Africa is known for drums, song and dance. A lot of events aimed at luring tourists are now held annually in the continent broadening the number of festivals in Africa. Most of them promote local talent and attract people who are eager to experience these adventures. We have chosen a few outdoorsy festivals that will keep you all pumped up. Come with us and lets nourish our souls, as they say, “music is food for the soul”!

Nyege Nyege in Uganda

Held in Jinja, Uganda this three-day annual event is a celebration of the local art and music industry. It gives upcoming artists from the continent a chance to showcase their talents.  The event which is held along the river Nile in an open area surrounded by green tropical forest also has a private beach on the premises. Another goal is to connect African artists with other foreign artists not from the continent, like Caribbean jazz, American hip hop and European producers. During the event you can take a dip in the Nile and enjoy a night of camping under the stars. There are also some hotels available, for those who are not hardcore enough to camp at festivals in Africa! Nyege nyege in the Swahili dialect which is spoken in the East African region means an uncontrollable urge to dance or shake. Now with this kind of set up we hope we got you into the “nyege nyege” mood.

Lake of Stars in Malawi

Every year, Malawi holds the Lake of Stars event for three days on the shores of Lake Malawi. The main purpose of this epic event is to promote tourism in Malawi while supporting and appreciating Malawian artists. International artists perform too and attract even more visitors. Apart from dance and song, other activities like fashion shows, tech hubs, graffiti art expos are also on show. The festival was founded by British Will Jameson after he fell in love with Malawi went back to the UK, then returned to Malawi and opened the official first Lake of Stars event, where the tourism minister then skydived into the beach, talk of a grand opening.  Make sure you sample some of the local dishes too.

Festivals-In-Africa

TRANSylvania in South Africa

This 24 hour pumped up event is held annually in Redemption Island in Cape Town, South Africa. The music, as the name already suggests, is the trance (or progressive goa). Something for the younger generation, with underground DJ’s playing all night long. The colourful decoration puts you in an exquisite party mood. This jammed pack event hit a snag this year (2017) when the government banned music from 2am to 8am. To surpass this, the organizers have now introduced what is called the Silent Trance. During those hours, the music is played via blue tooth with special headphones provided. Now, if that’s not a crazy lit up party, I don’t know what is! Imagine this image of hundreds of human beings dancing to music through their headphones only, what a site. Another plus is the camping areas which come with hot watered built in showers for free and toilets of course. Out of all the festivals in Africa you may want to try, this sounds like an awesome adventure.

Neural Networks in South Africa

This is a small and cozy two-day event held at the Rochedale farm in Springs, South Africa. The idyllic site is about an hour’s drive away from Johannesburg. Not a very popular event but it has its click of people who love psychedelic kind of music. The music is diverse with prominent DJs on the decks. It attracts both local and international crowds. The venue is colourfully decorated with all the basic amenities you may require for the two days. This kind of music is not for everyone but why not try something new, you just never know. The food bars are a great place to hang around too,

AfrikaBurn in South Africa

This exhilarating week-long event held in South Africa, in the Karoo semi-desert region is not your normal festival. Participants go into survival mode, in which you carry your tent, food, cooking stuff, water and whatever other supplies you may need for the week. Remember toilets are available but no showers. Volunteers come together to create art, music, performances with different themes. There are no vendors and no form of any advertising, the only thing on sale is ice. People share and give without expecting anything in return. All the performances including DJ music is the work of the participants which means everyone has at least to participate in something. The highlight of the event is the last three days when burning of art works is done. Now festivals in Africa just got more stimulating.

Finding the best festivals in Africa

Festivals are such a good way to experience local culture and food as you dance away. You don’t have to be a superb dancer, just go with the flow for the fun of it. Then again, with the kind of music you experience with an attendance to any of those festivals in Africa there is something for everyone to dance to or wiggle to!