On a chilly fall weekend, the inaugural Honeyland Festival unfolded at Sugar Land’s Crown Festival Park. The two-day event, held on November 11 and 12, promised a showcase of Black culture expressed through music and food—two pivotal components of this community.

Houston was a great choice for the festival’s stomping grounds. The city’s cultural tapestry is woven with threads of diversity, making it a melting pot that mirrors the rich mosaic of Black culture. With almost a quarter of Houston’s population identifying as Black, Honeyland found itself at the heart of a community that not only embraces its roots but welcomed the event with open arms. The Bayou City is also close to other places densely populated with African Americans and people from the diaspora, like Louisiana and Atlanta, making the weekend’s draw far and wide.

The festival, promoted largely on social media platforms, had big aspirations. The sounds of the weekend would be crafted by a curated lineup that boasted both local talents and internationally acclaimed artists, from Tobe Nwigwe to Mary J. Blige. Food and drink panels by renowned chefs and artisans would unfold in tandem with the musical performances, creating a cohesive experience that would engage both ears and taste buds. This would be the first event of its kind in Houston, and it was met with both anticipation and curiosity. Making this vision come to fruition came with some kinks, but the overall result was promising.

General admission tickets to Honeyland ran from $95 for single-day passes to $175 for weekend ones. Other specialty ticket options, like VIP—which included easy access to the festival grounds, special viewing areas, a select lounge, and more—ran upwards of $295 per day. One of the most appealing perks of the VIP tickets was the special onsite parking not be available to other guests. But a day or two before the event, those ticket holders were told that they would have to park in another lot away from the park and be shuttled to the event, essentially nullifying this exclusive benefit—one of many mishaps on the road to Honeyland’s debut.

Prior to the event, one of the main headliners pulled out of the musical lineup. R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan, who has been mourning the loss of her mother who passed away after her battle with breast cancer, left the concert and was replaced with Atlanta singer Summer Walker almost a week before the events. Despite this last-minute change, the festival still boasted a host of musical personalities that enchanted the crowd with old and new tunes that have rung through the diaspora and beyond.

Vocalist and Beyoncé protégé Chlöe was among the first performers but encountered technical difficulties when her microphone went off for half a song in the middle of her setlist. R&B singer Miguel’s late-night performance transcended the stage and found the artist venturing into a park filled with screaming fans whom he serenaded with his most popular hits. Ending the weekend and making the biggest splash, musical powerhouse Mary J. Blige put on a riveting show for an adoring crowd standing in the heavy rain. Other performances included artists like Tems, Lucky Daye, Inayah, Coco Jones, Dende, and DJ Spinall.

Local pride also took center stage at Honeyland. Artists like Alief-born rapper Tobe Nwigwe, whose energy-filled performance alongside his wife, Fat, prompted the arena to fill with contagious chants. An area dedicated to local vendors was packed with homegrown businesses like Pakistani-Trinidadian-owned jewelry store Keepsakes. And beloved restaurant Trill Burgers, created by Houston rapper Bun B, attracted one of the longest food lines, spanning more than half the park.

At the festival’s Eat & Sips stage, nationally acclaimed chefs and beverage professionals shared their knowledge on all things food and drink. Ethiopian Swedish celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson discussed creating and maintaining globally recognized restaurants on a panel alongside Fawn Weaver, entrepreneur and cofounder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Bronx-born culinary collective Ghetto Gastro also hosted a cooking demonstration with Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John, owners of the McBride Sisters Wine Company. The New York–based chefs also worked with the Breakfast Klub to put together a special menu featuring their sweet potato waffles for the weekend.

Honeyland delivered a culinary experience that reflected the richness of Black food heritage. International meals from restaurants across the diaspora created a delightful conundrum for festivalgoers trying to decide where to indulge first. Southern pastry shops provided a sweet addition to the weekend’s delights. Soul food restaurants offering everything from gumbo, brisket, pulled pork, jerk chicken, mac and cheese, and more caused lines that seemed never-ending.

The scale of the festival appeared to be unanticipated by both the event organizers and food vendors. Multiple guests reported waiting lengthy times to get their food orders placed, and some said they ended up waiting upwards of half an hour to receive their meals after purchasing them. Many stalls ran out of food multiple times over the course of the weekend, further making the culinary adventure at Honeyland a test of patience.

Though food and music provided the backdrop for the weekend, the attendees brought all the vibrancy: guests transformed Honeyland into a living canvas of fashion that spoke volumes about individuality and cultural pride. Meandering through the festival grounds was an opportunity to treat the eyes to a kaleidoscope of styles from Afro-centric prints to contemporary streetwear, each ensemble telling a unique story.

In the middle of music sets, culinary demonstrations, and engaging panels, a wide range of other activities were available for attendees. In a space at the center of the park, guests could play games such as Uno, Taboo, Culture, Culture Tags, cornhole, and life-size Connect Four while dancing along to a resident DJ.

While Honeyland Festival delivered on its promise to highlight Black culture through food and music, it was not without its hiccups. The last-minute changes to performers disappointed guests who purchased early tickets, the alteration to the parking options for VIP ticket holders caused frustration, technical issues during music performances cast a temporary shadow on the otherwise lively stage, and the challenges of managing the overwhelming demand for food left some attendees with a bitter aftertaste. Most importantly, the chilly mid-November weather made the outdoor festival experience much less comfortable for the crowd, with rain adding to the pain.

And yet Honeyland Festival succeeded in creating a space where the richness of Black culture was celebrated and showcased. For the first year of what could become an annual tradition, the festival’s triumphs far outweighed its setbacks. Most of the attendees with gripes say they would return for its next showing if the mistakes are amended. For an event that, like honey, left a sweet taste in the mouths of those who were fortunate enough to be part of its debut, it is exciting to think what next year might bring.