Article Contributed by HearthMusic
Published on 2026-10-15
Tickets are now on sale for the seventh annual Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival (FWAAMFest). Presented by Fort Worth nonprofit Decolonizing the Music Room, the festival takes place March 19–21, 2027, at Fort Worth’s historic Southside Preservation Hall in the city’s Near Southside Cultural District. The event’s headliners include Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner Rhiannon Giddens and Grammy Award-winner Cedric Burnside, two trailblazing artists with a deep background in American roots music.
Performances and sessions on the main festival day will run from 12 noon until 10:00 PM at Fort Worth’s historic Southside Preservation Hall. Among this year’s lineup are acclaimed Haitian-American singer/instrumentalist/composer Leyla McCalla from New Orleans, who was featured alongside the cast of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners at the 98th Academy Awards. Fellow New Orleans banjo player Dusky Waters will bring her original songs, and for Texas roots, the festival will present Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster artist Kamica King and Texas-born and bred Afro-Indigenous country-roots/blues musician Nicky Diamonds. The Pacific Northwest will be well represented as well, featuring performances from fiddler and non-profit leader Benjamin Hunter, Seattle’s The Rhapsody Project Songsters, and acclaimed singer-songwriter Stephanie Anne Johnson. As Black blues, soul, and country have always been at the core of American roots music, well-known songwriters Crys Matthews, Ping Rose, and Queen Esther will explore these crossroads. The festival kicks off with the Chicot Cheetah Stringband, a charming new stringband made up of elementary school kids from Little Rock, AR.
FWAAMFest celebrates blackness in old-time, Americana, blues, bluegrass, folk, and beyond by showcasing Black performers and scholars rooted in the long and rich history of Black American music. The festival’s relaxed atmosphere allows attendees to interact directly with performers, reinforcing its mission of community connection. Cultural experiences will extend beyond the stage at FWAAMFest, including educational workshops and opportunities for audience interaction with performers.
Festival Information
Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival (FWAAMFest) Dates: March 19–21, 2027 Venue: Southside Preservation Hall, Fort Worth, TX (main festival) Main Festival Day: Saturday, March 20 | 12 PM – 10 PM Website & Tickets: www.fwaamfest.com
