No matter what part of the world you call home, it wouldn’t be summer if you didn’t get to experience the beauty of a Black summer music festival. The sea of melanin, a vast array of unique attire and the unspoken connection that takes place over melodic beats always makes the vibe feel like a family reunion.
Whether you’re into R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae or Jazz, there are more than enough events to satisfy your musical palate. Here are some must-see summer music festivals.
St. Kitts Music Festival
June 27-30th
Basseterre, St. Kitts
If you’re looking to have a beautiful island experience with A-list musicians, you can’t go wrong at the St. Kitts music festival. Enjoy the
aqua blue waters and white sandy beaches while listening to the sounds of Smokey Robinson, Ella Mai, and Buju Banton.
Essence Festival
July 5-7
New Orleans, LA
This year marks the 25th-anniversary celebration so it’s sure to be a
memorable event. The concert lineup includes Frankie Beverly, Big Freedia, Teyana Taylor, Doug E. Fresh and more.
Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival
July 2019
Brooklyn, NY
Approaching its tenth year, the festival founder set out to create an event that would not only celebrate hip-hop music, but also the culture. Over the years it’s featured artists like
KRS-ONE, Lupe Fiasco and Big Daddy Kane. There’s no telling what or who to expect this year just yet, but it’s sure to be a worthwhile event.
Openair Frauenfeld
July 11-13
Frauenfeld, Switzerland
The largest music festival of its kind in all of Europe, this event attracts over 100,000 guests each year and has been
showcasing some of the hottest Hip-Hop acts since 1985. This year Cardi B, Travis Scott, and Rae Sremmurd will perform.
Pitchfork Music Festival
July 19-21
Chicago, IL
Celebrating its 14th year, this multi-genre festival will feature artists like the
Isley Brothers (who plan to celebrate their 60th anniversary with special guests). Mavis Staples, Pusha-T and more will also perform.
Cincinnati Music Festival
July 25-27th
Cincinnati, OH
This festival is one of the most popular weekends in the city and fuels over a half-million dollars into the local economy every
year. Some of the hottest acts in R&B and Hip-Hop including EPMD, Maxwell and Mary J. Blige will come to rock the stage.
Trill Grill Fest
July 27 & 28
Washington, D.C.
This fest showcases some of D.C.’s best grill masters, food trucks and of course the
“trillest” artists! This year’s headliners include Rick Ross and Crime Mobb.
Caribana Toronto
August 1-4
Toronto, Canada
Since its start in 1967, Caribana Toronto has become North America’s largest cultural festival, drawing over two million
visitors from all over the world. It celebrates Caribbean culture and traditions with a huge parade and a host of parties and musical performances including rapper Drake’s acclaimed OVO Fest.
Reggae Sumfest 2019
July 14-20
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Spragga Benz, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer take the stage this year for an unforgettable event that is sure to make you dutty wine all night! As Jamaica’s premier Reggae music fest, performers bring the
sounds of soca, dancehall, hip-hop and reggaeton along with premier acts from all over the world like Beyoncé, Usher and Missy Elliot.
Afropunk
August 24th & 25th
Brooklyn, NYC
In keeping with the ideology of acceptance, this year’s theme for the popular festival is “We See You”. The annual festival has always sought to provide a safe space for Black people within the
predominantly white punk culture while showcasing artists that aren’t mainstream. It has since evolved into something larger than life with festivals in Brooklyn, Paris, Atlanta, and Johannesburg. Performers Jill Scott and FKA Twigs are just a couple of artists you can catch this year.
Tiffany D. Smith is a native Chicagoan who has spent nearly 15 years as a television journalist. She received her B.A. in Radio and Television Production and M.A. in Journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She uses her travel blog theloveoffoodandtravel.com to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to see the world. Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @loveoffoodandtravel .
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