Tampa Bay Black Heritage Music Festival Weekend

Tampa’s Black Heritage Music Fest returns to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park this weekend, with two ticketed festival days set for April 25 and 26. (tampablackheritage.org) Organizers list gates opening at noon both days at 600 N. Ashley Drive, with ticket options ranging from general admission to preferred seating and VIP. (tampablackheritage.org) The lineup splits by day: Rick James Stone City Band and Tina P & Friends are booked for Saturday, while Stokley and Althea Rene are scheduled for Sunday. (tampablackheritage.org) Festival organizers describe the music weekend as the signature event of the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival, a broader local program that also includes business seminars and a college-and-career event on May 2. (tampablackheritage.org) The organization says the festival has been selected as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events six times during its run, and 101.5 The Vibe is promoting this year’s event as the 26th annual edition. (tampablackheritage.org, 1015vibe.com) Beyond the stage, organizers are advertising local food and arts vendors, Black-owned businesses, line dancing, drum circles and other cultural activities inside the park. (tampablackheritage.org) Visit Tampa Bay lists festival hours as 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on April 25 and April 26, and names Publix as the presenting sponsor. (visittampabay.com) A separate festival promotion from 101.5 The Vibe says the weekend will also include free health screenings alongside the music and vendor programming. (1015vibe.com) For downtown Tampa, the weekend puts one of the city’s longest-running Black cultural festivals back on the Riverwalk, with the main public events concentrated into Saturday and Sunday. (tampablackheritage.org, tampablackheritage.org)