From art and food to music, customs, language, sports, and everything in between — large aspects of our society have been shaped by our Black communities. 

We believe this month is an incredible opportunity for event organisers to celebrate Black culture and let it shape their events.

To cherish and celebrate Black excellence, we’ve listed our top Black History Month event ideas inspired by organisers who use Eventbrite’s events platform to create, market, and sell tickets at their events. 

Check out our guide to learn more about Black History Month event opportunities and 10 of our favourite ideas to create unmissable event experiences.

A black woman sings on a stage

Hoxton Hidden Jazz Club / London

Why should you organise a Black History Month event?

Black History Month is the perfect opportunity to unite communities, educate people, tell unique stories, and celebrate amazing voices.

Black History Month began in the US and has been observed in various forms since the early 1900s. It was created to commemorate individuals and events in the history of the African diaspora. Originally a week-long celebration, it expanded to a month-long observance in 1970. Today, it is celebrated in October in the UK and Ireland.

Black History Month has evolved to become a powerful and evocative annual celebration that enables event organisers to showcase and support Black leaders from all walks of life.

There are an estimated 124,000 Black-owned businesses in the UK, and many people are more likely to support businesses that celebrate diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Translation: Black History Month is a great reason to organise a small or large-scale event to support the Black-owned businesses in your area (or your own business). 

But the roots of Black History Month run so much deeper than any business opportunity. Black History Month is your chance to give back to communities, give marginalised people a powerful voice, and recognise Black excellence.

Here are our 10 favourite Black History Month event ideas 

There’s nothing more rewarding than standing up for your community by creating an amazing experience and uniting attendees from all walks of life. 

To help you find the perfect event idea for Black History Month, we’ve rated each type of event on a scale of one to three based on the cost, difficulty, and staffing requirements.

Woman holds up fork with food on it flashing an 'ok' sign

1. Create a culinary event celebrating Black chefs

Food brings people together. Culinary events celebrate family values, culture, the history of ingredients, and the people who introduced those ingredients — so why not celebrate Black History Month by creating a Black culinary adventure?

By setting up a culinary event, you can celebrate classic flavours from trailblazing Black chefs — people will love it.

Check out event organiser The Village Hub and their Culture Club: Samhain X Black History Month POTLUCK FEAST & Celebration event for another food-related Black History Month idea.

Black artist works on painting on stage

2. Showcase work by Black artists

Create a show celebrating forgotten voices in Black art, bring in world-leading talents from the contemporary era, or even host a workshop encouraging event attendees to make their art.

Consider collaborating with local galleries or hosting a virtual exhibit. Additionally, you could also invite the artists for Q&A sessions to engage the audience and provide deeper insights into their work and inspiration.

Photo of black people marching down the street holding signs

3. Create an immersive historical exhibition

Celebrate Black History Month by highlighting key historical figures from Black British history.

By setting up a historical exhibition, you can teach people from all communities about important names in Black history and bring essential historical lessons on racial justice and civil rights to the front of everyone’s minds.

Look at Black History Walks and their Harlem in Mayfair, Black History Walk for inspiration. This is a creative way to engage people with history, immersing attendees in London’s Black history.

Customers talk to vendor at a craft fair

Black Culture Market / Christmas Market / London

4. Assemble Black artisans for a craft fair

Organise a craft fair to support Black business owners and share their wide range of skills, styles, and art.

You’ll have to find an ample event space and set up stalls for vendors to sell their products, food, drinks or entertainment. 

Event organiser Black Culture Market is a great example. They create markets to celebrate the vibrancy of African Caribbean culture and commerce.

5. Connect Black entrepreneurs with a networking event

Networking events stimulate collaboration, unite your local business community, and express solidarity. You can even invite successful Black entrepreneurs to do an inspirational talk or a Q&A to open your event.

Want to see how it’s done? 

Event organiser Entrepreneurs Collective and their Black/African Tech Startup Founder & Investor Networking Social event is a great example. Their events include pitch competitions, workshops, panel discussions, round tables, and socials, and they create an active community of founders and investors.

Want to set up an online event?

Create your virtual event with Eventbrite
computer showing online training

6. Start a volunteer event 

A huge part of Black History Month is giving back to the Black communities — so why not organise a volunteering event? Or, if you’re a Black-owned business, you could advertise for volunteers to help you do good work.

Volunteering events give people a chance to give back, build a sense of community, and offer an opportunity to support Black charities and important causes that benefit us all. 

The 100 Black Men of London’s Family Fun Day is a great example of a community coming together to raise money for a great cause.

A singer and musician performing outdoors

7. Hold a concert celebrating Black excellence

The global music landscape wouldn’t be what it is today without Black excellence and innovation, so celebrate Black History Month by organising a music event.

Concerts give the community a chance to let their hair down and have fun — and you can also double your concert as a fundraiser for Black charities.

Event organisers can showcase jazz, gospel, spirituals, art songs, and contemporary choral music to create a unique musical experience that is absolutely second to none.

Black and white photo of a sign in the street promoting a trivia night

8. Set up a trivia night built around Black History Month

Organising a quiz for Black History Month is perfect if you’re looking for a corporate event or a workplace event idea — quizzes are fun and an excellent opportunity to collaborate with other Black businesses and event spaces.

Prepare a range of questions covering various topics and difficulty levels. Incorporate multimedia elements like music and images for a more engaging experience. Offer prizes to boost participation and make the night memorable.

Man speaks on stag while fellow guest speaker listens

9. Organise a live Q&A with Black authors

Another great way to celebrate Black History Month is by showcasing the amazing voices in Black literature. Organise a book reading, a live Q&A session, or a panel discussion with Black authors to educate attendees on important issues in Black communities.

This type of event is also a great way to support up-and-coming talent, and it’s easy to set up as a hybrid or a virtual event to spread your message even further.

For lessons in best practice, check out event organiser Black Connections and their Black Author Virtual Expo events. This regular virtual event gives Black authors a forum to reach new readers and enables people to discover new Black voices.

Group of event attendees dance at an outdoor event

10. Throw a Black-led festival

Celebrating Black History Month doesn’t have to be serious; you can also create a fun festival to unite communities.

Combine and share various elements of Black arts, such as music, crafts, food, and dance, so everyone can let their hair down. This is also a great way to support Black businesses and artists and expose other communities to new ideas and concepts.

Include live entertainment and music, exciting cultural events, guest speakers, food vendors, and craft vendors to create a sense of unity and showcase Black excellence at its finest.

Ready to start celebrating Black excellence?

If you want to enable people to experience rich Black culture, setting up an event for Black History Month is a great place to start — and we’d love to help.

By partnering with Eventbrite, you can set up a custom event page in minutes, create and sell tickets, and promote your event worldwide using our wide range of marketing tools. If you’re hosting an in-person event, you can even use the Eventbrite Organiser App to check in your guests without the hassle.