The Black-owned vendor pageant Black on the Block is increasing nationwide by means of a partnership with Dwell Nation City. Based by sisters Lanie and Char Edwards in Los Angeles, the pageant market celebrates tradition and neighborhood throughout seven main cities.
“The partnership with Dwell Nation City is a collective win for our total neighborhood—distributors, attendees, and Black on the Block alike,” mentioned Lanie and Char Edwards. “Collectively, we’re harnessing Dwell Nation City’s assets and experience to increase into new markets, creating areas the place small Black-owned companies can thrive and the place attendees can persistently have a good time Black pleasure whereas purchasing with native entrepreneurs and circulating the Black greenback. This collaboration is about greater than rising occasions—it’s about fostering a stronger, extra unified neighborhood that amplifies voices, showcases skills, and builds lasting connections.”
Created in June 2021, Black on the Block has drawn superstar customers like Probability the Rapper and KeKe Palmer, with performances by Sevyn Streeter and DVSN. The pageant options greater than 100 Black-owned companies alongside dance battles, gaming stations and performances.
The Edwards sisters constructed the pageant on neighborhood, enterprise and celebration, creating an area for Black enterprise house owners to thrive and showcase tradition past mainstream stereotypes.
“A part of the ethos of Dwell Nation City has at all times been figuring out and empowering Black founders and their manufacturers, as evidenced by our many partnerships with manufacturers like Broccoli Metropolis Pageant, ONE Music Fest, and others,” mentioned Shawn Gee, president of Dwell Nation City. “Lanie and Char have constructed an exceptional objective pushed model that holds a singular place within the dwell occasion ecosystem.” They’ve been in a position to make use of dwell occasions to construct true financial alternative for thus many small companies, whereas on the identical time offering a enjoyable and uplifting surroundings for his or her neighborhood. Our aim is to pour into them and permit the world to learn from their imaginative and prescient.”
The tour begins March 23, 2025, at Globe Life Area in Arlington, Texas, with stops in Atlanta, Houston and Detroit. It returns to Los Angeles for a Juneteenth celebration.
2025 Markets:
- Arlington, Texas
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Houston, Texas
- Los Angeles (Juneteenth Pageant)
- Detroit, Michigan
- Washington, D.C.
- Charlotte, North Carolina