The Black woman-owned festival will return to Randall’s Island on July 25, featuring music, beauty activations, Caribbean and diaspora flavors, small businesses, and youth-centered programming.

NEW YORK – CURLFEST®, one of the country’s most recognized celebrations of natural hair, Black beauty and community, will return to New York City on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Randall’s Island.

Presented by Curly Girl Collective, the festival will bring together thousands of attendees for a full day of music, beauty, entrepreneurship, wellness, food, and cultural celebration.

“CURLFEST honors the glory of textured crowns, the richness of our skin, and the boundless joy of our culture,” said Charisse Higgins, co-founder of CURLFEST and Curly Girl Collective.

What began as a grassroots gathering of approximately 1,000 attendees has grown into a major cultural event that has welcomed more than 30,000 people at its peak. The festival is fully owned and operated by Black women and has remained community-driven since its inception.

For New York’s Black and Caribbean communities, CURLFEST has become more than a beauty festival. It is a gathering space where culture, identity, entrepreneurship, and self-expression come together.

The 2026 event will feature live entertainment from DJ Young Chow, a prominent figure in Caribbean music and nightlife, along with surprise performances and appearances from Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter; actor and model Broderick Hunter; entrepreneur Courtney Adeleye; and other special guests.

Across the festival grounds, attendees will be able to explore a variety of experiences designed to celebrate both established and emerging voices in beauty, wellness and business.

Beauty Row will feature interactive brand activations, immersive installations, product sampling, giveaways, and surprise performances. The area will allow attendees to engage directly with several leading haircare, skincare, and wellness brands.

The Empowerment Stage will host panel discussions and conversations centered on financial empowerment, wellness, entrepreneurship, career development, beauty, and culture.

The programming reflects the festival’s belief that beauty, health and economic advancement have always been connected for Black women and women of color.

CURLFEST will also continue its support of small businesses through the Vendor Marketplace, which will feature entrepreneurs working across beauty, fashion, wellness, lifestyle, and artisan products.

The Small Beauty Village will provide emerging beauty founders with direct access to a highly engaged audience, creating opportunities for visibility, customer discovery and business growth.

Food will also be an important part of the festival experience.

Eats n’ Treats will bring together food and beverage vendors offering flavors inspired by the Caribbean, the African diaspora and communities throughout New York City.

The festival’s celebration of culture extends beyond the stage and marketplace. It can be seen in the music, hairstyles, fashion, food, and traditions represented by attendees from across the city and beyond.

CURLFEST 2026 will also expand its programming for young people. Youth-centered experiences will connect the next generation of curly girls with Black-owned beauty founders, wellness practitioners, financial educators and community leaders.

Organizers say the expanded programming is intended to help young attendees see themselves not only as consumers but also as future founders, professionals, creators, and leaders.

Curly Girl Collective is also launching Road to CURLFEST®, a series of virtual and in-person experiences leading up to the July festival.

The initiative will include community events, collaborations, and exclusive programming designed to extend the CURLFEST experience beyond one day. Additional details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Since its launch, CURLFEST has generated an estimated 8.4 billion cumulative social media impressions, according to event organizers. Much of that visibility has been generated organically by attendees, content creators, and supporters sharing their experiences online.

The festival’s growth reflects the power of a platform created within the community it serves.

Confirmed sponsors for CURLFEST 2026 include WBLS, The Doux, Miss Jessie’s, Donna’s Recipe, Mielle Organics, SheaMoisture, Carol’s Daughter, DevaCurl, Black Girl Vitamins, D Hair Boutique, En Love Beauty, Watch and Sea Beauty and Uber Soca Cruise.

Additional sponsors and Gen Z creator partnerships are expected to be announced before the festival.

Curly Girl Collective is led by founding members Charisse Higgins, Melody Henderson, and Simone Mair. For more than a decade, the organization has worked to build cultural spaces centered on natural beauty, wellness, ownership and community for Black women and girls.

The organization remains fully bootstrapped and has not accepted outside funding or corporate ownership.

For the founders, that independence has helped protect the festival’s cultural identity while allowing it to grow into a nationally recognized institution.

CURLFEST’s return to Randall’s Island represents the return of a space where textured hair is celebrated, Black-owned businesses are supported, and the diversity of the Black and Caribbean diaspora is placed at the center.

CURLFEST 2026 will take place Saturday, July 25, at Randall’s Island in New York City.

For additional information, visit CURLFEST.com, follow @curlygirlcollective on Instagram, and use the hashtag #CURLFEST2026.