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Live Nation Urban And Black On The Block’s New Partnership Expands Festival In Major Markets: Exclusive

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Live Nation Urban’s new partnership with Black on the Block will expand the one-of-a-kind festival into seven major U.S. cities throughout 2025.

Black on the Block, which was founded in 2021 by sisters Lanie and Char Edwards, is a dynamic platform for advancing Black-owned businesses, creatives and professionals. The festival, which started in Los Angeles, has amassed a loyal following of attendees and local vendors and with Live Nation Urban’s backing is positioned for growth.

“The partnership with Live Nation Urban is a collective win for our entire community—vendors, attendees and Black on the Block alike,” said Lanie and Char Edwards in a statement. “Together, we’re harnessing Live Nation Urban’s resources and expertise to expand into new markets, creating spaces where small Black-owned businesses can thrive and where attendees can consistently celebrate Black joy while shopping with local entrepreneurs and circulating the Black dollar.”

Black on the Block connects vendors, attendees and the broader community to help shape the future of Black culture, entrepreneurship and wellness. By leveraging Live Nation Urban’s resources and expertise, Black on the Block will be able to expand its reach and impact with branded festivals in multiple markets kicking off March 23 at Globe Life Field, which is home of the MLB Texas Rangers in Arlington.

In 2025, Black on the Block will be hosted in Arlington, Los Angeles and Washington D.C., along with new festivals in Houston, Atlanta, Detroit and Charlotte.

Each market offers a unique shopping experience, showcasing more than 100 Black-owned businesses across a range of industries, including apparel, jewelry, skincare, technology and art. The event also features a food court, partner activations, gaming, dance battles and performances, which are curated to support local communities and boost the economy.

In addition, the brand established Black on the Block Community Outreach, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, to provide vendor fee grants, training programs, resources and funding to help empower Black entrepreneurs and foster continued growth.

“This collaboration is about more than growing events – it’s about fostering a stronger, more unified community that amplifies voices, showcases talents and builds lasting connections,” added the Edwards siblings.

Live Nation Urban is a value partner in advancing Black culture in the festival space. LNU’s Philadelphia anchor fest The Roots Picnic – the city’s largest ticketed festival – drew some 60K attendees in 2024. Atlanta’s ONE Music Fest routinely attracts upwards of 100K and is now the city’s biggest festival. Broccoli City Festival, which was Washington, D.C.’s biggest ticketed festival in 2023 with 45K recently moved from RFK Stadium to Audi Field.

“Part of the ethos of Live Nation Urban has always been identifying and empowering Black founders and their brands, as evidenced by our many partnerships with brands like Broccoli City Festival, One Music Fest, and others,” said Shawn Gee, President of Live Nation Urban in a statement. “Lanie and Char have built a phenomenal purpose driven brand that holds a unique place in the live event ecosystem. They’ve been able to use live events to build true economic opportunity for so many small businesses, while at the same time providing a fun and uplifting environment for their community. Our goal is to pour into them and allow the world to benefit from their vision.”

Support for the four-year-old Black on the Block enterprise includes artist Chance the Rapper – a frequent shopper at the event – along with Tinashe, Keke Palmer, Omarion and Romeo Miller. The festival has showcased performances from Sevyn Streeter, Durand Bernarr, LaRussell, Kiana Ledé and DVSN. In addition, Disney, NBC, Amazon Prime, Smirnoff, Walmart, AT&T and Hulu have partnered on festival activations.

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