As the sun set Sunday evening, hundreds of festival-goers gathered at RFK Festival Grounds. The hum of drums and guitar filled the air as a summer breeze swept through the crowd. Cheers erupted when AfroBeats star Asake opened his set at the first-ever Afro+Fest.
Held over Labor Day weekend, Afro+Fest drew thousands of attendees from across the globe. Announced on June 4 via Instagram, the festival was promoted as a celebration of African culture through performances in AfroBeats, Dancehall and R&B.
The announcement post, which amassed nearly 30,000 shares, revealed headliners rapper Gunna and AfroBeats star Asake, alongside Jamaican singer Shenseea, Nigerian DJ Uncle Waffles and several other artists. Tickets were sold in three categories: VIP, Silver VIP, and General Admission.
Excitement grew when AfroBeats icon WizKid was added to the lineup on Aug. 13. That announcement received more than 80,000 likes, further boosting anticipation for the festival.
Kadima Deen-Kamara, a sophomore health science major, is a fan of Asake and Wizkid. She shared that their performances were what initially drew her to attend Afro+Fest. She said in addition to the performances, the vendors and stands at the festival were a highlight of her experience.
“The amount of diversity within the foods, the stands and just seeing people from all over the United States come together was the best part. You got to see a worldwide bubble of Africans from everywhere,” Deen-Kamara said.
Afro+Fest quickly became a viral phenomenon. Social media feeds filled with outfit planning, dance rehearsals and countdowns as eager fans prepared for the event. The hashtag “Afro+” soon collected hundreds of videos across Instagram and TikTok.
Founded by Michael Awosanya, Afro+ has organized concerts and events for nearly a decade, collaborating with artists such as Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Adekunle Gold. The organization, named in 2022, aims to promote cultural celebration, community engagement and networking across the diaspora in the DMV.
By Labor Day weekend, anticipation had built. Afro+Fest featured an Afro-cuisine Food Village, a marketplace of local businesses and immersive brand activations, offering attendees a multifaceted look at the diaspora.
There was a mix of cultures represented at the festival, as seen by crowd members holding up flags from across the world, particularly West African and Caribbean regions.
“But there was a lack in diversity when it comes to East and North Africa, we didn’t really get to see much of either of those coasts, so that’s something I’d love to see next year,” Dean-Kamara added.
She also noted that one of her favorite moments of the night was when WizKid and Gunna took the stage, sending the crowds energy to its peak. WizKid’s performance was one of the most talked-about moments, with clips gaining thousands of likes on TikTok and Instagram. Gunna also received praise for his stage presence and musicality.
As the night ended, attendees shared their experiences on social media. Some creators expressed frustration with late set times and schedule delays. TikTok user @Bahjueriri criticized the timing, while another, Maryam Adebisi, posted a video showing general admission ticket holders pushing through the VIP gate.
Daniella Nmesoma, a second-year computer science major from Nigeria, attended Afro+Fest and said these aspects didn’t hurt her experience.
“People were able to slip into VIP, but that happens everywhere,” Nmesoma said. “From their social media page, it seems that they put a lot of effort into planning the event. I think the artists themselves were unorganized, and sometimes they’re just not going to play by the rules. I think people need to accept what they experienced and still be thankful.”
Nmesoma grew up in Nigeria now a Howard student she often searches for spaces where she can connect with members of the African diaspora. She shares an appreciation for Afro+Fest for creating a space where people can connect and find familiarity away from their countries.
Nmesoma added. “There’s just something about being on a different side of the country and seeing people who migrated with you, or grew up in the same culture as you, all sharing one big space. I really appreciate these events for being that space for us.”
For Nmesoma, Afro+ was a way to connect with people with similar upbringings to hers, and for many African students, the festival served as an opportunity to find familiarity away from home.
Lydia Kavolu, a sophomore political science major from Nairobi, Kenya, also addressed the ongoing conversations about the cultural divide between Afrobeats and African American traditions.
“I think events like Afro+Fest can help bridge the gap in the division between us. It gives us a great opportunity to celebrate the differences in our cultural backgrounds,” said Lydia Kavolu, a sophomore political science major from Nairobi, Kenya.
Kavolu said including artists with primarily African American fanbases helped create a multicultural experience that attracted both Africans and African Americans. She noted this differed from other Afrobeats festivals, such as Seattle’s Blast Fest, which focused almost exclusively on AfroBeats performers
“Gunna is a great example of this because his appearances helped bring in people who typically listen to Black American music, allowing them to experience the African culture as well, bringing us all together as one,” Kavolu added.
Copy edited by D’Nyah Jefferson – Philmore