What started as a simple backyard gathering for a few HBCU friends has now grown into a cultural celebration spanning multiple cities across the country. Dear Summer Festival, born out of a desire to stay connected after college, has transformed into a full-fledged movement — one powered by purpose, passion, and the unmatched power of the HBCU network.
The roots of Dear Summer Festival trace back to Virginia State and Delaware State, where a close-knit group of students decided to host a small barbecue to stay in touch after graduation. It started as a way to see each other again. From seeing each other every day on campus to barely catching up in different cities, they needed a reason to reconnect.
That reason quickly evolved into a highly-anticipated festival that now draws over 7,500 attendees in cities like New York, DC, Atlanta, and Houston. “New York was the first city to go crazy,” founder Dwaynne explained. “We went from 75 people in a backyard to thousands in a city park.” The overwhelming support revealed that there was a real need for culturally grounded, fun, and nostalgic spaces created by us, for us.
Each stop on the festival tour is intentional. The team chose cities with strong Black cultural roots, significant HBCU presence, and rapidly growing creative scenes. “Atlanta is the Mecca. Black excellence lives here,” founder Drew said. “And Houston. It’s on the rise and has its own wave.”
Of course, scaling a multi-city festival hasn’t been without its challenges. From learning digital marketing on YouTube to tailoring events to each city’s unique vibe, the team has stayed hands-on. Every city is different — how they party, what music they love, even how they buy tickets. They had to study that.
Their approach to partnerships is just as grassroots. Starting with product-only deals from brands like Tito’s and T-Mobile, they’ve built trust through results and tapped into their HBCU network to find champions inside big brands. “It’s all relationship-based. Our college friends now work in PR, marketing, and media. They helped elevate us,” founder Shareef said.
Dear Summer Festival is more than a party; it’s a reunion, a networking hub, and a cultural homecoming. I
