Excitement as FESTAC Africa Festival kicks off in Kenya

With excitement at a feverish pitch, the well-anticipated fifth edition of FESTAC Africa Festival begins today, August 24, 2024, in Kisumu (a port city on the popular Lake Victoria), Kenya.

The festival, which will run from August 25 to September 1, 2024, promises a rollercoaster of diverse entertainment and cultural activities and events.

The Chairman, FESTAC Africa International, Yinka Abioye, had previously described the festival as an unparalleled celebration of African heritage, unity, and sustainable growth, serving as a convergence point for diverse cultures and industries.

He added that it aims to celebrate the continent’s uniqueness and identity, while promoting intra-Africa trade and creating a networking business platform across the world.

Conceptualised to be all-encompassing, the festival has the theme— ‘Sustainable Growth Trajectory for Africa through Culture, Trade, Travel and Tourism’, with a core focus to educate, empower and embrace, using health and wellness awareness, mental health, dental health, youth empowerment, education, sports, leadership and entrepreneurship, fashion, art, music, dance, exploring Africa and having fun.

It will feature over 7,000 participants, 18 conference sessions, 200 speakers, 100 artistes, 36 movies to be screened, 150 exhibitors, and daily culinary experiences, among other highlights.

Kicking off with a grand pre-opening ceremony today, it will be followed by a regatta opening ceremony at the scenic Dunga Hill Camp.

On Monday, August 26, at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium, the opening ceremony will hold; as well as exhibitions, cultural performances, movie screening, sports, and games, including chess. This will be in addition to tree planting and daily health screening.

The following day will go in a similar fashion, with the highlight being ‘Dinner in the Dark’, a special project sponsored by the Kenya Society for the Blind.

Wednesday, August 28, will feature trade and investment summits, ‘Diaspora Matters’, and other programmes. There will also be a vibrant and harmonious fusion of cultures at the ‘Africa-Asia Culture Night’ sponsored by the Hindu Council of Kenya Kisumu Branch.

In a similar vein, Friday, August 30, will witness a climate change summit, fashion business dialogue, cultural performances, and an afro-fusion fashion show, among other events.

Staying true to the weekend mood, the ball will be set rolling on Saturday, August 31, with the ‘Trinidad and Tobago All-White Party’; as well as the ‘Open Africa Market Day’. Later in the evening, one of the star events of the festival— the Africa Gala Dinner and Awards Night— will be held to celebrate and recognise personalities contributing to the growth of tourism in Africa.

Invited guests for the gala include a former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo; former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga; Governor of Kisumu County, Anyang Nyong’o; ambassadors/heads of mission, and government representatives.

Traditional renditions expected at the festival include Burundi Drummers, Ahero Greeners: Dodo Dance (Kenya), and Bamasaaba Cultural Dance Kadodi (Uganda).

On the other hand, ‘modern performances’ include Spitter 99 (Kenya), Empress Aje (Trinidad and Tobago), Kim Poole (United States of America), Brata of Africa (Nigeria), Benny Willis Wallace (Nigeria), and Bill Clinton Kalonji (DRC), and many others.

Some of the fashion designers that will showcase their works are Branda Mthinga Onono (Kenya), Cathy Nagawa of Yambala Fashion House (Uganda), Salami Olamyde Ojuinu of Edaibile 71024.

Also, films to be screened include ‘Daughter of the Lake’, ‘Silent Disease’, ‘Asantewaa’, ‘For Ikemefuna’, ‘Story of Bones’, ‘A Dry White Season’, ‘Royal Conspiracy’, and ‘The Girl I Love Most’.