There are hundreds of music festivals to choose from, and each year more are added. But not have the same history or feel as The Roots Picnic. Celebrated annually in the hip-hop group’s home of Philadelphia, the 2024 Root Picnic marked its 26th year. As always, the lineup promised to be unmatched, with a mixture of hip-hop, R&B, and soul acts – as well as DJs and live podcasts. The two-day event would feature the likes of greats like Nas, Jill Scott, Redman and Method Man – mixed in with new trendy artists such as Sexyy Red. But this year would feature something special from one of its founders, Roots member Questlove. He debuted his Stella Artois x Questlove’s Cheesesteak Diner pop-up on Saturday, June 1 for invited media and VIP ticket holders, and PopCulture was among just a handful of outlets to participate.
The event promised to be one-of-a-kind, featuring a taste of Questlove’s iconic Questlove’s Cheesesteak™️ and menu, inspired by his vision for a better for you, better for the planet. Attendees would be able to dine, explore, and play games within the special pop-up retro diner on festival grounds, enjoy surprises from Stella Artois and Questlove throughout the event, and of course witness Philly’s beloved summer festival and listen to musical guests.
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The event was scheduled from 4-6. After some headaches getting into the Roots Picnic due to a hectic ticket line, walking through the picnic is nothing short of magical. While jam-packed, it’s Black excellence at its finest. The culture throbs with colorful fashions, a variety of hairstyles, music from every angle, and an overall chill vibe.
PopCulture then entered the special pop-up. It was designed to mimic an actual old-school diner, with red and white picnic colors as the backdrop, a jukebox, and more. Instead of a custom menu or cheesesteaks made to order, guests were treated to open seating as the staff offered water, Stella Artois beer, and fresh vegan cheesecakes adorned with a green pepper medley. While I personally do not prefer vegan meat options, the cheesteaks were flavorful, and I recommend everyone try it, especially since it’s a healthier option. Had no one told me at when I entered the event that the cheesesteaks were vegan, I would have never guessed.
Questlove, unfortunately, was not able to chat with PopCulture. But, he did thank everyone for their attendance and mingled with guests in his sequestered area.
Due to the long lines, PopCulture didn’t enter the pop-up until around 5 p.m., an hour into the event. However, the staff was extremely accommodating in trying to get us through the security detail, directing us through the crowd via text, and meeting us at the main entrance of the pop-up. Speaking with other journalists present at the pop-up, their experience entering the Roots Picnic was similar — unless your VIP bands were mailed ahead of the event. If not, all festival attendees were required to go through the hectic general admission process and were given their VIP bands at their respective VIP events.
The Roots Picnic was the first of the pop-up diner’s stops. This summer, Questlove will also feature his pop-up in Los Angeles on June 20 at the Stella Artois x FX’s The Bear event, in Atlanta on Aug. 15 at the Stella Artois x Black Restaurant Week event, hosted by Ludacris; in Chicago on Aug. 28 at the Stella Artois x First We Feast’s Hot Ones event; and in New York City on Sept. 19 at Let’s do Dinner New York.
