Ohio Black Expo Riverfront Culture Fest

Ohio Black Expo will bring its 2026 Riverfront Culture Fest back to Genoa Park in downtown Columbus on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, during Memorial Day weekend. The two-day event is billed by organizers as the group's signature annual gathering and will feature concerts, vendors, food trucks and family programming across the riverfront site. Experience Columbus lists the event at 303 W. Broad St. with daily hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and ticket prices ranging from $0 to $40. Ohio Black Expo says the festival is part of its broader mission as a statewide nonprofit focused on economic development, health, education and youth support. ### When and where is the festival happening? May 23-24 are the announced dates for the 2026 festival, and Genoa Park on the Scioto riverfront is the listed venue. The official Ohio Black Expo site says the event returns Memorial Day weekend in Columbus, while the Downtown Columbus events calendar also places it at Genoa Park for the same two days. 303 W. Broad St. is the address shown on the Experience Columbus listing. (experiencecolumbus.com) That listing says the festival recurs daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., while other event listings tied to the same festival describe late-morning starts and evening programming stretching later into the night. ### What will people find once they get there? (ohioblackexpo.com) Experience Columbus says the Riverfront Culture Fest will feature more than 150 vendors, along with food trucks, concerts, celebrity appearances and workshops. The same listing also names an opening parade, line dancing, kids and family activities, a college and resource fair, and a D9 HBCU Alumni Zone. (experiencecolumbus.com) Ohio Black Expo describes the event more broadly as a Memorial Day weekend gathering that draws visitors from around Ohio and beyond. On its About Us page, the nonprofit says the festival welcomes thousands of guests for workshops, networking events, food and cultural programming. ### Who is on the entertainment schedule? Ohio Black Expo's 2026 schedule page lists Tank and the Bangas at 7 p.m. on Saturday, followed by Loose Ends at 8:30 p.m. and Dead Prez at 9:45 p.m. (experiencecolumbus.com) The same page lists Mix Master Ice earlier Saturday evening and places Vicki Dillard and Phil Scott on the Empowerment Stage that afternoon. Sunday's posted lineup includes Amanda Seales at 4:30 p.m. on the Empowerment Stage, Chef Ahki at 3 p.m., and music sets from J Rawls, Rashad, Rapsody and October London beginning in the late afternoon and evening. (ohioblackexpo.com) Ohio Black Expo says more information will continue to be added ahead of the event. ### Who is behind Ohio Black Expo? Ohio Black Expo says it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. (ohioblackexpo.com) On its About Us page, the group says its signature Riverfront Culture Fest is designed to "empower and unite Ohio's 1.7 million Black residents and those beyond." Rhonda D. Robinson is identified by the organization as founder and current board chair. Ohio Black Expo says the first Ohio Black Expo event was held at Veterans Memorial in downtown Columbus in 1988 after earlier years as the Columbus Black Expo, and that the organization returned under Robinson's leadership in 2020 before leadership passed in 2022 to CEO Sherri Hamilton and COO Lawrence "Butch" Hamilton III. (ohioblackexpo.com) (ohioblackexpo.com) ### How much does it cost and where are updates posted? Experience Columbus lists admission at $0 to $40. A Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce event page tied to the same festival lists admission at $20 to $35 and says children 10 and under are free, underscoring that attendees should check the organizer's site for the latest ticketing details. (ohioblackexpo.com) Ohio Black Expo directs visitors to its website for tickets, lineup, FAQs, maps and the full schedule. The organization says updates will continue to be posted ahead of the May 23 opening weekend in Columbus. (ohioblackexpo.com) (experiencecolumbus.com)