Over 7,000 participants from 50 countries across Africa and beyond are set to descend on Kisumu for this year’s FESTAC Africa festival, kicking off this weekend. The lakeside city’s hotels are fully booked as organizers finalize preparations to ensure the event’s success.Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o announced that the county government has established robust structures to guarantee a smooth festival from August 25th to September 1st, 2024. Security measures have been intensified to ensure the safety of all attendees, and venues for conferences and meetings are ready to go.
The Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium will serve as the main hub for the festival, hosting 18 conference sessions. The event lineup includes 20 sporting activities, dance, drama, music, poetry, culinary arts, and tourism experiences that showcase Kisumu’s attractions and other sites within the Lake Region Economic Bloc. This year’s festival boasts 200 keynote speakers, 100 performing artists, and 150 exhibitors from across the continent. Attendees can look forward to a variety of special programs, making this FESTAC festival truly unique. Governor Nyong’o highlighted Kisumu’s successful hosting of the Afri-Cities summit in 2022, which paved the way for more international events.
“This year is our time to shine. Kisumu must show the world that FESTAC is still alive,” he said. The FESTAC Africa Festival, first held in Dakar, Senegal, in 1966, celebrates African heritage and sustainable growth, bringing together diverse cultures and industries.FESTAC Africa Chairman Eng. Yinka Abioye emphasized the festival’s role in fostering trade, networking, and cultural exchange across countries. “The festival presents an opportunity for inter-county and inter-country trade, while giving Africans a chance to travel to a different African country to network and do business,” he noted.
The festival also features programs for children, including theater and movies, designed to instill pride in African identity and emphasize the importance of Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) for the continent’s future. Governor Nyong’o encouraged Kenyans and Africans from other countries to join the celebrations in large numbers, promising an unforgettable experience.
