AZGO FESTIVAL | MAY 20 -21 | MOZAMBIQUE
Azgo is Mozambique’s premier international music and arts event. The festival has a strong focus on artists from Mozambique and from around the continent of Africa. In its first five years it has hosted artists from Cape Verde, Reunion, Angola, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. It has also hosted artists from as far afield as Spain, Portugal, France, Austria, Turkey, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and the USA. The festival serves as a new platform for emerging and acclaimed artists to collaborate and meet a new audience. The name ‘Azgo’ is old Maputo slang meaning ‘Let´s go!’ – in other words, let’s revisit our cultures and heritage, our cultural diversity, let’s celebrate our lives.
BUSH FIRE | MAY 27 – 29 | SWAZILAND
Backlit by fiery mountain sunsets across acres of pristine farmland in the Malkerns Valley, MTN BUSHFIRE is Swaziland’s internationally acclaimed three day world music and arts festival that celebrates creative expression whilst promoting social responsibility, stimulating the economy, and drawing talent and tourists from across Africa and around the world. Founded in 2007, MTN BUSHFIRE has a well-deserved reputation for its’ visionary approach, integrity and “Call to Action” mandate which defines its commitment to nurturing the Swazi arts and cultural scene, whilst raising awareness and funds to tackle the nation’s most pressing social needs. Donating 100% of its profits to orphans through the Swazi NGO Young Heroes (www.youngheroes.org.sz), and 100% of merchandise proceeds to the non-profit rural community development project Gone Rural boMake (www.goneruralbomake.org).
NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL | JUN 30 – JUL 10 | SOUTH AFRICA
The National Arts Festival is an important event on the South African cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent. Starting at the end of June/beginning of July, it runs for 11 days and is held in the small university city of Grahamstown,[ which is situated in the Eastern Cape, 130 km from Port Elizabeth. The Festival consists of a Main and Fringe programme both administered by the National Arts Festival Office. The programme comprises drama, dance, physical theatre, comedy, opera, music, jazz, visual art exhibitions, film, student theatre, street theatre, lectures, craft fair, workshops, tours (of the city and surrounding historic places) and a children’s arts festival.
LAKE OF STARS | SEP 30 -OCT 02 | MALAWI
Lake of Stars Festival is an annual three-day international festival held on the shores of Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa. The festival was started in 2004 and attracts over 3,000 attendees with musical acts from Africa and the United Kingdom. The 2011 Lake of Stars attracted over 3,000 attendees from Europe and Africa. The festival was opened with the Malawian ministry of tourism skydiving onto the festival beach. In 2014, the festival was named one of the top seven African music festivals to attend by CNN.[2] Time Out named Lake of Stars as having the most beautiful festival location in the world, in 2015. The festival organizes volunteer opportunities for festival attendees, providing service to a variety of charities sponsored by the festival including the Microloan Foundation. Attendees also visit orphanages to spend time with children and play games and sports with them. The festival also includes talks, similar to TED talks, theatre, clowns, dance and mixed martial arts.
VIC FALLS CARNIVAL | DEC 29 – 31 | ZAMBIA
New Years celebrations in Victoria Falls have dated back decades,and have now evolved from humble beginnings to one of Africa’s largest New Years Celebrations. Now every year tourists from all over the globe and Zimbos descend upon the mighty Victoria Falls for a once in a lifetime New Years celebration. Combine Southern Africa’s biggest artists, the world’s greatest adventures and activities, with a New Years countdown like nowhere else on earth and you have arrived at Vic Falls Carnival! The Vic Falls Carnival is for everyone; the music festival showcases artists from all over Southern Africa, and caters for all musical tastes as long as you are ready to party into the New Year