Published by Reynolds Mark
When Lagos-born founder and executive producer Michael Awosanya first dreamed of Afro+ Fest, he imagined a block party on a grander scale one that brought together the threads of the African diaspora and stitched them into a single, unforgettable experience. This past August, that dream became reality as 20,000 people filled the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C., flags waving and voices rising in celebration of a culture that refuses to be boxed in.
For us at One Big Cultur, Attended as media support to experience, the Afro+ Fest journey was more than just a one day spectacle. We witnessed how the festival’s story was told from the planning table to the final lineup reveal and how that story resonated across social media and beyond.
The tagline was simple but powerful: “Africa, plus more.” This wasn’t just another music festival; it was designed to be a cultural ecosystem. Afro+ Fest curated not just music, but fashion activations, art installations, food villages, and a marketplace of Black creators. As Awosanya himself put it: “This is the block party we’ve dreamed about for a decade. With the support of Mayor Muriel Bowser and Events DC, Afro+ Fest is bringing the full diaspora to RFK music, food, culture driven by the people and sounds that shape us.”
The festival’s marketing strategy became a case study in social hype-building. Afro+ Fest rolled out teasers on Instagram, starting with the June 4 announcement that immediately went viral. As reported by The Hilltop: “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.”
But the team didn’t stop there. In August, just weeks before the festival, Afro+ Fest dropped its trump card: WizKid. “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,” The Hilltop noted. Each post built momentum, layering lineup reveals with behind-the-scenes clips, sleek graphics, and branded storytelling. By the time the gates opened, Afro+ Fest had already secured its place as one of the most talked-about cultural events in D.C.
The final lineup was more than a collection of artists it was a map of the diaspora. Asake and WizKid brought Afrobeats power; Machel Montano delivered soca fire; Shenseea carried Jamaica’s dancehall spirit; Uncle Waffles embodied amapiano’s rise; and local voices like Shy Glizzy grounded the event in D.C.’s own soundscape. By curating not only global superstars but also local and regional acts, Afro+ Fest told a story: culture isn’t linear, it’s layered.
On August 31, the RFK Festival Grounds transformed into a living canvas. Food vendors filled the air with the aromas of jollof, jerk, and plantain; designers displayed bold looks in pop-up activations; and art installations gave festival-goers more than a stage to look at they gave them something to be inside of. The Washington Informer captured the spirit well: “From the multicultural flags waving in the air to the estimated 20,000 people celebrating the sounds of the diaspora, the Festival Grounds at RFK Campus in Southeast, D.C. came alive with culture and celebration.”
For the fans, it was personal. One attendee shared on Instagram: “DC Afro+ Fest got to be around/ meet so many amazing people and have fun with friends, so much memories to look back on …” That kind of connection music plus memory is what made Afro+ Fest a movement, not just an event.
As a media partner, we saw how Afro+ Fest wasn’t only about headline acts or flashy promo. It was about storytelling. The organizers told a story with their social strategy 30,000 shares here, 80,000 likes there. They told a story with their lineup Africa plus the diaspora plus local roots. And they told a story with the cultural activations on-site, where art, food, and fashion carried as much weight as the music.
For One Big Cultur, being part of this narrative reaffirmed why we exist: to document, amplify, and celebrate culture at its boldest. Afro+ Fest 2025 showed us that when vision meets execution, a festival can become a declaration: Africa isn’t just rising, it’s leading.
Afro+ Fest 2025 was one for the books not just because of the big names or the crowd size, but because of the intention behind every stage of its journey. From planning rooms to Instagram feeds, from the stage lights to the food stalls, Afro+ Fest told a story that resonated with thousands. And for everyone lucky enough to be there or to feel the energy online it proved that culture isn’t just entertainment. It’s identity, it’s connection, and it’s a force that continues to shape the future.
