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
While the festival, in its 17th year, focuses primarily on jazz, R&B, soul and gospel artists are also featured. In 2024, headliners included singer-songwriter Maxwell, R&B singer-songwriter Summer Walker and Nigerian singer Davido. In 2023, the lineup included Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Charlie Wilson and Ari Lennox. A record-breaking 41,000 people attended in 2024, thanks to a partnership with Black Promoters Collective, which added performers and genres to the mix.
When groups buy general admissions passes, they’ll need to bring their own seating. Food vendors will be located throughout the stadium and festival sponsors will provide games, activities and merchandise. Single-day tickets are available, as are upgraded and VIP experiences, which include parking passes and elevated seating areas with access to an open bar.
