Africa Oyé has returned to Liverpool for the UK's largest celebration of African music and culture. The event is taking place today (June 20) and June 21, bringing music from nations across Africa and the Caribbean, dance performances, a dedicated family zone, and over 90 stalls featuring food, drink and more.
A Festival with Rich History
The event began as a series of gigs in Liverpool city centre in 1992, growing into a huge event held at Sefton Park from 2002. The ECHO was at the event where hundreds of attendees were spotted soaking up the atmosphere.
Attendees are set for an incredible afternoon of entertainment, with performances from Kizaba, Patoranking, and DJ Edu. Speaking ahead of the event, artistic director of Africa Oye, Paul Duhaney, told the ECHO: "I think a festival like Oyé is good for everybody. It reminds us who we are as a nation and there's a lot of good things about this country that need to be celebrated. The festival is an African music festival, but everybody's welcome."
He added: "That's the way we've always been. We've never had any political or religious beliefs. For that weekend, everybody comes as one and it's all about enjoying the music and everything that's on offer."
Highlights from Day One
Take a look at some of our favourite pictures from the first day of Africa Oyé 2026 below. Thousands descended on the park for the two-day festival, with plenty of smiles as people enjoyed the warm weather.
Groups of people came together to enjoy the array of performances and food on offer. Batala Mersey took to the stage on Saturday afternoon. Even Chewbacca appeared in Sefton Park, adding to the fun atmosphere.
Africa Oye is back to being one of the mainstays of the Liverpool calendar, an event thousands across the city look forward to. Those going on Sunday can expect warmer temperatures and more sunshine.
