Source: Jamie Simonds / Getty
This week (March 6), legendary artist, actress, producer, and entrepreneur, Mary J. Blige and Pepsi proudly announced the third annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, in partnership with Live Nation Urban. This year’s festival is coming to the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul’s home…… the Big Apple, New York City. There will be three days devoted to music, comedy, female empowerment sessions, keynote speakers and more.
In celebration of Women’s History Month this March, presale tickets went live today March 6 – Thursday, March 7, with code STRENGTH, while general ticket sales begin Friday, March 8 at 10a.m. ET. For tickets and schedule, visit: www.soawfestival.com.
Created and curated by the iconic Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, Mary J. Blige, Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit is the only festival experience in the market brought to you exclusively by an all-Black female team and will arrive this Spring to the birthplace of Hip-Hop, New York City. After selling out in less than 72 hours last year, the festival will surely bring iconic moments with three incredible nights of music and entertainment. The weekends’ festivities include a concert at Barclays with performances by Mary J. Blige and special guests 50 Cent, Jill Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Muni Long, Lola Brooke, and Funk Flex; a comedy show featuring Tiffany Haddish, Don’t Call Me White Girl and Paris Sashay, and a jazz concert with Robert Glasper. The marvelous weekend will wrap up with a gospel brunch hosted by Mary J. Blige and a gospel concert headlined by The Clark Sisters with Femme It Forward.
“I’m so excited to bring our Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit to my hometown, New York City, a place that has always been a huge source of inspiration for me,” said Mary J. Blige, Founder of Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit. “Having the opportunity to continue to uplift, inspire, and build within my community is the reason I created this festival. I’m so grateful for all the support from our performers, attendees, and of course, our partners Live Nation Urban and Pepsi. Nobody does it like New York, so get ready.”
This year’s festival will have an expanded footprint across the New York City boroughs, aiming to create even more opportunities for women and underrepresented groups to find community and joy. After an extremely successful launch in 2022, and the overwhelming feedback from attendees, the festival is set to deliver bigger, better and more impactful programming at this year’s Summit, being held on Saturday, May 11 at The Glasshouse. The Strength of a Woman Summit, hosted by Angie Martinez, will empower and engage with women and will include inspiring programming, pivotal panels, keynote speakers, workshops, and much more!
As a 9x GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, producer, philanthropist and global superstar, Mary J. Blige has dedicated the majority of her career to amplifying and giving voice to BIPOC women, through the art of music and truth-telling. This multi-touchpoint festival (which focuses on music, wellness, tech, beauty and financial literacy) is the evolution of her life’s mission and purpose. The Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit is engaging with women more than ever before and returns as the go-to destination for inspiring programming, musical performances, comedy, and much more! Following the success of last year, the festival will continue to remain dedicated to curating a safe haven for women, led and assembled by women that sustain the festival’s inaugural blueprint.
Presented by Pepsi, the festival’s inaugural partner returns to support Blige and her impactful work on and off the stage, in a shared mission to inspire and empower the next generation of women. Pepsi will once again bring its powerful platform to the production and event experience across the festival, bringing delicious food by local Black female restaurateurs to the fan experience through Pepsi Dig In—a platform designed to provide visibility, resources and awareness to Black restaurateurs.
“As a brand rooted in celebrating culture and music and uplifting communities, Pepsi is honored to return as presenting partner and co-producer of the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, continuing our shared vision with Mary to elevate and empower women. The festival’s move to New York City, Pepsi’s own backyard, provides an even larger stage to highlight and support more remarkable women in the community. As it moves into its third year, the festival’s continued success is a testament to Mary’s impact and the power of amplifying Black women and their voices,” said Kent Montgomery, Senior Vice President, PepsiCo Industry Relations and Multicultural Development.
To attend or support the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit in New York City this Spring or to just check out the schedule of programming and events, visit www.soawfestival.com. Slide in the comments and let us know what you think about the lineup!
