SUGAR LAND, Texas — Houston music fans, mark your calendars for a fall music festival featuring a star-studded lineup, including Grammy-winning artist and Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige.
Other performers at the Honeyland Festival in Sugar Land include R&B stars Miguel and Summer Walker, who replaces Jazmine Sullivan, and the Houston All-Stars featuring rappers Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Z-Ro and Lil Keke.
Walker, an Atlanta-based R&B singer/songwriter, rose to fame in 2018 with her 4x Platinum single "Girls Need Love,” and has since garnered major popularity and acclaim in the R&B genre with singles including "Playing Games" featuring Bryson Tiller and "Come Thru" with Usher. Last month, Walker dropped a new EP titled, Girls Need Love (Girls Mix) on the fifth anniversary of her breakout mixtape Last Days of Summer featuring new remixes of her hit single “Girls Need Love” with Victoria Monét, Tink and Tyla.
“Honeyland is a celebration of Black creativity in all its forms,” Walker said. “I’m excited to join this historic lineup of Black artists and performers who move our culture forward, and provide an unforgettable experience for all who attend Honeyland.”
Organizers said the two-day music and culinary event will showcase the best in Black expression across food, spirits, music, and art.
WHEN: November 11-12; grounds open at noon
WHERE: Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land, south of Houston
HOW MUCH: General admission single-day passes start at $95 and two-day passes start at $150; VIP passes start at $525; and Platinum passes start at $975. You can sign up for early-bird discounts on the website. (No refunds unless the event is canceled.)
Daily giveaways are available each day this week to the first 250 people who purchase a two-day GA and GA+ passes.
Honeyland Festival concert schedule
Saturday, Nov. 11
● Inayah
● Dende
● Tay Powers
● Jae Murphy
● DJ Spinall
● Chloe
● Tobe Nwigwe
● Summer Walker
● Miguel
Sunday, Nov. 12
● DJ Mr. Rogers
● Lenora
● Coco Jones
● Lucky Daye
● Tems
● Houston All Stars featuring Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Z-Ro, Lil Keke, and more
● Mary J. Blige
“We are excited to bring together icons of the music world with the leaders of Black cuisine and beverage, creating a culminating experience of Black expression for everyone at Honeyland to enjoy,” Shawn Gee, President of Live Nation Urban said. “From afrobeats to hip-hop, neo-soul to R&B, the best in music will meet the best in food and beverage.”
Honeyland Festival food
The Honeyland Festival will also showcase some of the top Black chefs from across the country, including Houston's own Dawn Burrell, a "Top Chef" finalist, and James Beard nominee Chris Williams from Lucille's.
Bun B's Trill Burgers will also be on the menu.
“Trill Burgers & I are proud to be a part of Honeyland,” rapper Bun B said. “It’s so important that we take the time to celebrate Black food, drink, and music, and acknowledge the impact we’ve had on American culture. To do this in the city that I reside in and call home makes it that much more special.”
Baines Family Cuisine
The Baines Family loves life and serving food and have been doing so for 35 years. Best known for their Grilled Angus Burgers and Cajun favorites, nothing compares to their fresh squeezed lemonade.
Carey’s Frozen Delights
Carey’s Frozen Delights is a family-owned business that started as a mobile dessert truck in 2014. Customers immediately loved their Italian ice and Gelato leading to the restaurant opening its first storefront in August 2022 at 2603 Cartwright Road in Missouri, Texas.
Cranky Granny’s Sweet Rolls
Cranky Granny’s Sweet Rolls, founded by Sianni Dean at 18 years old, has become well known in Austin, TX for its unique sweet rolls, including the popular Sweet Potato roll, Peach Cobbler and Banana Cinnamon roll varieties. These delicious treats are available in Pflugerville. In addition to their classic options, Cranky Granny’s also offers vegan cinnamon rolls, brown sugar cinnamon rolls, nut rolls and more. Cranky Granny’s will be serving Peach Cobbler, Sweet Potato Pie, Churro, Strawberry Shortcake, Classic and Vegan Classic cinnamon rolls at Honeyland.
Divine Creations Cuisine
Chandra’s Muhammad’s desire to serve and feed those in need of great-tasting food began at the age of six and continues to this day leading to her forming Divine Creations Cuisine. Divine Creations Cuisine is known for providing delicious, creative meals with a Creole twist. By adding her own special Creole twist to a recipe shared by her friend, Chandra became known for her Signature Creole Chicken Fettuccine, which contained a special cheese sauce that is unmatched.
DiBi RaPiDe
Dibi Rapide founded by Mor Thiam (Momo Valdy) is a food truck created to bring authentic Senegalese street food to Houston. Their food is made with fresh ingredients and spices from West Africa with family recipes passed down from generations featuring meals like chicken over Jollof rice, lamb over vermicelli, brochettes and shawarmas.
Dre's Water Ice and Ice Cream
The brainchild of Andre Andrews, Dre’s Southern Style Ice Cream is an absolute dream come true for the West Philadelphia native who is truly a “Made in America Story”. He turned an opportunity of buying a pushcart and selling water ice in local neighborhoods into owning one of the most exciting new ice cream companies in the Delaware Valley. Dre’s Southern-Style Ice Cream is currently available year-round at Brown's Family Shoprites' 11 locations.
Foreign Policy
Influenced by Houston’s multi-cultural demographics and inspired by Korean, Greek, Mexican and American cuisine comes Foreign Policy Food Truck - an innovative fusion-food concept serving the Greater Houston Area since 2011.
Funnnelocity
Funnelocity is a food truck that sells delicious, gourmet funnel cakes. The best part is that Funnelocity has been in business going into its 3rd year and is owned by Kayce Ekpenike, a senior at Summer Creek High School in Humble, TX. Kayce started this business to help her save up for medical school at the age of 15 in a tent with a fryer and folding table and now has a growing business with her friends as her employees and operates her business out of a custom-made food trailer.
Grubido
Born from Chef Creative Kavachi's vision, Grubido connects Houstonians with the diverse world of African food. We're a platform dedicated to empowering the African diaspora and curating captivating content. Our values are rooted in a passion for exceptional cuisine, collaborative learning, and fostering global partnerships.
Gumbo Xpress
Caterer Lisa W. has been cooking her Southern Comfort Creole Cuisine for over 30 years taking her family recipes and putting her own down-home twist to it. Lisa’s food truck can be found across Texas and offers cuisine that will “stick to your ribs” and have your palate screaming for more.
Hype Juicery
Hype Juicery started out combining two great things: music and health. The owner, Nicholas, a DJ in Houston TX, started out DJing fitness work-outs and selling juices to the attendees. From there Hype Juicery became the smoothie and juice bar it is today, still bringing health-conscious juices and now smoothies and acai bowls to the streets of Houston.
Keto Goodees
Kayla started her business in Alaska in 2020 before moving to Texas. All her baked goods are sugar-free, gluten-free low-carb made from scratch and Kayla’s especially known for her red velvet cake and salted chocolate chip cookies.
Lady G Empanadas
Lady G Empanadas is a non-traditional empanada maker with over 25 savory and sweet soulful empanada flavors, as well as seasonal soul food dinners.
London Chippy
Anthony Robinson, a formally trained culinary professional, worked in some of London's finest restaurants and gastro pubs for many years. After moving to the US, Chef Anthony became a personal chef to clients from LA to NYC. Now residing in the Washington, DC Metro Area, Chef Anthony has merged his British Jamaican background into a sought-after food truck and catering business serving fish and chips, lobster rolls and crab cake sandwiches.
Sienna Wings
Dating back to 2017 and its deep fryer wing Friday’s Sienna Wings has always believed “wings are for everyone.” Tyla-Simone Crayton, the 19-year-old CEO of Sienna Wings and former Shark Tank winner, has hit the ground running bringing delicious high-quality wings and their infamous Mac&Cheese and Season Fries to the state of Texas. This year, Sienna Wings opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Harvest Market at 4603 Sienna Parkway in Missouri City.
Smoke Stacks House of BBQ
For nearly a decade, Smoke Stack’s House of BBQ has been smoking the food truck competition in Washington, DC. From tender sliced brisket to fall-off-the-bone ribs and smoked chicken, every meat is dry-rubbed and smoked over a variety of woods (like apple, maple, hickory, or cherry wood). Get it all loaded up on a hearty sandwich, or on a plate with homemade sides: they've got mac & cheese, BBQ baked beans, collard greens, and more.
STUFF’d Wings
STUFF'd was founded in 2016, when owner, Jarrod Rector was working for an oil & gas company. One night while exploring options on what to cook, he settled on his wife’s two favorite items, dirty rice and chicken wings, and developed a way to stuff the wing with the dirty rice and fry it. Within a matter of days, Rector started making the stuffed wings for family and friends during special occasions. He now has food trucks, a popular restaurant in Downtown Houston, a residency at Texas Southern University's Basketball Stadium, and can also be found at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
The Doughnut Effect
The Doughnut Effect is a cutting-edge, urban mini doughnut boutique in Houston that offers a playful and energetic atmosphere combined with an outrageous selection of unique and crazy doughnut flavors.
The Fry Guys
The Fry Guys Food Truck, founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has a menu inspired by diverse culinary traditions, offering a fusion of flavors that reflect the rich diversity of minority communities. From mouthwatering ethnic fresh-cut loaded fries to innovative twists on traditional dishes, they have something on their menu for everyone.
Three Little Kitchens
Three Little Kitchens is independently owned by Chef Steven D. McKinney offering off-the-pier-fresh seafood, hand-cut beef filets, scrumptious stews and more mouthwatering dishes made with their creative combinations of spices and sauces.
Trill Burgers
Co-founded by Houston rap legend Bun B (Bernard Freeman), restaurateur Andy Nguyen and Nick Scurfield, Trill Burgers was established in Houston in the summer of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic starting with local pop-ups at culinary events. In two short years, Trill Burgers has won multiple awards for their mouthwatering smashburgers and opened its first brick-and-mortar location on 3607 Shepherd Drive in Houston.
Honeyland Festival chefs
Here's the schedule for appearances by well-known local and nationally-known chefs.
● Amaris Jones (Chef, Owner of Chick N' Jones)
● Angela Yee (Radio Personality and Entrepreneur, Co-Owner of Coffee Uplifts People & Drink Fresh Juice)
● Brandon “Big B The Chef” Tiffith (Big B The Chef, CMO at TDE)
● Bun B’s Trill Burgers (Rapper and owner, Trill Burgers)
● Chris Williams (Houston-based Chef, Co-Owner of Lucille's)
● Dawn Burrell (Houston-based Chef and Olympian)
● Earn Your Leisure (Podcast)
● Ghetto Gastro (Bronx-based Culinary Collective)
● Indy Officinalis (Urban farmer, community activist and poet)
● Kardea Brown (Author and Host of Delicious Miss Brown)
● Kavachi Ukegbu (Founder of Grubido)
● Keisha Griggs (Houston-based Chef and Owner of Bocage Catering and Ate Boutique Kitchen, Leader of Black Chef Table)
● Prince Lobo (Owner of Addis NOLA)
● Serigne Mbaye (Chef and Owner of Dakar NOLA, 2023 James Beard Award Recipient)
● Shawn Osbey (Houston-based Chef at Kulture Kitchen, Owner of Shawn Osbey Catering)
● Steve Rogers (Owner of Houston’s Bar 5015, Business Owner/Restaurateur)
● Tabitha Brown (Actress, Entrepreneur, America's Favorite Mom and Auntie)
● Tiffany Derry (Dallas-based Celebrity chef and restaurateur)
“We’re so excited to bring a plethora of cuisines, flavors, and cultures to Honeyland for everyone to experience, “Staci Hallmon, IMG’s Senior Vice President of Arts and Entertainment Events in North America, said. “The restaurants showcased at Honeyland will be an extension of the incredibly diverse Black businesses and establishments that make up the heart of Houston’s thriving culinary scene.”
Foodies can also enjoy demonstrations, cookoff competitions and sips from well-known mixologists.
“Whether you’re looking to taste a sample from one of your favorite rising chefs, or looking to have a conversation about breaking into the food and beverage industry as a Black entrepreneur, there will be something for every Honeylander to enjoy,” Hallmon promised. “Through food, music, and local partnerships, Honeyland will build a cultural movement that will inspire many.”