How to describe CURLFEST to someone who’s never been? It’s magic. After a 3-year hiatus, the CURLFEST magic returned on July 15, 2023. The return of the Natural Beauty Festival hosted by Curly Girl Collective was eagerly anticipated, with curlies booking flights from all over the country to be a part of it. At its new location, Randall’s Island, CURLFEST 2023 brought 100 small, Black businesses to its Marketplace of Black and women-owned vendors across the diaspora. All this was set to a backdrop of art, music, dancing, food and of course, beautiful hair.
What is CURLFEST?
CURLFEST was started in 2014 by Curly Girl Collective in Prospect Park, Brooklyn as an immersive safe space for Black folx and Black beauty to be celebrated. Since its first festival with 1,000 attendees, the festival has grown to become the largest natural beauty festival in America. The Curly Girl Collective founders Tracey Coleman, Melody Henderson, Gia Lowe, Simone Mair, and Charisse Higgins aim to provide an “empowering and uniquely magical experience where women and girls of every shade, shape and size can come and be celebrated for who they are, unconditionally.”
Didn’t make it to this year’s CURLFEST? Here’s what you missed.
All photos taken by Karston Tannis, @skinnywashere.
All photos taken by Karston Tannis, @skinnywashere.
