Soul of Cville Celebrates fifth anniversary

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – Five years ago, Soul of Cville started as a dream to carve out space for Black culture in Charlottesville.

Today it’s grown into one of the city’s biggest celebrations and this year, the theme says it all: Firmly Planted. Fiercely Flourishing.

“We are firmly planted here, and we are fiercely flourishing because we’re thriving, we are growing,” said Khalilah Jones, Co-founder Soul of Cville. “We have more businesses and vendors and entrepreneurs and artists that we are supporting and seeing come out year after year.”

From opening night at McIntire Skate Park with more than 200 skaters to mixers, music, and art filling IX Art Park all week. Soul of Cville was a living snapshot of Black excellence.

“The Black community is all about excellence we have had to be excellent always, we have had to rise above so many different things,” said Tamara Ryan with the Albemarle County Office of Equity and Inclusion. “I’m very proud to be here and to show the community that Black excellence does exist.”

The festival wasn’t just about fun, but also impact. From the Best in Black Cville awards at the Paramount Theater, to the L.I.T. Scholarship, honoring young leaders shaping the future, the event highlights resilience, creativity, and community power.

“I’m happy to dance because I get to express myself and express my feelings,” said a young member of the Elite Empire dance team. “It makes me feel special.”

And the celebration didn’t stop. Saturday brought live music, food trucks, fashion, and a community mural at IX Art Park.

“Come together as a community, we need that in Charlottesville it’s been a lot of bad things going on,” attendee Jacqueline Miller said. “We need to come together and just see how much fun it can be together.”

Then on Sunday a foam party, a car show, and one last chance to close the week out in style.

Organizers say Soul of Cville has become more than a festival, it’s a tradition.

One that’s firmly planted in Charlottesville, and still flourishing.

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