Prince George’s County, Maryland, US | September 15, 2026
Thousands of music fans gathered in Prince George’s County, Maryland, from September 4 to 6 for Afro Plus Fest, a celebration of African and Caribbean culture that brought together major artists from Africa, the Caribbean and the United States.
The second edition of the festival was held at Northwest Stadium under the theme “Africa, plus more”, with a lineup that reflected the event’s focus on the wider African diaspora.
Afrobeats, dancehall and hip hop dominated the three day programme, with Nigerian stars Davido and Wizkid, Jamaican dancehall artist Alkaline, American rappers Lil Baby and Latto, and Jamaican performer Spice among the headline acts.
Spice, widely known as the “Queen of the Dancehall”, added a strong Caribbean presence to a festival that has been billed as the “World’s Largest Afro Caribbean Hip Hop Festival”.
Tens of thousands of people attended the event, which has attracted more than 20,000 attendees in previous editions. Visitors also travelled from outside Prince George’s County and from other parts of the United States to experience the festival.
For first time attendee Victoria Ajasin, the gathering provided an opportunity to connect with a culture she felt she had not fully embraced while growing up.
“It was vibrant,” Ajasin said.
“As someone who didn’t really embrace their culture growing up, seeing everyone come together from different tribes, or even from the same, it felt like a family. Being with people who knew all the same things and the meaning behind the songs means a lot to me.”
The festival has also become part of Prince George’s County’s efforts to attract visitors and generate economic opportunities through large scale cultural events.
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said the festival demonstrated the county’s cultural diversity and international appeal.
“Afro Plus Fest reflects the vibrancy, diversity, and global influence of Prince George’s County,” Braveboy said.
“This partnership represents more than entertainment; it is about economic growth, cultural pride, tourism and creating opportunities for local businesses, artists, and residents to benefit from an international-scale event hosted right here in our county. We are proud to welcome thousands of visitors from across the nation and around the world to experience the energy, excellence, and cultural richness that define Prince George’s County.”
Festival rooted in local community
Afro Plus Fest was founded by Michael Awosanya, a Prince George’s County native with Nigerian roots who studied at Towson University in Baltimore County.
Awosanya said his personal connection to the area and years of involvement with African Student Association events helped shape the festival.
He sees Afro Plus Fest as part of a broader effort by artists, community organisers, party promoters and local officials to bring members of the African diaspora together in Prince George’s County.
“We were raised in this county,” Awosanya said in a statement.
“This year is bigger because the community demanded it be bigger. This one’s for the people who raised us.”
The festival grew from Awosanya’s experience organising African centred events while at university and from the idea that “Afro is everywhere”.
That philosophy has shaped the festival’s approach to programming, bringing African music together with Caribbean and American sounds while creating a space for people from different backgrounds within the global Black community.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore also attended the festival alongside first lady Dawn Moore. Moore joined the celebrations and welcomed Nigerian artist Tems to the stage.
He said Maryland was well positioned to host an event centred on the past, present and future of global Black culture.
“If we’re going to celebrate global Black culture, you’ve got to come to Maryland,” Moore said in an interview with Afro Plus Fest.
“Maryland really is such a hotbed not just of historical Black culture, but also a place that is the home of the future of Black culture. So when we’re having a festival as important as this, I just feel like there’s no better home for it than the state of Maryland.”
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