The UK's biggest free celebration of African music and culture will not take place this year despite a record-breaking festival last summer. The charity behind Africa Oyé said they have taken the difficult decision to have a 'fallow year' to ensure the event can return the following year, with festival dates already confirmed as June 20 and 21, 2026.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00The UK's biggest free celebration of African music and culture will not take place this year,
00:05despite a record-breaking festival last summer.
00:07Held in Sefton Park, Africa Oye features performances from artists as well as hosting
00:12a range of family-friendly workshops and activities, as well as food stalls selling
00:16authentic African dishes. The much-loved free festival debuted in 1992, but organisers have
00:22announced this year's staging has been cancelled due to increased costs and rise in industry
00:28supply costs across the sector. The charity behind the event said they've taken the difficult
00:32decision to have a fallow year to ensure the event can return the following year,
00:37with festival dates already confirmed as June 20th and 21st of 2026.
00:42Artistic director Paul Dehaney said they did not take this decision lightly.
00:46The decision comes after the Music Venue Trust, an association of independent festivals,
00:50announced 125 grassroots music venues across the country closed last year,
00:55while an estimated 192 festivals have disappeared since 2019.