CURLFEST® Returns To Brooklyn Sat., Aug. 17, At Prospect Park

Source: Noir Photography Studios / Noir Photography Studios

When Melody Henderson and several of her recently natural-haired friends first met in a Brooklyn apartment, they had no idea they were planting the seeds for what would become the largest natural beauty festival in America: CURLFEST®. Per their website, that night, they bonded over shared stories, product swaps, and the sheer joy of finding a community that understood the unique journey of embracing natural hair. What started as a small gathering blossomed into Curly Girl Collective, an event business with a mission to celebrate and uplift women with naturally textured hair. Fast forward ten years, and CURLFEST® stands as a powerful testament to that mission.

Founded in 2014 with just 1,000 attendees, CURLFEST® has grown exponentially, attracting over 75,000 people from across the globe. It is not just a festival; it’s a “magical movement”—100% Black-owned and dedicated to redefining beauty standards in America. The festival offers a space where natural beauty is not only accepted but celebrated, creating a powerful platform for women of all shades and textures to shine.

MadameNoire sat down with Melody Henderson, one of the visionary founders, to discuss the incredible journey to CURLFEST® 10, its impact on the natural hair community, and the future of this groundbreaking festival, which takes place this Saturday, August 17, from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Prospect Park’s Lena Horne Bandshell.

Source: Noir Photography Studios / Noir Photography Studios

MadameNoire: Let’s talk all things CURLFEST®. For those who do not know, tell us about Curly Girl Collective and CURLFEST®.

Melody Henderson: We started back in 2011. It was a bond that grew from a central need we all had: we were looking to see more of ourselves and really understand what we could do with our natural hair. At the time, it was a pivotal moment where the beauty industry hadn’t seen us at all. So, we took a stance as friends to create an environment and a community for that. We started in one of my co-founders’ living rooms. It began as a text thread. We felt a type of magic in person, and we knew that was something we could scale. That’s how Curly Girl Collective started.

Regarding CURLFEST®, we built our community pretty organically; we are the definition of grassroots. At the time, with social media, we started there because we asked, “How can we reach a few people outside of our immediate circle?” It was very eye-opening to realize it wasn’t just our immediate circle that needed what we had to offer—it was literally our community at large.

CURLFEST® was born out of necessity. We would do smaller events, and they would sell out in seconds—like 200, 300 people. Listening to our community, we asked, “What could we do to create a bigger opportunity for more people to attend? What if we do something outside?” In many ways, CURLFEST® manifested itself before we even realized its full potential. And because we called it a festival, over the years, we were able to grow it.

You spoke it into existence. And here we are, 10 years later, back where you started, in Brooklyn, New York. Tell us more about the return of CURLFEST® to Brooklyn.

I think we’re big believers that everything happens for a reason. When we first set out for CURLFEST® 2024, it was actually supposed to be at a different location. We faced challenges, and in true entrepreneurial form, we realized we had to be resilient, right? So, it opened up an opportunity to come back to Brooklyn, which is where we first started. Our audience had been asking for this for quite some time.

There’s something really serendipitous about being able to return to Brooklyn. I’m from Brooklyn; I’m one of the founders, so we’re really excited about it.

Source: Noir Photography Studios / Noir Photography Studios

This year marks the 10th anniversary of CURLFEST®. What are some of the most significant milestones that CURLFEST® has achieved, and how have they shaped the festival’s evolution?

I think at its core, since the inception, it’s always been about our community. Everything we do, every step we take, every decision we make, is grounded in what our community needs. With that in mind, this question is tough because there have been so many moments where we’ve validated that need.

When we think about the impact we’ve made, we’re very proud of being pioneers, in lockstep with so many others. When we first started, we didn’t even see our products on store shelves, right? So, it was an opportunity for us to create a space for education and empowerment, and we’ve continued to do that along the way. The same goes for our small business vendors. Some of them started with us from day one, and now they are on the shelves of Target and similar stores.

Source: Noir Photography Studios / Noir Photography Studios

In terms of attendee experience, walk us through what we can expect at the festival.

I would say, historically—not our words, but the community’s—CURLFEST® is magic. There are multiple facets to that experience and how it comes to life. I think attendees should come with an open mind, curiosity, and a desire to be celebrated for who they are, however they choose to show up. That’s probably the biggest takeaway. There’s a level of empowerment and education, but there’s something magical that happens when we gather in numbers.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Women Get Honest About Hair Privilege At CurlFest

To purchase tickets for CURLFEST® visit CURLFEST.com  or go directly to Ticketmaster. To keep updated on everything curly, follow the Curly Girl Collective on Instagram and CURLFEST® on TikTok.