Africa Fest 2026 takes place Saturday, October 31, at Wildey House Gardens, bringing music, food, fashion, art, and storytelling to Barbados under the theme “Celebrating our Queens & Kings.” The second edition of the festival is presented by The Diasporadical Initiative (TDI) in a first-time partnership with the Barbados National Trust (BNT), timed to the season of Barbados’ 60th anniversary of independence.

The theme celebrates identity, pride and cultural expression while recognizing the generations that have carried African traditions forward and continue to shape them today. The festival will include immersive cultural learning experiences for young people exploring African royal heritage and tradition.

Africa Fest seeks to create space for stories often missing from the classroom; stories that help young people understand the connections between Africa and the Caribbean and see Africa not as a distant past, but as fundamentally part of who we are.

“Africa Fest will bring a vibrant energy to our heritage spaces so Barbadians will not just look at history but actively connect with their roots through art, culture, and sustainable ancestral wisdom. This event will strengthen community connections, highlight and influence African heritage within Barbadian society. We are proud to support this initiative,” said Denise Sandiford, Operations Manager, Barbados National Trust.

For TDI, the festival is part of a broader effort to deepen understanding of the relationship between Africa and the Caribbean and create opportunities for people, particularly young people, to engage with that connection in ways that are relevant.

“For many in the Caribbean, Africa can feel both deeply familiar and surprisingly distant. Africa Fest is an opportunity to close some of that distance to make the connection tangible and engaging, particularly for young people. Having the Barbados National Trust alongside us makes this year’s festival especially meaningful as we reflect on 60 years of Barbados defining its own identity,” said Prince Bazawule, co-founder of The Diasporadical Initiative.

Nigerian singer, actress, and multi-instrumentalist Tosinger will lead this year’s lineup of African and Caribbean performers and participants, bringing her distinctive blend of music, theatre and storytelling to the festival, a fitting voice for a festival built on bridging Africa and the diaspora. She is known for her one-woman We3Queens production in Atlanta, which explores the themes and experiences of diaspora communities.

Through culture, education, and shared experiences, the festival aims to create a space where heritage is encountered not as history alone, but as something living explored, celebrated, and carried forward.

Africa Fest 2026 is supported by the Office of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage, SuperFeeds, Chickmont Foods Ltd., and Marniko Media.

Africa Fest 2026 takes place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Wildey House Gardens. Further details on the programme, participating artists, experiences and ticketing can be found at getinn.to/africafest.