Durag Fest, an annual Juneteenth festival celebrating Black culture with art, music, fashion and community, returns on Saturday, June 19, 2021 with aid from the Blumenthal Theater, Foundation of the Carolinas and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
This year, the festival’s fourth installment will be bigger than ever as the organizers launch a new Durag Fest app, meant to highlight Black creatives and to ensure easy accessibility.
This event is free but requires an RSVP HERE and accepts donations.
The 2021 Durag Fest is also expanding geographically and will take over multiple locations across the Queen City: Victoria Yards, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza and Camp North End.
- Victoria Yards 408 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202 from 12PM – 6PM
- NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza, 400 E M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28202 at 2PM
- Camp North End, 1824 Statesville R, Charlotte, NC 28206 from 7PM – 11PM
Durag Fest Line Up on Saturday, June 19, 2021
Start the Juneteenth celebration early at Victoria Yards, located at 408 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC, for the “Deep Wave Day Party” and black vendor marketplace starting at 12:00pm.
Starting from 2:00pm and on, participants can stop by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza located at 400 E M.L.K. Jr Boulevard, Charlotte, NC, to witness an outdoor art installation entitled, “Durag Hall of Fame,” featuring portraits of Charlotte citizens in addition to dance performances and a B-Boy cypher.
After nightfall the festivities will move to Camp North End, located at 1824 Statesville Road, Charlotte, NC, for “DU After Dark” a.k.a. “Adult Swim” from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. In addition to a talented roster of local performers and artists, the real stars of Durag Fest are the stylish attendees. Like previous years, this event will host its annual wave check and a massive street fashion show.
Durag Fest Co-Founder, Dammit Wesley, stressed how important it is for Black creatives to be celebrated with this year’s design motif, “Flowers.” He said, “With the advent of TikTok we are watching Black culture get colonized in real time. Countless Black creatives are being robbed of their ideas and denied compensation. So this year, we want to give ‘us’ our flowers ‘cause we deserve ‘em.”
Attendees are encouraged to express their creativity, wear durags and/or clothing that represents Black American and African heritage.
Don’t forget to RSVP HERE and check for info / updates!
This event follows both Center for Disease Control (CDC) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Covid-19 safety guidelines. Non-vaccinated attendees are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.
