Who: Adam Blackstone, Bell Biv DeVoe, Cam’ron, Coco Jones, Doug E. Fresh, Eric Bellinger, Fat Joe, Ferg, Jozzy, MAJOR., MA$E, Muni Long, Remy Ma, Ro James, Teyana Taylor, Tink, Wyclef Jean, Patra, Lumidee, Max Glazer, Mr. Killa, Nadine Sutherland, Nina Sky, Rupee, Serani, Wayne Wonder, more
What: First annual Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC)
Where: Randall’s Island
When: July 28-30, $82-$108 per day, VIP $187-$266 per day, weekend bundle $240-$635, 3:00 – 11:00
Why: Questlove’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning 2021 Summer of Soul (. . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) reintroduced the world to the mostly forgotten 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, when an extraordinary group of performers — including Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, the 5th Dimension, the Staple Singers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mavis Staples, Blinky Williams, Sly and the Family Stone, and the Chambers Brothers — gathered at what is now Marcus Garvey Park over the course of six Sundays and played their hearts and souls out.
The inaugural Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC), taking place July 28-30 on Randall’s Island, seeks to recapture that feeling with live music, art, food, and more, hosted by MC Lyte. Friday’s lineup features Bell Biv DeVoe, Cam’ron, Doug E. Fresh, Ferg, MA$E, and Estelle Presents “The LinkUp” with Patra, Lumidee, Max Glazer, Mr. Killa, Nadine Sutherland, Nina Sky, Rupee, Serani, and Wayne Wonder. On Saturday’s roster are Jozzy, Major, Muni Long, Teyana Taylor, and Tink. Sunday’s headliner is Wyclef Jean, preceded by Adam Blackstone, Coco Jones, Eric Bellinger, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, and Ro James.
“From the Harlem Renaissance to the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 to the Harlem Shake, this community is known worldwide for its immeasurable contributions in fashion, sports, dance, art and music — and has always played an integral role in moving culture forward,” HFC cofounder Yvonne McNair said in a statement. “For this inaugural year, we were very thoughtful and intentional in building what is an amazing lineup that aptly reflects the incredibly unique legacy that is intrinsic to the village of Harlem as well as the breadth and brilliance of Black music and culture.”