The 42nd annual MOJA Arts Festival will run Sept. 24 through Oct. 1 at locations across Charleston, featuring local and national performers. This is the first year the festival has been planned by MOJA Arts, a newly formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to stabilize and grow the event long term.
The festival has been shortened from 11 days to eight this year and will introduce a new tradition: honoring the cultural legacies of four West African and Caribbean nations. The 2026 festival will spotlight Barbados, Gullah Geechee, Jamaica and Sierra Leone.
The festival finale at Hampton Park will celebrate the 50th anniversary of several iconic 1976 albums, anchored by a free, family-friendly concert produced by Ray Chew of Chew Entertainment and Charleston's Tommy Brown. The lineup draws from Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, Parliament's Mothership Connection, Marvin Gaye's I Want You, Earth, Wind & Fire's Spirit, Curtis Mayfield's Sparkle soundtrack, The Isley Brothers' Harvest for the World, Rose Royce's Car Wash soundtrack and Roy Ayers Ubiquity.
Ray Chew, music director for Dancing with the Stars and Daytime Emmy-nominated music director for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, returns to Charleston after his Juneteenth Block Party and History Lesson drew more than 1,000 people downtown for a Michael Jackson tribute. Additional festival events will be announced weekly through September.
"We are energized by the continued momentum of the MOJA Arts Festival and remain committed to expanding its visibility, elevating its artistic excellence and raising the bar each year to reflect the creativity, innovation and world-class spirit that define both this extraordinary festival and the City of Charleston," said Charlton Singleton, the festival's artistic director.
"We are so excited to bring together some of the finest talent across the Lowcountry to celebrate some of the best music ever made," said Rochelle Riley, the city's director of Cultural Affairs. "I cannot wait for journalists and music lovers from across the country to come to Charleston to experience this display of local talent, cuisine and culture."
MOJA Arts is now accepting applications:
- Planning committee members — Apply with a letter of recommendation by Thursday, July 23.
- Event hosts — Businesses and organizations interested in hosting official MOJA events can apply by Aug. 3.
- Co-sponsors — Companies and organizations interested in co-sponsoring the festival should contact City Director of Cultural Affairs Rochelle Riley at rileyr@charleston-sc.gov.
Learn more about the MOJA Arts Festival at mojafestival.com.