Yvonne Chaka Chaka to headline "The African Festival"

The national capital, Accra, is set to come alive this December as it hosts this year's edition of "The African Festival," a celebration harnessing the transformative power of culture, arts, and music to promote awareness of climate change.

The three-day event, which begins with a grand opening on Saturday, December 28, 2024, at the Accra International Conference Center, will feature celebrated African musician Yvonne Chaka Chaka as the headline artist.

Aimed at creating the biggest annual Pan-African pilgrimage in the world to educate and contribute to Africa’s development, the festival will provide a unique platform where African cultural heritage becomes a force for change.

Under the theme "Kinako! Feel Africa, Be the Change," the festival seeks to inspire collective action towards addressing environmental sustainability across the continent. It aims to raise awareness about the urgent need to combat climate change while celebrating Africa’s rich artistic diversity through an extraordinary blend of theatre, music, contemporary arts, history, and African traditions.

The festival promises to be an immersive experience that will take patrons on a journey of discovering African history and embracing its adventures.

Overview

Giving an overview of the festival, Mr. Latif Abubakar, Founder of The African Festival and CEO of Globe Productions Limited, organizers of TAF, said that beyond re-igniting the spirit of Pan-Africanism for sustainable development, the festival will also promote climate action by using art and cultural narratives to address the environmental challenges Africa faces.

He explained that TAF would inspire change by drawing from Africa’s rich heritage and traditional ecological knowledge as a solution to modern climate issues while uniting communities through a shared cultural experience that celebrates resilience and innovation in response to climate change.

"It is a celebration that will take patrons through a captivating journey of the rich tapestry of African history," he said.

Dubbed "The Climate Change Edition," the festival will focus on driving the "Be the Change" campaign through arts and culture and promises to offer theatre lovers Africa's biggest cultural nights.

Festival highlights

The major highlights of the festival will include the staging of two spectacular plays by celebrated playwright Latif Abubakar: Don Quixote Africa, an African retelling of the first-ever European classic novel, and Ghana Must Go, a comedy that showcases Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism, and investment opportunities. 

Additionally, an Afro Night Music Concert will be headlined by Yvonne Chaka Chaka. The concert will feature performances by three-time Grammy Award nominee Rocky Dawuni, MUSIGA President Bisa Simons, Okyeame Kwame, and other top artists whose music advocates for climate awareness and sustainable living. It is positioned to promote change while bringing together Pan-African musicians who perform traditional, authentic African songs.

Attractions

Other attractions include "The Den of History" and "The African Food Festival," where African stories will be told through outdoor film festivals and fireside storytelling. There will also be exhibitions of sustainable African cuisines, focusing on plant-based and eco-friendly dishes.

Iconic model structures such as the Pyramid of Giza, the Seven Wonders of Africa, the Larabanga Mosque, the Kwame Nkrumah Museum, the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, and Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama’s contemporary art installations will also be showcased. Patrons can enjoy activities like camel rides on a model desert.

Family and children’s activities

The festival will feature engaging, climate-themed activities for children and families, aimed at fostering environmental consciousness in the younger generation.

Tickets

Tickets for the festival are on sale at GHC250 per day and GHC600 for all three days. To purchase tickets, patrons should dial *714*70# or visit [www.theafricanfestival.com](http://www.theafricanfestival.com).

Partnership

The African Festival, powered by Globe Productions Limited, is in partnership with the African Women and Children's Conference (AFRIWOCC) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), with support from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Graphic Communications Group Ltd., and The Media General Group.