Snapped: Afropunk Festival, NYC

This past weekend, AFROPUNK Festival took over the urban jungle of Brooklyn, New York in celebration of an eclectic array of music, fashion and individuality.

Founded by Matthew Morgan and James Spooner in 2005, each year the event has grown immensely in size and stature, and 2016 continued the festival’s trajectory as the leading multi-cultural event in the United States.

This year, thousands flocked to Barry Park near the Brooklyn Navy Yard to experience live music from the likes of Flying Lotus, Ice Cube and Janelle Monae, while also exploring the local afrocentric vendors who added to the diverse atmosphere with embroidered parasols, traditional African garments, tarot readings, aromatic candles, jewelry, hula hoops and dreamcatchers. Standout sets from the event included ESTA, Joe Kay, Sango, The Internet, and TV on the Radio, but Kelela and Gallant threw down the best performances of the entire festival. They both are among the industry's fastest rising talents and proved why over the weekend.

Although the crowd was massive, an integral part of what makes AFROPUNK such a unique event is the menagerie of people dawned in their own distinct fashion. This festival is clearly a moment for everyone to enthusiastically express their individual personality, and the patrons took advantage of this opportunity with enthusiasm. The entire event was filled with a colorful sea of character and panache that greatly added to the spectacle.

With such a successful event, AFROPUNK has its sights set on expansion. Look for future events to take place at various cities in the coming years, both in the United States and internationally.

[Photos: David McGraw]

Harrison is Mixmag's East Coast Editor. Follow him on Twitter here