An estimated 80,000 fans poured into Philadelphia from around the country for the 2026 Roots Picnic this weekend. Now in its 18th year, the multi-day music festival moved to a new home at Belmont Plateau, the iconic Fairmount Park destination immortalized in DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s 1991 anthem “Summertime”: “A place called the Plateau is where everybody go.”
Fittingly, Philadelphia’s rich legacy of art, music, and community was on full display, from headlining performances on the main stage to local food, immersive brand activations, fine art, and community organizing on the hill.
Here are five standout moments from Roots Picnic 2026.
1. The Brand Activations
Presenting sponsor AT&T kicked off the weekend with a private performance from Fabolous at Brooklyn Bowl Friday night. On the grounds, the mobile carrier welcomed attendees to the Blue Room, where giveaways included Bluetooth speakers, a turbo-powered fan, or upgraded VIP tickets. Likewise, D’USSÉ extended Jay-Z’s 30th anniversary celebration of “Reasonable Doubt” beyond the stage, serving its CODE30 signature cocktail in commemorative cups created for the milestone.
Tito’s vodka gave away free Dre’s Homemade Water Ice & Ice Cream, a local favorite, while McDonald’s hosted gourmet cooking tutorials like bao buns with McCrispy Strips glazed in Spicy Hoisin Sauce. Foot Locker lets you play a human-crane game in which participants are raised above a pit of boxes. Some are empty, some had small freebies, but others were boxes of sneakers.
The Toyota Music Den also showcased emerging National recording artists Ambré, 2BYG, and Jaydon, who celebrated his first BET Awards nomination for “Lullaby.”
2. The Art and Community
Roots Picnic also created space for Philadelphia’s artistic and civic spirit beyond the festival stages. Al-baseer Holly, a visual artist and former member of the Philly hip-hop duo Philly’s Most Wanted, curated “The Gathering: A Multi-Artist Exhibition,” featuring 11 artists whose works addressed today’s political climate while affirming the experiences of Black and brown communities, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Hip-hop history was also on display through Mark S. Clarke, known as Milly Vanderwood, who brought his pop-up Mini Hip-Hop Museum from Baltimore to the Plateau. His festival collection included rare CDs, cassettes, and vinyl connected to Philadelphia artists such as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Schoolly D, Cassidy, Beanie Sigel, and The Roots, along with a vintage copy of Jay-Z’s “Reasonable Doubt.”
The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and the Free Library of Philadelphia further grounded the weekend in community through “Sound It Out,” a literacy initiative that offered festivalgoers free books and an opportunity to register for a commemorative Roots Picnic library card. Together, the installations reinforced that Roots Picnic remains as much about celebrating Black creativity, history, and access as it is about the music.
3. Shopping and entrepreneurship
From clothing and jewelry to books, Philadelphia natives and out-of-town visitors had plenty of shopping options throughout the festival grounds. Each year, Roots Picnic offers its signature merchandise, including hoodies, crewnecks and T-shirts in a variety of colors and designs featuring artists from the lineup. Multiple merchandise stations were located throughout the festival, and fans could also purchase items online.
Black-owned entrepreneurs showcased their businesses and products, including CConnect360, owned by Corey Carter. A Kenyan native and Roots Picnic regular, Carter sells handmade jewelry crafted in Nairobi. Another vendor, Shanti Mayers, owner of Sable Collective, displayed her handcrafted jewelry and accessories at the event, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
New York-based nonprofit Barbershop Books provided young readers with free books, haircuts and braiding services.
4. The Food
Local food vendors at Roots Picnic offered a variety of options for attendees. Clucks & Gills featured fan favorites, including Shrimp-N-Chips, the Chick Sandwich Deluxe, and Crabby Cheesy Fries. Country Cookin’, founded by Saudia Schulers, served soul food and Southern-style comfort food. Mike’s BBQ offered a variety of barbecue dishes, sides, and sandwiches. Monz Crabby, known for its dips and catering services, served signature crab and seafood dishes with an assortment of sides. Author and music artist Chill Moody was also on hand with his brand, Tequila Transfusion. The ready-to-drink cocktail marked its ninth appearance at Roots Picnic and reportedly sold out, as it was the only local brand of its kind available at this year’s event. West Philly’s Down North Pizza, owned by Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, featured two specialized pizzas: an all-cheese“No Better Love,” named after the 2004 track by Philly rappers Young Gunz, and a “Rock the Mic” beef pepperoni, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.
5. The Music
After a decade away from Roots Picnic, Kehlani returned to the festival stage fresh off the biggest year of her career. The Grammy Award-winning singer delivered a confident set that included her breakout hit “Folded,” performing in a look reminiscent of Janet Jackson’s “Velvet Rope” era as she prepares to head back on the road this summer. Her return felt like a full-circle moment for an artist whose career has expanded alongside the generation of fans who first discovered her years ago.
Meanwhile, Erykah Badu reminded festivalgoers why her performances remain experiences unto themselves. Between multiple wardrobe changes, the neo-soul icon built a beat live on stage, joked with her brother-in-law as he moved set pieces around her, and performed with her biological sister still singing background vocals by her side.
Badu also used the moment to honor Philadelphia’s place in her own story. Reflecting on the making of her debut album, “Baduizm,” she told the audience she needed one final “special sauce” and credited Philly and The Roots with helping her find it. That history came full circle when Black Thought joined her for “You Got Me,” with Badu also giving flowers to Jill Scott, her sister in soul, whose original vocals helped shape the song before Badu’s recorded version became part of The Roots’ Grammy-winning legacy.
Baller Alert’s “50 Years of Go-Go” set brought a taste of Washington, D.C.’s signature sound to Philadelphia, celebrating the percussion-driven genre with performances from Backyard Band, Northeast Groovers, Miss Kim and UCB. The set turned the Plateau into a go-go function, with familiar favorites including “Water Dance,” “Sexy Lady,” “Hello,” “T-Shirt” and “I Got Your Man” keeping the crowd locked into the pocket. More than a nostalgia trip, the tribute gave one of Black music’s most enduring regional sounds a national festival stage worthy of its legacy.
At the AT&T Stage, Wale performed during DJ J. Period’s Live Mixtape with Black Thought, the legendary rapper and lead MC of Philly band The Roots. Wale opened his set with his 2025 single, “Where to Start,” which samples ’90s R&B group SWV’s “I’m So Into You.” He then transitioned into “Watching Us,” featuring R&B singer Leon Thomas, from his latest album, “Everything Is a Lot.”
From there, Wale performed “Poke It Out,” his verse from rapper Tyga’s “Rack City” remix, “Dig Dug (Shake It),” his 2005 tribute to Washington’s go-go music scene, as well as “Belly,” “Down South” and “Pretty Girls.” He took fans on a journey through his career, performing a mix of tracks from his eight studio albums and standalone singles.
One of the two musical highlights of the Roots Picnic weekend was Jay-Z and Brandy, with a special appearance by Monica.
For Jay-Z, the performance marked his first concert appearance in seven years. Sporting a new hairstyle, a fro, but the same sharp lyrical delivery, the Brooklyn rapper appeared to turn back the clock. From a nearly four-minute freestyle aimed at his critics to a performance of “U Don’t Know,” Jay-Z took fans on a journey through his catalog with classics including “Where I’m From,” “Run This Town,” “Dead Presidents I & II” and collaborations with State Property. He closed his set with “Public Service Announcement,” making it clear that his return to the stage is far from a one-off as he prepares for his upcoming Yankee Stadium concerts in July.
“Bronica,” the pairing of Brandy and Monica, took fans back to the 1990s with signature looks that reflected their early careers. During her set, Brandy hit the stage, wearing the braids that became synonymous with her image during her 1994 debut.
Her fashion was another standout moment. Reality TV personality Ray Cunningham, better known as Mister Ray from “Love & Hip Hop,” helped influence the singer’s look in partnership with Cross Colours, the iconic clothing brand founded in 1989. Fashion designer Thomas Walker created Brandy’s custom outfit for the performance.
Monica, meanwhile, sported the short hairstyle that defined much of her early career and wore a custom leather MCM ensemble reminiscent of the bold, luxury-inspired designs popularized by Harlem fashion icon Dapper Dan in the 1980s.
