Home Rule Music Festival

This year the festival will gather around the story and legacy of Black Fire Records, the legendary distribution service turned label, magazine, and cultural movement that served to define the soundtrack of 1970s DC. The festival's musical programming explores the myriad influences of Black Fire by showcasing the best contemporary local, regional, and national exponents of jazz, go-go, funk, R&B, and soul.

The Home Rule Music Festival will be an amazing day of family activities, delicious food, and music with performances by Black Fire artists Plunky & Oneness of JuJu, legendary progressive jazz artists like Doug Carn and David Murray as well as the TCB Band.  The day will end with a screening of a new documentary short on Black Fire Records.  

We are modeling the festival after the legendary Harlem Cultural Festival concerts of the 70s (you may have caught a glimpse of 1969’s season in Questlove’s “Summer of Soul” documentary). 

Throughout the day, festivalgoers will enjoy food trucks, craft beverages, wine and beer from Anxo Cider, a Record Fair.  In addition, festival-goers guests will be able to purchase a limited edition Festival Magazine that will include original reporting and images from local photographers.