AMPLIFY Black Queer Music Festival

Presented by Playground Gatherings, with support by the Center on Halsted and Red Bull. AMPLIFY is a festival-style DJ showcase platforming Black queer DJs, who are underrecognized as progenitors innovating genres such as house and techno. AMPLIFY centers and incubates Black queer play, sonic ingenuity and embodied resistance.

THE MIXER, Friday, July 3rd 7-9pm | The weekend kicks off with a pre-show mixer inviting Black queer DJs, producers, and space makers to exchange stories and resources on the Center on Halsted’s rooftop deck. Featuring opening sets by DJs Rulito & Nxt Lvl, the mixer provides an intimate opportunity to get to know past and present AMPLIFY cohorts and form new connections within our Black queer creative ecosystem. FREE RSVP.

THE SHOWCASE, Sunday, July 5th 3-9pm | The festival’s main event takes over the Center’s third floor terrace with two simultaneous stages. Our stacked line-up includes local stars: Adonia, Bonita Appleblunt, Cobra B, Dyaspara, Harlem Masimba, Love Marie, Mobeethicc, Ndulgnce, Petty, and Sukigeez. Powered by Red Bull, we’re honored to host Houston’s HYPERFEMME for a high-energy headlining set to close out the night.

AMPLIFY 2026 also highlights local community organizations serving Chicago’s Black, LGBTQ+ community in a resource fair. Vendors include Jem Junkies tooth gems and grillz, and a custom photobooth by Tonal Simmons.

Tickets benefit the Center on Halsted and PG’s Black queer mutual aid mission. Please note that RSVP and/or tickets do not guarantee entry in the case we reach venue capacity. Event entry constitutes consent to be photographed and filmed for event storytelling and promotion. Should you wish not to be photographed or recorded on video, please notify one of the event organizers, photographers, or videographers.