The African Descent Festival is a celebration of African music, arts and culture in Metro Vancouver. The event takes place in the summer at English Bay Beach.

In 2024 the festival happens on August 10th and 11th.

Visit africandescentfestival.com for the event’s official website.

African Descent Festival

The African Descent Festival is an African arts and cultural showcase. The first edition of the event took place in 2015 and since that time it has grown into the largest festival for people of African descent in all of Western Canada. The event is a great opportunity for the African community in Metro Vancouver to get together. It’s also a fun way for others to learn about the different cultures of Africa.

The African Descent Festival promotes cultural diversity and brings people together to enjoy art and entertainment by African talent. There are plenty of live performances at the festival each year. There’s also usually a marketplace with handmade crafts, clothing and more for sale. Food vendors sell African food on-site and there are also family-friendly activities for all ages.

The festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024. Organized by the African Descent Society BC, the two-day event is free to attend. Donations, however, are encouraged and appreciated.

See the African Descent Festival website for full details about the event.

When and Where?

The African Descent Festival runs on the Saturday and Sunday of August 10th and 11th in 2024. Hours on both days are from around 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.

In previous years, the festival used to take place at Thornton Park which is by Central Pacific Station not far from Science World. However, the festival moved to a new location in 2023 and now happens at English Bay Beach.

Located along Beach Avenue near the end of Denman Street, English Bay is one of the best and most popular beaches in Vancouver. The beach is connected to Stanley Park and near popular stores and restaurants. It’s also where folks gather around for the Celebration of Light fireworks in July.

For more information about the event, visit africandescentfestival.com.

Entertainment Schedule

The entertainment lineup features all sorts of talented people of African descent. There are musicians, singers, dancers and more. Headliners in 2024 include Jose Chameleone, TK Dube and Nkulee Dube.

The entertainment schedule for 2024 is listed below. Exact details are subject to change.

Saturday, August 10th, 2024

11:00 am – African Descent Drum Circle
1:05 pm – Opening Speech
1:15 pm – DJ Okey Osman
1:40 pm – Poetry and Storytelling
1:55 pm – Axe Capoeira
2:35 pm – Speaker
2:50 pm – Africana Performing Art
3:10 pm – Speaker
3:20 pm – Samba Fusion
4:10 pm – Poetry and Storytelling
4:20 pm – Julio Avila Cuban Band
5:00 pm – Grupo RDS (Roda de Samba)
5:40 pm – African Descent Fashion Show
6:50 pm – Idelity
7:30 pm – AfroBeach Vancouver
8:00 pm – Khari McClelland
8:30 pm – Mr. Fantastik

Sunday, August 11th, 2024

11:00 am – African Descent Drum Circle
1:05 pm – DJ Luc and DJ Bigrich
1:40 pm – Speaker
1:50 pm – Poetry and Storytelling, Speaker 2
2:00 pm – Africana Performing Art, Upcoming Artists
2:35 pm – History Presentation, Community Engagement
3:00 pm – Samba Fusion
3:50 pm – Mivule Band
4:35 pm – Emmanuel Jal
5:30 pm – TK Dube
6:50 pm – Nkulee Dube
8:10 pm – Jose Chameleone
9:15 pm – Award, Recognition, Final Speech

See the African Descent Festival website for full details about the event.

Festival Video

For an idea of what to expect at the next African Descent Festival, check out the video below. It features footage of singer Eddy Kenzo from the 2023 event.