November 11th 2023.
The Honeyland Festival, a two-day event held from Nov. 11-12 in Sugar Land, TX, took the opportunity to honor the Sugar Land 95 on Nov. 9. The Sugar Land 95 was a mass grave comprising of the remains of 95 African Americans–94 men and 1 woman–discovered in 2018 at the site of a construction project in Sugar Land. It was of great importance to the festival organizers and Fort Bend county leaders to accurately tell the history of the city.
Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy expressed the significance of the festival to the Houston Chronicle. He stated, “The whole purpose of this festival is to celebrate Black culture. We can’t do that in this space without also honoring the Sugar Land 95. It was very important to invite them into the space because they are very much a part of who we are in Fort Bend County.”
McCoy continued, “Our ancestors were slaves who came here. And we also know in this community, the first Black sheriff of the nation came from here. The first Black state representative in the state of Texas came from here in Fort Bend County. Let us never forget where we came from.”
The festival aims to draw thousands of people with a star-studded lineup, including Mary J. Blige, Jazmine Sullivan, Chloe Bailey, and Miguel. It also celebrates Black art, food, and spirits. The Honeyland Fund, created to endow funds to Black creatives, has invested $1 million as part of the festival.
Fawn Weaver, Honeyland’s beverage curator, spoke to the Chronicle about the importance of giving Black innovators in the mixology scene the recognition they deserve. Weaver said, “Honeyland puts the focus on our whiskey or bourbon — things that we began — our cocktails. It’s never really been celebrated as it should. So much of what we drink in this country in terms of cocktails began with African-American bartenders.”
Staci Hallmon, vice president of Arts and Entertainment for IMG Events and organizer of the festival, told Texas Standard why she chose Houston to host the festival. “Houston was so intentional for us in developing a destination for a Honeyland,” Hallmon said. “One, it’s one of the top five culinary destinations in the country. There are a significant number of black-owned restaurants and black-owned food experiences there across the board. And we’re working with so many of them.”
Hallmon further acknowledged the diversity of Houston. “So, we’re celebrating all of that as a part of this experience and really bringing it to the center and making it an important part of the narrative of how culturally rich and diverse this area is and why it’s the perfect destination for us to mount our inaugural Honeyland experience.”
The Honeyland Festival is an event that celebrates Black culture and acknowledges the history of African Americans in the Houston area. The festival is a place to honor the Sugar Land 95 and to appreciate the impact of African Americans on cocktail culture, art, food, and spirits. With an impressive lineup and a focus on Black culture, the inaugural festival is sure to be an unforgettable experience.
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