Come out to Queens Park on July 5th & July 6th for a fabulous FREE celebration of African music and culture in Toronto. From 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM on both days Canadian and international groups will be performing African music in both traditional and contemporary styles on 3 stages. International artists include Dobet Gnahore from the Ivory Coast, Fallou Dieng from Senegal, and Mayra Andrade from Cape Verde. Canadian artists include Alpha Yaya Diallo from Vancouver, Mighty Popo from Ottawa, and Toronto’s own Nakupenda.

Afrofest is Canada’s largest annual African music festival, with 80,000 expected to attend this year. This is a great event for the whole family with plenty of activities for the kids - arts and crafts, drumming and dance, face-painting, stilt workshops, clay, storytelling, and free music workshops. Don’t forget to stop in at the African Marketplace where you will have the opportunity to sample some very delicious and exotic food, and do some shopping. There will be crafts and clothing available for sale.

Drumming is becoming very popular and very mainstream. It is even being used with great success at corporate team building events and at private parties. Teachers are available for instruction and there will be drumming ensembles and drum circles. The Babatunde Olatunji Drum Stage will feature Samba Squad, Maracatu Nunca Antes, Sani Abu & Ijovudu Dance Company, the Southern Volta Cultural Performers, and more.

Come out and celebrate Afrofest. Explore African music and the beauty of the culture.