21 Savage, Gunna and Don Toliver are some of the A-list rappers who are in this year’s Broccoli City festival lineup. Every year since 2013, DC has hosted the Broccoli City Festival. This year, Ari Lennox and Summer Walker will be headlining the festival.

Although the main focus of the festival is the music performances, this is an eventful weekend. On May 6, the weekend starts off with a conference career expo for brilliant minds. They talk about various topics like Black wellness, technology and financial literacy. Then on May 7, the 5k run starts to support their mission of mobilizing, educating and empowering urban millennials to help them create a better world. It is a completely free run/walk for all ages to attend. “I know family friends that attend the festival and it really empowers the Black culture and raises awareness for the younger generation. I can’t wait for the music performances from 21 Savage and Gunna,” sophomore Omar Jobe said.  

In the past few years, this has been the biggest festival that celebrates Black culture and change. This year is exciting because the 2020 and 2021 Broccoli City festivals were canceled due to Covid. They were going to be huge because all kinds of famous artists were going to show up like Lil Wayne and Lil Baby. “I was going to go in 2020, but it was canceled. I was not happy because I looked forward to it. Then 2021 came around and I had now understood that Covid was taking over everything, but the 2022 festival is right around the corner, which I am excited for,” sophomore Anthony Johnson said.

As things are going back to normal after the pandemic, people are looking forward to festivals and concerts opening back up. At the Broccoli City festival, there are small Black-owned businesses like food trucks and marketplaces that will be open the whole day. Through the festival, Broccoli City has successfully mobilized over 20 million young people through the events and their online platforms.

There are certain sections for VIP customers who are over 21. The ticket prices are $100 , but are considered worth it because of the type of artists and different events you can experience during the Broccoli City weekend.