2026 SpringFest: Circa 1867 – A Week of Sunshine, Blackness, and Excellence

🗓️ April 22, 2026

✍🏾 Rikaiya Long

The most anticipated week of the Spring semester has come and gone in a flash. SpringFest 2026, courtesy of the 52nd Howard University Undergraduate Student Assembly (UGSA), was definitely one for the books. This year's theme was Circa 1867 – The road that made us. The theme sets the stage for a week of events meant to remind students of the rich culture we share as Howard Bison. It did just that. We had all the components of a great SpringFest: time for fellowship on campus, a great concert, and a weekend to remember… Or not. We’re going to break down some highlights of the week for those who missed it! 

Howard Night Live 

Howard Night Live (HNL) was inspired by the skit and comedy show Saturday Night Live. HNL took the place of our traditional Bison Talent Show, where students competed for the opportunity to open for the SpringFest Concert. This is the second show in Howard's history. In 2022, SOC students and staff came together to put on this show for the Howard community. It showcased the many talents that our university is home to. The entire show was written by students, the actors were students, the musical acts were students, and the stagehands and directors were students. 

The show had about a 2 and a half hour run time. We saw stories making light of our shared Howard experiences, like dodging the HU middle school kids on the metro, pageantry, party promoter beef, and more. There was even a Howard-focused weekly update. I laughed the entire time! The musical artists were amazing, of course, with performances from Howard Bison like Elevn Tha Outcast and Makayla Chenai. Overall, a great event to start the week strong. 

3rd Annual Warden's Classic 

The Warden’s Spring Classic is an annual 5v5 basketball tournament that is typically hosted by the freshman organization, Gentlemen of Drew Social Club, Inc. It runs like any other streetball tournament, teams put in a certain amount, and the winner takes home the pot. It was a super smart move by UGSA to add it to the SpringFest lineup, especially when you think about Howard’s recent initiatives toward closing the gap on Male graduation rates. 

The basketball game was held on Thursday, and the weather was perfect for the occasion, with not a cloud in sight. It was held at the Banneker Basketball Court on Georgia Ave. DJ Yk Mirr was on the soundboard, setting the vibes. This was the perfect addition to the week, an example of the traditions of fellowship that make Howard so special. 

2026 SpringFest Concert

This year, there was a lot of speculation as to what artists could potentially be in the lineup for this year. We’ve been saying 2026 is the new 2016, and Fetty Wap just got out of jail. (Side-eyeing emoji) I personally would’ve been okay with Fetty Wap, but I must say that what we got was much sweeter. The concert started with our student openers, where Mekayla Chenai returned to the Circa stage. 

Next, UGSA brought out Loe Shimmy. Now, people were complaining because we just saw him at homecoming, but honestly, what if he just likes it here? Who wouldn’t? Despite everyone being so hot, he felt the love from everyone. He also just recently released a snippet of a song with Rob49 that has been going viral; it’s not even fully dropped yet! Moving along, we had Mona Leo. This was her first performance since she had her tour-stopping surgery in March. But, she did such a great job! Mona Leo is one of the best lady emcees in the game right now. That kind of resilience is in direct alignment with what Howard represents and stands for. To wrap it all up, they brought out A Boogie With A Hoodie! This unlocked so many memories of our childhood, specifically in middle school. A Boogie got into a terrible accident en route and still showed up for us. We met him with much love in return! 

Overall, it was a 10/10 programming week. I can honestly say, I'm excited for what they do next year!