A vibrant celebration of diversity, heritage and community spirit featuring international cultural villages, a marketplace, music, art and a wellbeing zone.
BBAM! Festival returns to Guildhall Square on Saturday 8 August, with the Black Business, Art & Music celebration taking over the centre of town for the day. It's run by The United Voice of African Association (TUVAA), and it's built around the city's Black community, with local businesses, musicians and artists taking the lead.
The biggest draw is the International Cultural Villages, where different communities turn their spaces into immersive experiences. You'll find traditions, fashion, music, art, language, food and heritage all in one spot, so it's more of a walk-through than a single stage to watch. Around that, there's a business and enterprise marketplace for the local firms involved, a health and wellbeing zone, and live performances throughout the day.
It's a family-friendly one, so it works as a full day out rather than just a quick stop. The focus is on the city's diversity and heritage, and it sits alongside other major events in Southampton's cultural calendar. The full programme for this edition hasn't been confirmed yet, so keep an eye out for the specific line-up as it gets closer.
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It's free to attend, and while Guildhall Square is the main hub, the festival also reaches into the O2 Guildhall, MAST Mayflower Studios and the John Hansard Gallery, so there's plenty to wander between across the city centre.
