CURLFEST 2023 celebrates natural beauty and hair in New York this July
CURLFEST 2023 is sure to be one of the best vibes of the summer.
The festival takes over Randall’s Island in New York on July 15. This year’s theme is Bounce Back, “a testament to resilience and commitment to creating safe spaces for our community to connect and build by way of art, music, and more.”
Charisse Higgins, Tracey Coleman, Gia Lowe, Simone Mair, and Melody Henderson began growing small events in New York in 2010. They founded the “Curly Girl Collective” to celebrate Black culture, natural hair, and the beauty of Black women.
From swapping hair stories (good and bad) to sharing product recommendations and going through the “big chop” together, the group of women provided a safe space for women choosing to go against the white-washed beauty standard.
Representation Matters
The small group took a chance and created the first CURLFEST in 2014, welcoming all walks of people who had a mission of celebrating the fact that beauty has many faces.
For Black people, specifically Black women, wearing their hair naturally is a powerful statement.
Many women choose to defy the Eurocentric aesthetic and not wear their hair straight or “kept.” Moving away from hairstyles that require relaxers with harmful chemicals or excessive heat that can be damaging, CURLFEST celebrates those who rock their crowns in afros, braids, Bantu knots,- and curls.
The official CURLFEST website attributed the need for representation as a driving force behind the festival.
“It quickly became evident that the growing natural hair community needed an advocate to overcome the increasing challenges we were facing in American society. From elementary schools and team sports to the armed forces and corporate America, natural hairstyles had become a target of scrutiny like never before. We knew we were at a pivotal point, and that a bigger platform was needed to shift the conversation and show the world that beauty comes in a range of shades, shapes, and textures.”
Grab Your Ticket Now!
CURLFEST has three ticket tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Different perks come with each tier, but each ticket gets access to the following:
CURLFEST Beauty Row.
CURLFEST Marketplace featuring the dopest Black and women-owned vendors from around the country.
Empowerment stage, featuring special guests.
Food and drinks for purchase from vendors across the diaspora.
The CURLFEST Main Stage dance party, CURLFEST activities, CURLFEST Arts District, and more.
Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her favorite things to cover include “person of interest” pieces, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything about Beyoncé. Her bylines can be found in Blavity, Black Excellence, Signature Bride, Black Wall Street Times, and HipHop Weekly. Martie can be reached via email at martiebowser@detourxp.com.