The Ultimate Guide to Festivals Celebrating African Music in 2025 (Updating)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Date: May 9-10

Place: Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa

Ultra South Africa celebrated 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 headlined Africa’s largest electronic music festival, featuring additional sets from DBN Gogo, Kabza de Small, DJ Maphorisa, DJ Lag, Vigro Deep and more.

Date: June 5-9

Place: St. Paul’s Bay, Malta

DLT (Days Like This) Malta returned 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 headlined, while BNXN, Shallipopi, TxC and more performed.

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.

Date: July 9-11

Place: Portimão, Portugal

Afro Nation Portugal returned 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 and Tems headlined the world’s largest Afrobeats festival, while Mary J. Blige delivered a special sunset set on the beach. Booba, Amaarae, Odeal, Qing Madi and more also performed on the main Lit Stage. Scorpion Kings, Uncle Waffles, DBN Gogo and more took over the Piano People Stage.

Date: July 17-20, 22-24 and 25-27

Place: Okinawa, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan

Afro Jam Festival made history this summer as Japan’s first-ever Afrobeats festival. Jason Derulo, Saweetie, Shenseea, Ruger and Rema headlined the Okinawa, Osaka and Tokyo portions, which were 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 performed.

Date: July 19

Place: Seattle, Washington

BLASTFEST returned for its third edition at the Seattle Center. Omah Lay, Fireboy DML and Odumodublvck headlined the Pacific Northwest’s premiere Afrobeats festival, while Wande Coal, Moliy and more performed.

Date: July 26 – August 2

Place: Kigali, Rwanda

Giants of Africa, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering African youth through basketball, hosted its third festival at BK Arena, Amahoro National Stadium, Petit Stade and Paralympic Gymnasium in Kigali, Rwanda. Uncle Waffles, Sherrie Silver and Kevin Kade performed at the opening show, which kicked off the week-long celebration of community, culture, basketball, education and entertainment. The festival also hosted 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 spotlighted 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 wrapped 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.”

Date: August 16-17

Place: Detroit, Michigan

AfroFuture debuted in the U.S. this summer with AfroFuture Detroit at Bedrock’s Douglass Site. Davido, Kaytranada, Ludmilla and Tee Grizzley headlined. Lojay, Gims and more also performed on the main stage. DBN Gogo, Juls, TxC and more DJed the Culture Stage, which also hosted party sets from Jerk x Jollof, Days Like This (DLT), Obi’s House and Toasted Life. The inaugural U.S. event also spotlighted 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.

Date: August 22

Place: London, England

Piano People in the Park returned for its second edition in Southwark Park in London, England. The “King of Amapiano” Kabza de Small headlined 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.

Date: August 31

Place: Washington, D.C.

Afro+ Fest took place over Labor Day weekend for the first time ever at RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C. Gunna and Asake headlined 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 performed.

Date: September 20-21

Place: Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa

DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival celebrated an unforgettable Heritage weekend of eye-popping sets and mouth-watering culinary experiences at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa. Ms. Lauryn Hill (with fellow Fugees member Wyclef Jean and her sons YG and Zion Marley) and Don Toliver headlined, while Sandy Rivera (Kings of Tomorrow), Kelvin Momo, Zee Nxumalo and more performed.

Date: September 28

Place: Nairobi, Kenya

Following the cancelation of the June edition, the September edition of Blankets & Wine Festival commenced at Nairobi’s Laureate Gardens at the festival’s 16-year Kenyan homebase. Tems headlined the Live Stage that Joshua Baraka, We Are Nubia, Chimano and more also performed at, while Akoth Jumadi & Mr Lu, Coco Kahi, Bune and more took over the Onja Onja Stage.

Date: Oct. 3-5

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, Jessie Reyez, Earl Sweatshirt, Mereba and Sam Tompkins are headlining, while Kabza de Small, Elaine, Focalistic, DJ Lag, Jazzworx & Thukuthela and more are set to perform.

For more information, click here.

Date: Nov. 7-9

Place: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Afro Nation will debut in the Caribbean later this fall with Afro Nation Punta Cana at the Pearl Beach Club, bringing coastal vibes to world-class stages. Ayra Starr, Sexyy Red and DJ Maphorisa are headlining, while Odeal, Ruger, Shallipopi, Moliy and more are set to perform.

For more information, click here.