Davido
Tosin Gbadamosi
Multiple music festivals across the globe are celebrating African music throughout the whole year, and Billboard is rounding up the biggest ones for you to hit up.
For some acts, these festivals present a heartwarming, homecoming opportunity. Chxrry, the first female artist signed to The Weeknd‘s XO record label, performed in her Ethiopian motherland for the first time in January 2025 during the World Afrika Festival. And come December, Doja Cat will perform in her South African motherland for the first time when she headlines Hey Neighbour.
A handful of heavy hitters are headlining multiple festivals this year. Davido is in the top slot for both Afro Nation Portugal in July and AfroFuture Detroit in August, the latter of which Kaytranada is also headlining after doing the honors at Milk + Cookies Festival South Africa at the top of this year.
As African acts continue performing outside the borders of their native continent, they’ve also been gradually filling up American festival lineups. Tyla, Rema, Amaarae and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 performed at Coachella earlier this month. Tems has transformed into a U.S. festival mainstay by taking over Dreamville, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Roots Picnic this spring. This month, she makes history as the first African female artist to headline Afro Nation when she takes over the Lit stage in Portugal. And Ayra Starr and Asake were two of the headliners for Hot 97’s Summer Jam in June.
Billboard has compiled a comprehensive guide to the most significant music festivals honoring African music and/or happening on the continent this year below, in chronological order. (Editor’s note: Festivals that have already passed will remain on the list as a reflection of the full calendar year’s offerings of events.)
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Jerk x Jollof: Cape Town Takeover
Date: January 1
Place: Cape Town, South Africa
Jerk x Jollof partnered with Spotify and Frequency, the streaming service’s global initiative centered on celebrating Black music and culture, for its first-ever destination festival at The Ostrich in Cape Town, South Africa. Uncle Waffles, DBN Gogo and TxC took over Fly Radio with their amapiano sets, while Spinall, Sarz, 2wo Bunnies and more performed on the main stage. Akio headlined the Strictly Soul R&B Hour, and Odeal delivered the finale. And, of course, its titular Afro-Carribbean speciality of jerk chicken and jollof rice was served.
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World Afrika Festival
Date: January 4
Place: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
World Afrika hosted its first music festival at the Ghion Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the top of the year, with Nigerian DJ/producer Spinall and South African DJ/producer Uncle Waffles as headliners. Chxrry22 performed in the motherland for the first time, while fellow Ethiopian artists Nhatty Man and Alemeda also took the stage as well as DJs Eden, K-Meta and more.
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Milk + Cookies Festival South Africa
Date: January 5 and 11
Place: Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa
Kaytranada headlined the first-ever Milk + Cookies Festival in South Africa, which took place Jan. 5 at the Cape Town Ostrich Ranch and Jan. 11 at Old Park Station. DJ Kent, Zakes Bantwini, Kitty Ca$h and more were on the Cape Town lineup, while Muzi, DJ Lag, Mörda and more took the stage before Kay in Joburg. This marked the international debut of the Atlanta-based festival, which was part of the inaugural Milk + Cookies Music Week South Africa that ran from Dec. 31, 2024 to Jan. 11, 2025. The first week involved yacht parties, cultural experiences, exclusive fashion pop-ups by top local designers and performances by local artists and DJs, while the second week featured workshops, panels and networking mixers focused on developing the country’s rising stars.
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HOMECOMING Festival
Date: April 17-21
Place: Lagos, Nigeria
HOMECOMING Festival took over Easter weekend in Lagos, Nigeria. Davido, Odumodublvck, Teni, Cruel Santino, Odunsi (The Engine), Qing Madi and more performed. On top of live performances, the five-day weekend was jam packed with football matches; fashion displays, including HOMECOMING’s first brick-and-mortar store that featured limited drops from forward-thinking brands like Denim Tears, Stüssy, Cactus Plant Flea Market, Mowalola and more; and panels, workshops and masterclasses from the leading voices in sports, design, technology and music, from visual artist Gabriel Moses to football legend Jay Jay Okocha.
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Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Date: April 25-26
Place: Cape Town, South Africa
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival returned for its 22nd edition at the Cape Town International Convention Center. Black Coffee x Nduduzo Makhathini, Ari Lennox, Masego, Lira, Kelvin Momo, Incognito, Thandiswa Mazwai and more performed.
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Ultra South Africa
Date: May 9-10
Place: Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa
Ultra South Africa is celebrating its 10th anniversary at The Ostrich in Cape Town, South Africa and the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Johannesburg. Armin van Buuren, ISOxo, KSHMR, Martin Garrix, Massano, Mind Against and Shimza are headlining Africa’s largest electronic music festival, featuring additional sets from DBN Gogo, Kabza de Small, Maphorisa, DJ Lag, Vigro Deep and more.
For more information, click here.
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DLT Malta
Date: June 5-9
Place: St. Paul’s Bay, Malta
DLT (Days Like This) Malta returns for its fourth installment at Armier Beach, UNO, Café Del Mar and Bora Bora Ibiza Malta Resort for a four-day weekend of performances by top-tier artists and DJs, exclusive boat parties and DLT’s signature bottomless brunch. Asake and Latto are headlining, while BNXN, Shallipopi, TxC and more are set to perform.
For more information, click here.
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Mawazine Festival
Date: June 20-28
Place: Rabat, Morocco
The Mawazine Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary at the OLM Souissi, Mohammed V National Theatre, Chellah and Plage De Salé Ville in Rabat, Morocco. Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Lojay, Will Smith, 50 Cent, Kid Cudi, Lil Baby, Becky G, aespa, ElGrandeToto and more headlined.
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Afro Nation Portugal
Date: July 9-11
Place: Portimão, Portugal
Afro Nation Portugal returns this summer for its fifth anniversary at the Praia da Rocha Beach in Portimão, Portugal for an unforgettable celebration of music, fashion, food and dance. Davido, Burna Boy, Tems and Chris Brown are headlining the world’s largest Afrobeats festival, while Mary J. Blige is delivering a special sunset set on the beach. Booba, Amaarae, Odeal, Qing Madi and more are also performing on the main Lit Stage. Scorpion Kings, Uncle Waffles, DBN Gogo and more will take over the Piano People Stage.
For more information, click here.
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Afro Jam Festival
Date: July 17-20, 22-24 and 25-27
Place: Okinawa, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan
Afro Jam Festival will make history this summer as Japan’s first-ever Afrobeats festival. Jason Derulo, Saweetie, Shenseea, Ruger and Rema are headlining the Okinawa, Osaka and Tokyo portions, which will be held from July 17-20 at the Okinawa Arena, July 22-24 at the Ookini Arena Maishima and July 25-27 at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza. Gyakie, TitoM and Yuppe and more are set to perform.
For more information, click here.
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BLASTFEST
Date: July 19
Place: Seattle, Washington
BLASTFEST returns for its third edition at the Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington. Omah Lay, Fireboy DML and Odumodublvck are headlining the Pacific Northwest’s premiere Afrobeats festival, while Wande Coal, Moliy and more are set to perform.
For more information, click here.
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Giants of Africa Festival
Date: July 26 – Aug. 2
Place: Kigali, Rwanda
Giants of Africa, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering African youth through basketball, is hosting its third festival at BK Arena, Amahoro National Stadium, Petit Stade and Paralympic Gymnasium in Kigali, Rwanda. Uncle Waffles, Sherrie Silver and Kevin Kade are performing at the opening show, which kicks off the week-long celebration of community, culture, basketball, education and entertainment. The festival will also host the grand opening of Zaria Court — a mixed-use sports, entertainment and cultural district featuring a hotel, sports bar, basketball court, event space, retail outlets, gym, football pitch and outdoor public areas — and the inaugural Threads of Africa Fashion Show, which will spotlight new collections from three fashion designers: Cameroon’s Hortense Mbea, Niger’s Alia Baré and Rwanda and South Africa’s Nyambo. Kizz Daniel and Timaya will wrap up the festivities with a closing concert.
“Like these kids, I grew up on the continent,” said Masai Ujiri, founder of Giants of Africa and vice chairman/president of the Toronto Raptors, in a press release. “As Africans, we know the landscape of what the kids go through. We know they dream just like we did and it really inspires me because, those kids have so much more talent and intelligence, they have ways to communicate now that we didn’t. This festival is about showing them there is a path. We want them to never stop dreaming.”
For more information, click here.
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AfroFuture Detroit
Date: Aug. 16-17
Place: Detroit, Michigan
AfroFuture will debut in the U.S. this summer with AfroFuture Detroit at Bedrock’s Douglass Site. Davido, Kaytranada, Ludmilla and Tee Grizzley are headlining. Lojay, Gims and more are also performing on the main stage. DBN Gogo, Juls, TxC and more are DJing the Culture Stage, which will also host party sets from Jerk x Jollof, Days Like This (DLT), Obi’s House and Toasted Life. The inaugural U.S. event will also spotlight dynamic art installations and a marketplace celebrating the continent’s creativity.
“As a cultural and musical powerhouse, Detroit is the perfect city to launch this transformative experience. By connecting African excellence with Detroit’s rich heritage, we’re bridging the diaspora across borders and oceans through the universal language of music. This is more than just a typical festival – it’s a moment of unity and a celebration of the power of Africa,” said AfroFuture CEO/co-founder Abdul Karim Abdullah in a statement.
For more information, click here.
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Piano People in the Park
Date: Aug. 22
Place: London, England
Piano People in the Park returns for its second edition in Southwark Park in London, England. The “King of Amapiano” Kabza de Small is headlining the U.K.’s premiere amapiano festival, featuring additional sets from DBN Gogo, Kelvin Momo, MDU AKA TRP, Felo Le Tee b2b Scotts Maphuma and more.
“Amapiano has truly found a home in London, and this festival is a celebration of that; where fans, artists, and the entire community unite for something special. This is more than just a festival; it’s a movement,” Piano People organizers said in a press release.
For more information, click here.
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Afro+ Fest
Date: Aug. 31
Place: Washington, D.C.
Afro+ Fest is taking place over Labor Day weekend for the first time ever at RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C. Gunna and Asake are headlining the East Coast’s first large-scale festival devoted to the full spectrum of global Black music, while Uncle Waffles, TxC, Shatta Wale, Shenseea, Wande Coal, DJ Tunez (featuring special guests) and more are set to perform.
For more information, click here.
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Rocking the Daisies
Date: Oct. 2-5
Place: Cape Town, South Africa
Rocking the Daisies is celebrating its 20th anniversary at the Cloof Wine Estate in Cape Town, South Africa. Summer Walker is headlining, marking her first time performing in the country.
For more information, click here.
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Afro Nation Punta Cana
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Hey Neighbour
Date: December
Place: Pretoria, South Africa
Hey Neighbour returns for its second edition at Legends Adventure Farm in Pretoria, South Africa. Doja Cat, Central Cee, Black Coffee and Leon Thomas are headlining, marking Doja’s first time performing in her motherland. DJ Lag, Elaine, Muzi and more are set to perform.
The festival was originally slated for Aug. 30 and 31, but Hey Neighbour organizers announced on Wednesday (July 2) that it will be postponed until December “in order to ensure its continued success and sustainability,” according to a statement on Instagram.
For more information, click here.
