Ne-Yo, The O'Jays And El DeBarge To Headline This Year's AFRAM Festival
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- "So Sick" singer Ne-Yo, R&B supergroup The O'Jays, "Rhythm of the Night" singer El DeBarge and rapper Yung Bleu are among the headliners performing at this year's AFRAM Festival, which is returning to a fully in-person event, Mayor Brandon Scott and city officials said.
The two-day festival is scheduled for the weekend of Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans in 1865 that officially became a federal holiday last year.
Also on the bill: DJ Quicksilva ("Anybody from Baltimore, he probably DJed your prom, we all know that, right?" Scott said), gospel artist Le'Andria Johnson, singer Rotimi and DJ Tanz.
"If you're old school like us," said the mayor, flanked by City Councilman Robert Stokes, City Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton and City Councilman James Torrence, "we want to have that mixture so everybody in African-American culture and our Black culture here in Baltimore has a reason to come to AFRAM."
Scott said the festival is his favorite event in the city, and he is looking forward to welcoming attendees back after COVID-19 canceled the 2020 edition and limited the 2021 edition to a hybrid event.
"This summer we will be back in Dru Hill for AFRAM, in-person, on Juneteenth weekend to celebrate our freedom, our culture, and also just to celebrate being together in person again as AFRAMily, as we often say," he said.
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks executive director Reginald Moore said applications are now open for festival vendors, volunteers and local artists who'd like to perform at the event.
"We want to make sure that we highlight our talent, locally as well as the national lineup," he said.
AFRAM will be held on Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19, at Druid Hill Park. The festival is free and open to guests of all ages.
WJZ is the official media partner of the festival.
