There are moments at certain music events where the crowd becomes more than the crowd. Instead it becomes this beautiful converge of thousands of avid fans banding together as one in the name of their favorite artists or genre for an unforgettable experience. That was the feeling of Broccoli City’s 2026 Holding Hands: An R&B Experience (powered by AT&T) this past weekend at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia— about 45 minutes from Washington, DC.
A slight pivot from the usual Broccoli City Fest experience, the one-day event put the spotlight on some of R&B’s best vocalists while also giving back to the very community that has made this Black-owned music festival the staple that it is nearly 15 years later. The stacked lineup featured Destin Conrad, Elmiene, KWN and Summer Walker while host Bacon Bear kept the crowd going between sets. And the best part— it was also affordable, with tickets starting as low as $25.
Of course EBONY was in the building to catch it all.
R&B got its shine from start to finish
While the artists on the ticket were the main attraction, we have to shoutout the event’s host, Bacon Bear, who kept the energy high from beginning to end. When the sets weren’t taking place, she—along with her accompanying DJ— could be heard throughout the venue getting the crowd to belt out everything from Fantasia’s “When I See You” and Keyshia Cole’s “Love” to Usher’s “Confessions”. Popular traveling event curators 1BD and R&B Only— who brought out DC native Raheem DeVaughn as a surprise guest— also made appearances to further keep the vibes going. Let’s just say, we’ll always trust them with the aux.
Destin Conrad reminds us that his mic is always on
Known for blending multiple genres to form his own unique sound, Conrad hit the Broccoli City stage and set the tone for the evening.
“Creatively I don’t feel boxed in because I have the freedom to do what I want,” Conrad told EBONY at Broccoli City’s Holding Hands: An R&B Experience. “I’m independent so I have more freedom. Maybe one day I won’t be be able to do that and I’ll be confined to what other people want me to do. But for now, I’m going to continue to explore and set the foundation.”
The 26-year-old Florida singer got the crowd out their seats with his high energy as he performed fan favorites like “Kissing in Public” and “In the Air”. Of course, we all wanted to hear him and KWN perform “Dadaman” from his new No. 1 album, Roadrunner. While we didn’t get it this time, we’re sure the two will be hitting stages together soon.
From the UK to the US, Elmiene remains consistent
No matter the locale of the stage that Elmiene hits, he always brings the same passion each and everytime. The British-Sudanese singer’s deep love for great music always radiates in his performances and it was no different this weekend. Whether he was showing us how crazy his breath control was or running the gamut of notes effortlessly, we were able to witness a masterclass in what it means to sing from the soul. Wearing his signature traditional Sudanese Jalabiya he gave us literal goosebumps as he sang “Mad at Fire” and even his own velvety cover of Lil Wayne’s “Mrs. Officer”.
KWN shows us why she’s No. 1 on the charts
Recently making history by becoming the first artist to reach Number 1 on the Official R&B UK charts for her song “Good Girl”, British vocalist KWN (K-one) hit the Holding Hands stage with all the aura. The crowd went absolutely insane as she swaggered out rocking an all black set and matching NY Yankees fitted cap. Kicking her set off with “Risk it All”, which samples Nelly’s “Hot in Here”, she took us through the crème de la crème of her already insane catalogue. We sang along to “Do What I Say”, “Back of the Club”, “Touch Myself”, “Worst Behavior” and more. We literally didn’t want it to end, with one person in the Broccoli City Instagram comments saying, “Yea I needed her to sing every song she got.”
We’re still not over Summer Walker’s set
Fresh off her “Still Finally Over It Tour” which wrapped in August, Summer Walker brought us a taste of what the nineteen stops got to experience in full. Reaching into her acting bag, she started her set out with a nod to her album’s rollout where we saw her arm-in-arm with a very elderly man who she claimed to have married after experiencing heartbreak in previous relationships. The “Karma” songtress then stripped down from her wedding dress to a sexy cupcake-themed two piece as she kicked up the energy for the next hour. Giving fans exactly what they wanted— and needed— we all got in our feelings as we sang along to “Just Might”, “No Love”, “Playing Games”, “Girls Need Love” and of course, the cult classic, “Session 32”. She even had a confetti shower that sprayed out Summer Walker-inspired $100 bills— the perfect souvenir from an unforgettable night.