Archives: Festivals

Bayou Bacchanal 2026, New Orleans, LA

New Orleans’s own Caribbean Carnival: a masquerade parade of feathers, steel pan, and soca, organized by the nonprofit Friends of Culture at historic Congo Square. BTN’s guide to Bayou Bacchanal.

Atlanta Underground Film Festival 2026: An Indie Cinema Institution in Little Five Points

For 23 years, the Atlanta Underground Film Festival has given fearless independent filmmakers a stage in Little Five Points. Here’s BTN’s travel guide to AUFF 2026, plus a look at Atlanta’s wider indie and Black film scene.

Chicago International Film Festival’s Black Perspectives Program 2026

North America’s longest-running competitive film festival returns to Chicago this October, with its Black Perspectives Committee spotlighting Black filmmakers and stories across a full week of downtown screenings.

Rondo Days Festival (2027 Edition — Date TBA), St. Paul, Minnesota

Minnesota’s largest African-American-sponsored event honors the historic Black Rondo neighborhood, displaced by I-94 in the 1960s, with a free community parade, drill teams, and music. 2027 dates aren’t announced yet — here’s BTN’s bookmark-and-check-back guide, built on the verified July 18, 2026 edition.

Monterey Jazz Festival 2026, Monterey, CA

Since 1958, the Monterey Jazz Festival has drawn jazz’s greatest Black legends to California’s Central Coast. BTN’s guide to America’s most storied jazz weekend.

Beale Street Music Festival (2027 Edition — Date TBA), Memphis, TN

Memphis in May’s flagship music weekend has run every year since 1977, filling Memphis’s Mississippi riverfront with blues, soul, and hip-hop. 2027 dates aren’t announced yet — here’s BTN’s bookmark-and-check-back guide.

Sundance Film Festival’s Black Filmmakers Spotlight 2027 — Now in Boulder, Colorado

Sundance’s annual Black Filmmakers Spotlight is heading to a brand-new home for 2027 — Boulder, Colorado, January 21-31 — after 45 years in Park City, Utah. BTN’s guide to the historic move, Sundance’s ties to Black storytelling, and how to plan the trip.

Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival, Memphis (2027 Edition — Date TBA)

Every spring, downtown Memphis dedicates four days to a different African nation — parade, drummers, dancers, and food in Robert R. Church Park. 2027 dates aren’t announced yet; here’s BTN’s bookmark-and-check-back guide, illustrated with the verified 2026 Guinea edition.

Charlotte African American Festival (2027 Edition — Date TBA)

Uptown Charlotte’s 13-year African-American heritage celebration is back at the Carole Hoefener Center — free entry, live music, exhibits, fashion, and food. 2027 dates aren’t announced yet; here’s what to know and expect.

Exit 56 Blues Fest (2027 Edition — Date TBA), Brownsville, TN

A small-town Delta blues festival in Brownsville, TN honoring Black blues pioneers Sleepy John Estes, Hammie Nixon, and Yank Rachell. The 2027 dates aren’t announced yet — here’s BTN’s bookmark-and-check-back guide, illustrated with the verified 2026 edition.