Oyé brings a taste of Africa to Sefton Park

The UK’s largest celebration of African music and culture returns to Sefton Park this weekend for two days of free festival fun.

Africa Oyé will bring some of the best African and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to the South Liverpool park on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23.

Thousands of people are expected to descend on this year’s festival which includes appearances from the Garifuna Collective (Belize), legendary Jamaican reggae artist Horace Andy, BCUC from Soweto, Sofiane Saidi and Mazalda (Algeria), Wesli (Haiti), Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti), Jamaica’s Jah9 & The Dub Treatment, American hip hop and soul duo Oshun, and Malawian one-man band Gasper Nali.

Liverpool and North West talent will also be on show in the Oyé Introduces programme at the 2019 event, including Tabitha Jade and Satin Beige.

In addition to the live music on the main stage, festivalgoers will also be able to eat and drink their way around the world with a range of food stalls and traders’ wares on offer in the Oyé Village.

Africa Oyé festival. Photo by Matt Hart.

Meanwhile the family-friendly Active Zone (OAZ) returns to the festival for a 10th year, with the programme focussed on promoting health, wellbeing, learning and participation.

Oye has teamed up with world dance company Movema, and the zone will offer people the chance to try African and world-inspired dance, music and activities across the festival weekend.

The festival began in Liverpool City Centre in 1992 and has been based in Sefton Park since 2002. It is supported with funding from Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council.

Africa Oyé is in Sefton Park on June 22-23 and from 12.30-9.30pm each day. For more details visit the festival website HERE