Influential food critic and content creator Keith Lee is launching a multi-day food festival called “Familee Day.” Lee is famous for his viral TikTok food reviews, which have boosted small, underrepresented local restaurants, and he is now putting his influence behind this new event.
The festival will feature food, music, and family-friendly activities, starting in New Orleans on May 16th.
The core mission of the festival, as explained by Lee in a TikTok video, goes beyond entertainment; it is designed to provide sustained visibility and economic opportunities for small and underrepresented restaurants that typically face challenges in conventional marketing environments, according to AfroTech.
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The core mission of the festival, as explained by Lee in a TikTok video, goes beyond entertainment; it is designed to provide sustained visibility and economic opportunities for small and underrepresented restaurants that typically face challenges in conventional marketing environments, according to AfroTech.
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Lee revealed that Familee Day has been in development for over a year and was specifically designed to be different from the usual food festival format. In his announcement, he admitted his initial impulse to describe the event simply.
He said in his video, “At first I was gonna say, ‘hey, we got a food festival coming out, and it’s food, family, music,’” but then clarified, “But I gotta be honest with y’all, it’s way deeper than that.”
Food and music are key components of the festival experience. Lee stated that Familee Day will host restaurants previously featured on his social media, many of which have significantly increased their customer base after his positive reviews.
In addition, the festival will present live music that represents both the local culture and a wider national appeal. For the inaugural New Orleans event, Lee announced that the lineup will feature artists from Louisiana alongside nationally famous performers from various generations.
“Music for the kids, music for the adults, music for the grandparents, music for the great-grandparents,” Lee stated. “Music for every single generation.”
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Lee also described plans for carnival rides and interactive attractions, including an obstacle course competition. He revealed that his own family will participate alongside attendees, reinforcing the community-centered spirit of the event.
The 29-year-old, a former MMA fighter, noted that competition has always been part of his identity and content, and the festival will reflect that energy. The obstacle course concept draws inspiration from the 2008 film “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,” starring Martin Lawrence, and will include a prize for participants.
He remarked, “This is a date that God willing will bring thousands of people, national news, national coverage, and visibility, most importantly,” he said. Lee added that he expects the festival to return annually in different cities across the United States.
Tickets for the inaugural Familee Day festival are scheduled to go on sale February 9. Lee said the first wave of tickets will be priced as affordably as possible to ensure accessibility, noting that they will be the lowest-priced tickets available.
“In this economy, it would make the most sense to try and make a profitable festival,” he said. “I don’t care. I want y’all that wanna be there to be there.”
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