WHY ARE ALL OF THE MAJOR BLACK FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN THE SOUTH?

WHY ARE ALL OF THE MAJOR BLACK FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN THE SOUTH?

Written by: Lamont Mann

• Black Biker Week Myrtle Beach
• Black Biker Week Dayton Beach
• Kappa Beach Party
• Essence Festival
• Texas Relays
• Greek Fest Virginia Beach
• Freak Nik Atlanta 

Over the Spring Break, my son and his friends went to Black Biker Week in Daytona Florida.  Recently he showed me pictures of his trip  and it took me back to a time when I use to go to these events.

I was fourteen years old when I first attended the Kappa Beach Party in Galveston, TX.  My sister (Tausha) was 18 and she was with her dope dealer boyfriend and their friends.  Obviously, I couldn't do all the shit they were into but I did get to see a lot of "eye candy".  What was interesting about this particular time,  it was one of the few times I actually seen Greeks or any Devine 9 in attendance at the Kappa.  As I got older, I noticed, it was less Greeks at the Kappa and more hood niggas.

When I was 18 in the military stationed in Norfolk, VA, me and my friends drove down to Atlanta Freak Nic 95.  Had a blast!  As I said earlier, I was stationed in Norfolk so we definitely attended Greek Fest in Virginia Beach.  When I was a teen - early twenties, I hit up all of those events.

Twenty years later, I ask myself "Why were/are all of these black events and festivals were primarily in the South?"

New York, Philly, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago or any Non Southern Cities have events that draw blacks from across the country like the South.

I wondered,  if this was because most blacks are concentrated in the South.  Seems like that would make sense but how do you explain all of the blacks from all over the country coming to attend.

Then I begin to wonder if it's because of the southern climate.   The south is event friendly in the Spring/Summer but you have the possibility of storms.

I also pondered if it's Cost of Living thing.  Maybe it's cheaper to put on big events in the south versus  other regions.

I really do not know the answer, it could be a combination of all but it was something I noticed after mixing it up with my son.