Summer Entertainment Preview: 13 Music Festivals You Don’t Want To Miss | Essence

The Essence Festival, known as “the party with a purpose”, is an annual music festival which started in 1995. It became the largest African-American culture and music event in the United States, and this year will celebrate its 30th anniversary in New Orleans, LA. Headliners include Birdman, Usher, and Janet Jackson. Other featured acts are Victoria Monét, Frankie Beverly, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq, The Roots, SWV, and more.

The Blavity House Party will land at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium from June 14-15. Performers include Lil Wayne, Monica, Blxst, Dru Hill, Ryan Leslie, Uncle Waffles, Big Freedia, Freeway, and more. Thursday features a warm-up party, and Sunday has the Harmony Homecoming and a Hangover Fitness party.

For two days, Orlando will host the Florida Funk Fest at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Friday features sets from Erykah Badu, T.I., The-Dream, Lil Jon, Scarface, and Juvenile. Saturday includes performances by Jagged Edge, Charlie Wilson, Jeezy, Faith Evans, 112, Total, and more.

The Summerfest is returning this summer, and it’s primed to be the best yet. Held over three weekends — June 20-22, June 27-29 and July 4-6, 2024 — the music festival will feature over 900 acts performing across 12 stages in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The lineup includes Kane Brown, SZA, and Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty and more.

Held at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., the 2024 Broccoli City Festival will feature headliners Megan Thee Stallion, Gunna and PARTYNEXTDOOR. The two-day event will also include performances from KAYTRANADA, Victoria Monét, Key Glock, Sexyy Red, Teezo Touchdown, Fridayy, Baby Tate and Lil Yachty, among others. Additionally, live experiences featuring Desi Banks, Issa Rae, and Bryson Tiller, among others.

This year’s Lollapalooza Festival takes place at Grant Park in Chicago, and features headliners SZA, Tyler, the Creator, Future x Metro Boomin, and others, along with sets from Victoria Monét, Sexyy Red, Tyla and more.

The 70th Annual Newport Jazz Festival takes place over three days—August 2 – 4—and features a long list of performances from some of your favorite artists. Acts include André 3000, PJ Morton, Dinner Party, Samara Joy, Noname, Alex Isley, and many more.

Tyler, the Creator, Grace Jones, KAYTRANADA, and others serve as headliners for this year’s Outside Lands Music Festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco from August 9 – 11. Additional performers include Schoolboy Q, Victoria Monét, Tyla, Corinne Bailey Rae and more.

Detroit’s rich history of African American culture and its status as the birthplace of Motown and techno make it the perfect location for Afro Nation Detroit 2024. The festival offers an opportunity to celebrate the resilience and enduring legacy and to connect with Detroit’s vibrant music and artistic communities. The lineup includes Lil Wayne, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Amaarae, Kash Doll and more.

Nostalgia is the name of the game when it comes to the upcoming Fool in Love Festival. Held at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California, this one-day event features headliners Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross, along with iconic musician such as Nile Rodgers & Chic, Al Green, Santana, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Durand Jones & The Indications, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Kool & The Gang and several others.

Sudden Little Thrills will hold its inaugural festival in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Green on September 7 – 8. SZA and The Killers will headline, along artists such as Wiz Khalifa, and more.

This year’s Music at the Intersection Festival takes place from September 14-15 in the Grand Center Arts District of St. Louis, Missouri. Performers include Big Boi, Chingy, Chaka Khan and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Samara Joy, and more.

On September 7, I Love RnB transforms Downtown Los Angeles Grand Park into an all-day 90’s nostalgic mega-concert experience featuring a stacked, superstar lineup, craft food & beverages, and art installations. Performers include Omarion, Ja Rule, Mario, Monica, Bow Wow, and more.