Winter BBAM Festival 2026

Get ready to groove to the rhythms of culture, celebrate Black excellence, and immerse yourself in a vibrant fusion of music, art and businesses.

Join us for the first Winter BBAM! Festival, brought to you by The United Voice of African Associations (TUVAA), for a vibrant cultural celebration that’s free for everyone!

Enjoy an exciting day of special poetry performances, film screenings, interactive workshops, and more. This years film screening is Ojúdé Oba: The Royal Legacy.

This family-friendly event brings together a rich mix of cultures across four fantastic venues: O2 Guildhall, MAST Mayflower Studios, John Hansard Gallery, and the outdoor space near Mettricks in Guildhall Square.

Southampton’s award-winning BBAM Festival is the city’s biggest, free showcase and celebration of Black culture. With live music and performances, DJs and sound systems, African and Caribbean food, Black businesses, cultural and traditional performances, exhibitions, dance, fashion, and more.

Expect vibrant dance, art, storytelling, plus a Commonwealth veteran parade and remembrance as part of BBAM 2025. For all the latest event updates, head to TUVAA’s website or the BBAM! Facebook page.

The festival includes: 

• Art Exhibition

• Fashion Show

• Black businesses

• DJs and Street Art

• Poetry

• Dance & live performances

• BBAM Art Piece

• Regional Villages

• Family Fun

• African Drumming

• Comedy

• African and Caribbean Food

About Ojúdé Oba: The Royal Legacy

A celebration of heritage. A story carried through generations.

At the heart of the Screening & Exhibition is the story of the people behind the traditions. From Otun Balogun Shote, whose family heritage and knowledge form part of the exhibition, to Prince Ibrahim Shote who will join us as a Panelist, and artist and sculptor Ayokunle Dongo, whose creative work helps bring elements of Ijebu heritage and the Ojúdé Ọba story into the exhibition.

Through film, photography, sculpture, storytelling and conversation, we invite audiences to look beyond the spectacle and connect with the people, history, creativity and traditions that keep heritage alive.