COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A festival celebrating Black culture, music and history is returning for a second year this weekend in Columbus.
CBUS Soul Fest returns beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday at Genoa Park along the Scioto Mile, with local food vendors, organizations, and a live entertainment lineup. Hosted by Experience Columbus and Columbus Recreation and Parks, the festival is part of the CBUS Soul initiative that aims to provide Black culture a platform in Columbus.
Live performances span across two stages, the Main Stage and the Plaza Stage, throughout the evening, featuring R&B, hip hop, soul and funk musicians. The lineup includes the following:
- The Deal Breakers at 4 p.m. on the Main Stage: A Go-Go soul and funk-inspired group.
- Harmonic Soul at 5:30 p.m. on the Plaza Stage: A group known for a mixture of R&B, hip hop, soul and funk.
- Avery Sunshine at 6:30 p.m. on the Main Stage: A Pennsylvania-born singer, pianist and composer who has created a signature sound that mixes soul, jazz, R&B and gospel.
- MojoFlo at 8 p.m. on the Plaza Stage: A powerhouse Neo-Funk band, known for their infectious rhythms, soulful vocals, and captivating stage performance.
- PJ Morton at 9 p.m. on the Main Stage: a multi-Grammy-winning R&B and soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer whose latest project, Gospel According to PJ, earned the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album.
Ten food vendors will be on-site at the festival, including coffee from Black Kahawa Coffee, barbeque from Good & Tasty, southern cuisine from Taesty’s, and Caribbean fusion from Island Fusion. View the full list of vendors here.
Several beverage locations will also line Genoa Park, including the Columbus Lager from Columbus Brewing Company, the Elvis Juice IPA from BrewDog and Miller Lite. Water, soft drinks, cocktails and wine will also be available.
The free festival runs until 11 p.m. Saturday at 303 W. Broad St., view parking options here.