Black on the Block, one of the largest touring marketplaces for Black-owned businesses in the country, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a Juneteenth event featuring live music, food, giveaways and more than 150 vendors on Saturday, June 13, at Los Angeles Center Studios.
The event, scheduled from 1 to 7 p.m., marks five years since sisters Lanie and Char Edwards launched the marketplace in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Black on the Block started with a single event in Pasadena around Juneteenth, after Lanie Edwards began to see the gap in the market for Black-owned businesses.
“I started as a small business owner myself. I have a clothing line, and I was participating in pop-ups,” Lanie Edwards said. “I noticed the lack of visibility for Black-owned businesses at those pop-ups in LA, and so that’s what gave me the idea to start my own.”
Her sister, Char Edwards, who worked in costume design, hair and makeup, joined shortly after. She said she also noticed the “disconnect” when it came to Black-owned businesses being represented at events and wanted to help “fill it.”
What was originally intended to be a one-time Juneteenth event quickly grew after about 70 vendors signed up for the first marketplace.
“It was very intimate, and then it just grew every month to something bigger,” Lanie Edwards said. “We never expected it to be this big at all … the demand made us keep going.”
The sisters, originally from Pittsburgh, have lived in Los Angeles for about 10 years and now host Black on the Block events every other month in LA while also touring nationally. The marketplace has expanded to cities including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and Charlotte.
“It’s a tour … we’re definitely doing the tour life now, but LA is always home. We love it here. The energy here is the best for sure,” Char Edwards said.
This year’s fifth anniversary and Juneteenth celebration will include a food court, live performances and vendors selling apparel, jewelry, books, art, home decor and other products. The event will also feature a kid zone with inflatable and digital games, a VIP rooftop section for guests 21 and older and several community activations.
Among the activations are pop-up tennis courts, giveaways and photo opportunities hosted by the U.S. Tennis Association, as well as a Disneyland Resort interactive activation featuring themed photo stations, family-friendly crafts and giveaways. Black Girl Sunscreen will also offer free product samples, and Tempo Moves will host a free dance workshop.
The performers this year include five-time Grammy-nominated R&B artist Kenyon Dixon and singer-songwriter Jacquees.
“There’s a good touch of LA in there with also a touch of everything else, too, but it’s definitely a full-day experience,” Lanie Edwards said. “When you come, you’re there all day enjoying it.”
When selecting participating vendors, Char Edwards explained that they prioritize originality and packaging more than anything.
“You don’t have to have a lot of followers at all … that doesn’t really matter,” she said. “It’s more so like how you present your brand … and the quality of it.”
The sisters said they typically receive between 300 and 400 vendor applications for each marketplace but narrow the selection down to a little more than 150 businesses and brands. Last year alone, Black on the Block generated more than $4 million in shopper spending directed toward Black-owned businesses across the country, they explained.
“That’s the goal,” Lanie Edwards said. “To keep that up.”
As the marketplace continues expanding nationally, the sisters said one of the biggest challenges has been securing venues in some cities.
“A lot of places don’t want to host Black events, and if they do, they definitely tax us more than they would a similar event,” Char Edwards said.
Despite those challenges, the sisters said their focus remains on creating a welcoming environment that celebrates Black entrepreneurship, culture and community. They estimate that about 6,000 attendees will attend this year’s anniversary and Juneteenth event. Although their goal is to uplift Black-owned businesses, they welcome everyone who supports the same mission.
“We want everyone to come, because the whole point is to come support these businesses,” Char Edwards said.
“We always just hope to be a safe space for people to come enjoy and celebrate Black culture,” Lanie Edwards said. “It’s really a celebration of entrepreneurship and culture.”
The event is family-friendly, and tickets can be purchased through the Black on the Block app, Universe or at the door through card payment only. Children 12 and younger get in for free. More information is available at blackxtheblock.com.
Black on the Block 5th Anniversary and Juneteenth Celebration
WHEN: Saturday, June 13, 1 to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Los Angeles Center Studios,
500 S. Bixel Street, Los Angeles
COST: $20
INFO: blackxtheblock.com