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Roots Picnic Pride 2025 Admat
Philadelphia, PA – May 6th, 2025 – Live Nation Urban’s LGBTQ+ platform, “Houses of Luv,” and Philadelphia native, ballroom icon, LGTBIAQ Hall of Famer, and Vice President of Philly Black Pride, Jacen Bowman, proudly announce the return of Roots Picnic Pride for its second year, expanding its celebration of Black queer artistry and community. Along with headliners Lenny Kravitz, D’Angelo, Latto, Tems, GloRilla, Kaytranada and more, this year’s event features a dynamic pre-event and on-site ballroom showcase, highlighting the vibrant intersection of hip-hop, Black culture, and ballroom. Tickets for Roots Picnic are on sale at Rootspicnic.com.
This year marks a historic moment as the underground subculture will headline a major music festival for the first time, enhancing visibility and recognition. “We are incredibly excited to bring Roots Picnic Pride back for the second year, expanding our celebration to include the dynamic world of ballroom,” said James June, founder of “Houses of Luv” and Live Nation Urban creative lead. “Collaborating with Jacen for Philly Black Pride helps us to further amplify LGBTQ+ artists and culture, creating a powerful platform for visibility and celebration. I’m also thankful for having allies at Live Nation Urban for championing this community”
Jacen Bowman adds, “I’m beyond thrilled to be part of Roots Picnic Pride again. This year, we’re bringing the energy of the ballroom scene directly to the festival, showcasing the incredible talent and artistry within our community. This is not just a competition; it’s a celebration of our culture, our strength, and our undeniable style. We’re making history by highlighting the art of vogue on such a prominent stage.” The Philadelphia Ballroom scene has been in existence for over 30 years. And I’m beyond proud to pioneer this movement of infusing ballroom into music festivals.
The festivities begin with the 2nd annual Roots Picnic Pride Soiree, taking place on Friday, May 30th, at Warehouse on Watts. This Soiree will feature rising musical talent, including Ballroom music artist Infinite, Electronic music artist Bayli, rapper Billy The Goat and Philly Drag Queen Mz. Peaches. The night will also feature sounds by Detroit DJ/Artist Sky Jetta, and New York DJ Kendollaz. All hosted by Jacen Bowman and, James June, and Roots Picnic alumnus Julian King.
Building on Friday’s momentum, Roots Picnic Pride continues on Saturday, May 31st, with an exhilarating mini-ballroom showcase highlighting the vibrant intersectionality of house, ballroom, hip-hop, and dance. This set will feature an all-out battle live on stage, where festival-goers will witness the artistry of vogue—a journey of queer movement and sound honoring the feminine movements of Black and Latina trans women of the underground ballroom community. Tickets/RSVP for Roots Picnic Pride Soiree at: https://www.universe.com/rootspicnicpride.
Both hip-hop and ballroom emerged around the same time, in New York City reflecting the creative spirit and resilience of marginalized communities. The fusion of ballroom culture into mainstream pop culture is crucial, as it has significantly influenced pop culture and continues to shape contemporary artistic expression.
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