If Beyoncé, Stormzy and more (Janelle Monáe used her 2019 Glasto set to denounce Donald Trump and celebrate Black queer women) are onstage proof that festivals, even in the face of commercialism, can still be not only relevant but thrilling, then the crowds at Afropunk prove it too. Founded in 2005 by James Spooner and Matthew Morgan as a safe space for Black communities to enjoy music from the predominantly white punk scene, over time it grew to include music of all genres, from neo-soul to funk and hip-hop. While many mourn the festival’s departure from its punk roots, Afropunk’s global influence took off when Jocelyn Cooper, former head of A&R at Universal, came on board and expanded the festival from its founding site in Brooklyn to overseas . From Berlin and Paris to Johannesburg, 90,000 people travel far and wide each year to attend the multi-site festival, which has seen genre-bending performances from Tyler, the Creator, Erykah Badu, Grace Jones, Mykki Blanco, SZA, Solange and more. One of the many exciting things about the festival is its crowd’s unrivalled style. "In a world where brown and Black folks can be looked over, it’s a place where Black excellence is celebrated as far as the eye can see," said Crystal Anderson of the festival’s style-as-self-expression. Nods to traditional dress are fused with future-looking styling, while artfully crafted hair and makeup is as much of a statement as the prints on the clothes. At Afropunk there is no one prescriptive way of dressing, making it a million times more important than any tired festival fashion clichés.