DC Home Rule Music Festival celebrates District's musical heritage
The DC Home Rule Music Festival is getting ready to rock The Parks at Walter Reed for a fourth year in a row.
The event is a full day of live music on June 21, starting with D.C. jazz vocalist Imani-Grace Cooper, who will pay tribute to legendary singer Roberta Flack. The audience can also catch performances by Farafina Kan Ensemble, a West African drum and dance group and Plunky and the Oneness of Juju, led by saxophonist James Branch, who goes by Plunky.
Two iconic D.C. go-go bands wrap up the day: New Impressionz and Backyard Band. The day will start off with a music production workshop and be punctuated with DJ sets, a record fair, food and merchandise vendors. Community activities and kids' activities are also key to the family-friendly event. General admission tickets are free and available on DC Home Rule Festival's website. A new VIP experience this year grants buyers access to a VIP lounge, artist meet-and-greets and more.
The DC Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation launched the festival in 2022 to highlight Black artists and music that are part of the fabric of the D.C. arts and cultural scene. The idea grew out of a desire to highlight the music included in a documentary about Black Fire Records, a local independent record label founded in the 1970s that was essential to the District's spiritual jazz scene.
HR Records, whose co-owner, Charvis Campbell, was involved in the documentary, began hosting informal shows held at the Brightwood Park record store made locally famous when former Vice President Kamala Harris stopped by in 2023.
'We needed a way to display the music to support the film,' Campbell told DCist in 2023 about the festival's genesis.
Four years in, DC Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works closely with other cultural entities and sponsors to keep the events coming. The Go-Go Museum & Cafe and jazz magazine and nonprofit Capital Bop are key partners. 'It takes a village. This festival is sustained by a powerful mix of grants, sponsorships, community partnerships and most importantly, individual supporters who believe in what we're building,' said Campbell.
Guided by the tagline 'Rooted in D.C., powered by community, united in music,' the festival is meant to celebrate D.C.'s rich creative legacy.
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'This festival is a love letter to D.C.'s music. It celebrates the city's deep-rooted legacies in jazz, go-go, funk and more, while spotlighting new voices and emerging talent, said Campbell. 'We're not just preserving history — we're creating space for the next generation of culture-shapers, from high school musicians to local producers. In a city that's rapidly changing, Home Rule Music Festival reminds us of who we are — and who we've always been.'
And the DC Home Rule Music Festival spans so much more than one day. The festival is kicking off with a youth showcase called 'Rooted in Rhythm' held on June 13 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Penn Quarter. Another outdoor concert from the festival organizers is scheduled for October at Alethia Tanner Park in the NoMa neighborhood, spreading the musical wealth around the District.
As for the main event on June 21, festival organizers are still looking for more volunteers, donations and other help to make the event a success. Learn how to get involved on the festival's website.
'The festival is free to attend, but not free to produce. We invite folks to make a donation, become a sponsor or join our Supporters Circle to help us keep this work going,' said Campbell. 'Our mission is to preserve and promote D.C.'s music and cultural legacy — and that long-term commitment is what drives us forward.'
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