Home / Festivals

The living guide to Africa's celebrations

Africa's festivals, kept alive by the people who live them.

Q: Can I plan a trip around a festival?

Yes. Each festival page shows its next date, how many days it runs, where it is held, and what happens, with an add-to-calendar option so you can plan around it.

When each one happens, what to expect, and the music, food and meaning behind it. One place to discover a celebration, and plan to be there.

99festivals

41countries

Kept current by the community

Top festivals in Kenya

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All kinds 🥁 Cultural & heritage

#1 Dec

Kenya

Rusinga Cultural Festival

Annual celebration of the Abasuba people's culture

📅 Dec ⏳ 2 days Needs a local's update

🏆 #1 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 1

Kenya

Lamu Cultural Festival

Swahili culture celebration that focuses on preserving endangered maritime technologies, vernacular...

📅 Typically scheduled in lat... ⏳ 4 days ✅ Visitors welcome Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Cultural & heritage Festival

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#3 🥁 Nov

Kenya

Mombasa Carnival

Annual cultural festival celebrating coastal heritage

📅 Nov ⏳ 7 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#4 🥁 Dec

Kenya

Kisumu Cultural Festival

Celebration of Luo culture and Lake Victoria heritage

📅 Dec ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#5 🥁 Nov

Kenya

Kenya International Theatre Festival

Major international theatre and cultural festival

📅 Nov ⏳ 13 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#6 🥁 Jun

Kenya

Lake Turkana Cultural Festival

Celebration of northern Kenya's ethnic diversity

📅 Jun ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#7 🥁 Dec

Kenya

Maragoli Cultural Festival

Annual celebration of Maragoli culture

📅 Dec ⏳ 2 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#8 🥁 Aug

Kenya

Camel Derby Festival

Annual camel racing event in Maralal

📅 Aug ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Kenya

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

Kept current, not frozen. Members confirm dates and flag changes as festivals move year to year.

Reviewed, not scraped. Every addition and edit is checked before it goes live.

From the people who live them. Detail comes from the communities that celebrate.

Know a festival better than we do?

This guide is only as alive as the people keeping it current. If a celebration from your community is missing, or its details have moved on, help the continent find it, and get credited for it.

Add or improve a festival Free · Reviewed before publishing · You're credited

Frequently asked questions

What is Lughayangu Festivals?

A living guide to festivals across Africa: when each one happens, what to expect, and the music, food, dress and meaning behind it. Every festival is kept current by a community that includes the people who celebrate them.

How current is the information?

Festivals shift year to year, so members confirm dates, flag changes and add detail continuously, and every change is reviewed before it goes live. That's what keeps this more accurate than a static list.

Can I plan a trip around a festival?

Yes. Each festival page shows its next date, how long it runs, where it's held and what happens, with an add-to-calendar option so you can plan around it.

Are these the same as public holidays?

No. Festivals are cultural celebrations, kept separate from statutory public holidays. Many aren't days off, and many move each year. You can explore official holidays in our Holidays section.

Is it free?

Yes, browsing African festivals on Lughayangu is completely free, and contributing is open to any registered member.