Africa Oyé, the country’s biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture, has revealed the festival dates, which will take place this summer in Sefton Park, Liverpool.
Africa Oyé, which set attendance records last year, is returning to Sefton Park for two jam-packed days of live music, dance, workshops, DJ stages, food vendors, traders, and more.
This year’s highly anticipated event is scheduled for June 22 and 23, 2024, with festival hours being 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on both days.
The Africa Oyé Festival began as a series of performances in the city centre more than thirty years ago. Since then, it has grown to become one of Liverpool’s most cherished yearly events, drawing performers and spectators from all over the world.
However, the festival’s organisers have once again faced an uphill battle to keep the event free and accessible to everyone in 2024 as infrastructure costs have been rising annually.
Paul Duhaney, Artistic Director of Africa Oyé, said:
“This is the people’s festival and the whole dynamic of the event would change if we had to start charging. We’ll fight for as long as we can to make sure that doesn’t happen. We’re currently looking at private sponsorship to cover the rising costs to support our funders at Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council. And of course as a charity, every donation and merchandise sale from the public goes a long way so please do keep supporting if you want us to remain free.”
Movema, a world dance charity based in Liverpool, will once again be hosting the Oyé Active Zone on site. Throughout the entire weekend, attendees can anticipate the customary lineup of multi-arts workshops suitable for all ages and skill levels. Trenchtown and Freetown, two of the most well-liked DJ stages, are also confirmed to return. Later in the spring, a lineup of regional selectors and MCs will be revealed.
Young local performers who applied to perform at the festival will soon learn if they were selected for this year’s Oyé Introduces programme, which features up-and-coming North West talent alongside international heavyweights. The first of the main stage artists will be announced next month.
The popular Access Tent, on-stage British Sign Language interpreters, and the Accessible Viewing Platform will all return for this year’s festival, in keeping with Oyé’s philosophy of being “free and open to all.”
In addition, Africa Oyé is happy to announce that the festival has been nominated for the People’s Choice Prize at the LCR Culture and Creativity Awards for a second year in a row. Voting is still open to the public until Monday, February 5th at 5pm.
This year’s Africa Oyé festival will take place on June 22nd and 23rd 2023, in Liverpool’s Sefton Park from 12:30pm til 9:30pm both days and entrance is FREE.
READ MORE: AFRICA OYÉ CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN LIVERPOOL WITH FREE SHOWS AND WORKSHOPS
