Roots Picnic Con Returns for Fourth Year with Panels on Literacy, Finance and Civic Engagement
The Roots, Live Nation Urban, and Roots Picnic are bringing back Roots Picnic Con for a fourth consecutive year, with the annual conference set to take place May 29 at the Ballers Social Sports & Lifestyle Club, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The free community event, held the day before the flagship Roots Picnic music festival, will feature panels and conversations spanning music education, financial literacy, technology, health and wellness, and civic engagement.
Registration is available at therootspicnic.com.
The conference will open with two literacy-focused panels curated by the Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition, a community partner of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation. The first will feature former NFL wide receiver Deon Butler, and the second will include members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. Live Nation Urban, in partnership with Double Tap Education Fund, will host a separate conversation centered on civic engagement led by prominent content creators.
Credit One Bank returns as a presenting sponsor of the Con. The financial institution's chief marketing officer, Michael Coleman, will join Live Nation Urban's Brandon Pankey for a panel dedicated to financial literacy and its practical application in everyday life.
"The Roots and Live Nation Urban have built something truly exceptional with Roots Picnic Con," said Coleman via an official statement. "This cultural event brings together music, community, creativity, and meaningful dialogue in a way few events can. Philadelphia's music scene has always been a source of authenticity and inspiration, and I'm honored to talk credit education with people who are helping shape the city's future."
Additional programming includes a student-led discussion hosted by the Philadelphia Music Alliance and an industry panel examining trends in the live events space, featuring executives from Live Nation, Live Nation Urban, House of ACES, and Imperial Marketing Group.
Regarding The Roots' continual dedication to community service in the city, Shawn Gee, president of Live Nation Urban and manager of The Roots, issued the following statement.
"Roots Picnic Con is about institutionalizing the conversations that naturally happen around our culture. We wanted to build a designated place where community, networking, and creative business could actually merge."
The conference will close with a screening of the short documentary Fletcher Street, which chronicles the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club and its impact on at-risk youth in North Philadelphia. The screening will be followed by a moderated discussion with directors Jannat Gargi and David Darg, club founder Ellis "El-Dog" Ferril and his son Darrin Ferrill, addressing the club's ongoing significance in the city and the challenges of sustaining the organization.
The club issued this enthusiastic statement via their Instagram concerning the above: "We're excited to announce that the new documentary 'Fletcher Street' will be featured at the Roots Picnic Conference 2026 in collaboration with executive producer Questlove."
The Con serves as the launch point for what organizers are billing as an extraordinary weekend for Philadelphia. The following day, Roots Picnic will feature one of the most anticipated lineups in the festival's history. JAY-Z will headline, performing alongside The Roots for the first time in more than a decade. R&B legend Erykah Badu is also set to appear as a marquee act.
Kehlani will make her first appearance on the Roots Picnic stage in a decade, while R&B icon Brandy will make her Roots Picnic debut. Additional performers include TI, De La Soul, Mariah The Scientist, and Philadelphia's own DJ Jazzy Jeff. The weekend will also include a special celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Go-Go music, performed by an all-star band.
Roots Picnic Con continues to distinguish itself as more than a prelude to a music festival. Now in its fourth year, the conference has evolved into a substantive community convening, drawing voices from education, finance, government, and the arts to engage Philadelphia residents on issues that extend well beyond the stage.
For more information and to register for Roots Picnic Con, visit therootspicnic.com.
Roots Picnic Con takes place May 29 at Ballers Social Sports & Lifestyle Club in Philadelphia, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Roots Picnic follows on May 30.