The Top Soul Music Festivals of 2016
Contents
Looking for a soulful music festival to attend this year? Check out our list of the top soul music festivals of 2016! From the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to the Chicago Soul Music Festival, there’s something for everyone.
Introduction
It’s that time of year again – the days are getting shorter, the leaves are changing color, and the air is starting to feel crisp. That can only mean one thing – fall is here! And with fall comes some of the best soul music festivals of the year.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation, there’s a soul music festival perfect for you. Here are some of the top soul music festivals happening in 2016:
The New York Neo-Soul Festival: This festival takes place in Brooklyn, New York from October 7-9 and features some of the best Neo-Soul artists around. If you’re a fan of Erykah Badu, Maxwell, or D’Angelo, this is the festival for you.
The Philadelphia Soul Music Festival: Taking place October 14-16, this festival features three days of non-stop Soul music. Artists include Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, and The Roots.
The Atlanta Soul Music Festival: This festival runs from October 28-30 and takes place in none other than Soul music Mecca – Atlanta, Georgia. If you’re looking for a mix of old-school and contemporary Soul artists, this is the festival for you. Anita Baker, Kem, and Fantasia are just a few of the artists scheduled to perform.
So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip to one (or all!) of these great soul music festivals today!
The Essence Music Festival
The Essence Music Festival, known as EMF, is an annual music festival which started in 1995. It is held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and features a lineup of R&B and hip hop artists. The 2016 headliners include Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, and Miguel. The festival will take place from July 1-3.
The Chicago Soul Music Festival
The Chicago Soul Music Festival is one of the premier soul music festivals in the country, and it takes place every year in the Windy City. The festival features a wide range of soul music styles, from classic Motown to contemporary R&B, and it attracts some of the biggest names in the genre. This year’s lineup includes headliners like Mary J. Blige, Lionel Richie, and Aretha Franklin.
The Detroit Soul Music Festival
The Detroit Soul Music Festival is one of the top soul music festivals in the country. The festival features a wide variety of soul music performers, as well as a variety of other genres. The Detroit Soul Music Festival takes place in August, and tickets are available now.
The Atlanta Soul Music Festival
The Atlanta Soul Music Festival is one of the top soul music festivals in the country. The festival features a lineup of soul, R&B, and hip-hop artists from all over the world. The Atlanta Soul Music Festival takes place every year in Atlanta, Georgia.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, commonly known as Jazz Fest, is a music festival that takes place annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The festival presents a wide variety of musical genres including jazz, blues, R&B, rock, folk, gospel, and Cajun/zydeco. First held in 1970, the event is now an annual two-weekend event held during the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May. The festival is known for its food and culture as well as its music.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was founded in 1970 by George Wein, producer of the Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival. The festival was originally conceived as a way to showcase the music of New Orleans and Louisiana to the rest of the world. The first year of the festival featured some of New Orleans’ most famous musicians, including Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, and Fats Domino. In subsequent years, the festival has featured a mix of local musicians and internationally-renowned artists.
Over the years, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has become one of the most popular music festivals in the United States. An estimated 400,000 people attended the festival in 2015.
Conclusion
While there are many great soul music festivals around the world, these ten festivals are definitely the cream of the crop. If you’re looking for a soulful experience, be sure to check out one of these top-rated festivals.