22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana Black Expo outdoor concert lineup released. Who's performing in 2025?
It's a lineup to make old-school R&B fans weak.
Keith Sweat and SWV will headline the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration 's outdoor concert.
The July 18 Music Heritage Festival will also feature Cameo, singer-actor Christopher Williams and Gary, Indiana, native Deniece Williams.
This marks the second year for the Music Heritage Festival at its new home at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, 1001 W. New York St.
Indiana Black Expo tweaked its annual free concert offering in 2024, making it a paid ticketed event and moving it from downtown Indy's American Legion Mall. The new enclosed stadium seating venue offered enhanced security, organizers said.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
How much are tickets for the Indiana Black Expo concert?
The ticket costs ranged from $10 for general admission to $50-$100 for premium seating last year, with proceeds benefiting IBE's youth and family programs and its scholarship fund.
Summer Celebration is back in July
This year, the Summer Celebration returns to the month of July, running July 10-20.
The 2024 expo events were staged in June to accommodate the National Eucharistic Congress that took place at Lucas Oil Stadium July 17-21.
Indiana Black Expo 2025 outdoor concert lineup
Keith Sweat: The six-time platinum producer, songwriter and R&B singer ('I Want Her,' 'Make It Last Forever') helped usher in the New Jack Swing Era and later formed supergroup LSG ('My Body') with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill.
SWV: The New York City trio's debut studio album, 'It's About Time,' produced top 20 R&B chart singles – 'Right Here,' 'I'm So Into You,' 'Weak,' 'Right Here/Human Nature Remix,' 'Dowtown,' and 'You're Always on My Mind.'
Cameo: The funk band led by Larry Blackmon is best known for 80s hits 'Word Up!' 'Candy,' and 'Single Life,' but charted with ballads 'Why Have I Lost You,' 'Feel Me' and 'Sparkle.'
Deniece Williams: The four-time Grammy Award winner with a four-octave range sang backup on some of Stevie Wonder, Minnie Riperton and Roberta Flack's biggest projects before recording on her own hits, including 'Free,' 'Silly, 'It's Gonna Take Miracle' and 'Let's Hear It for the Boy.' She dueted with Johnny Mathis on 'Too Much, Too Little, Too Late' and teamed with him again for the 'Family Toes' sitcom theme song 'Without Us.'
Christopher Williams: Coming onto the scene in the early '90s with hits like 'I'm Dreamin'' and 'Every Little Thing U Do' the singer also acted in the classic hip-hop film 'New Jack City.'
How to get tickets to the Indiana Black Expo outdoor concert
The outdoor concert will begin at 6 p.m. on July 18.
Tickets go on sale April 28 at or
The outdoor concert is a centerpiece of the annual Summer Celebration, which also features business and health expos and conferences.
The Summer Celebration is one of the major events produced by Indiana Black Expo Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic advancement of African Americans through year-round initiatives, including its Black Business Training Institute, Scholarship Fund, Performing Arts Academy and Community Learning Hub as well as the Circle City Classic.
For more information about Summer Celebration, visit
