Africa Oyé

Africa Oye is an excellent African Music Festival held once a year in Sefton Park. It is an excellent location and I wish there were more events like this held there.
The set up is really well organised. They have a big stage and also a reggae tent, providing a choice of music for the festival goers.
They have a large number of stalls selling CD’s, clothing, hats, gifts, records, African and Jamaican food, burgers, beer, cider, face painting, ice creams and much more.
The festival has an excellent atmosphere. As it is a free festival people can float in and out as they please, or stay for the full 12 – 9 stretch on each day.
I’ve been here twice so far and I am looking forward to the next one. An excellent weekend out for everyone.

Hurriedly dawdling through Sefton Park a couple of years ago, this festival looked like little more than a stage being watched by about eighty bored dog-​walkers. I didn’t stop to pay much attention. This year, it was tremendously different. Maybe it the fact I was surrounded by hundreds of people eating, drinking and being merry that swung it. Who knows?
I’ll admit now the African music, while great to listen to, is mostly just atmospheric. It swirled over everybody’s heads in a fantastically evocative way that enhanced the birth of summer, but I wouldn’t recognise a single band if you slapped me across the temple with a program. No, this is more a place to find yourself with chums, trying to cadge burgers off barbecuing neighbours or steal a tan from the sky.

Wow! Afica Oye is absolutely amazing! It’s an annual African music festival in Sefton Park, just outside of Liverpool city centre. and best of all. it’s free!
I went both days this year and had a fantastic time! The music was incredible, with reggae tents, and many many live acts on a huge stage. They had loads of stalls like you would find at a large paid festival. Stalls selling records, CD’s, clothing, Jamaican jerk chicken, African artwork and jewellery and other bits and bobs, all at affordable prices.
The atmosphere was incredible, with the festival going on from 12 until 9pm on both days, there were loads of hippies and fun people dancing, eating and having a great time! The beer tent was very fairly priced considering it was a free festival. Cans of Red Stripe beer were just £2.50.
I’m off travelling for a year in Sept otherwise I would definitely be visiting Africa Oye next year. I would fully recommend this festival to anyone!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The Africa Oyé cometh but once a year and you’d be a fool to miss it!
The biggest African festival* in the UK and growing, held in Sefton Park with artists from Cuba, Haiti, Senegal, Jamaica, UK and many others, it highlights a massive cultural celebration which people from all over the city gather to join in!
Fantastically, this year (June 19^th-​20^th) the weather was glorious, so donning suncream, picnic rug and beers we took our place on the grass and chilled to some amazing live music.
Perfection. They also had loads of tents and stalls set up selling original clothing and accessories, (my friend got there early and raided the stores finding the best earrings ever.) and let’s not forget the food. Spicy jerk chicken and authentic African dishes (Flava had their own stall) and a huge inflatable slide and tea-​cups!
They had face painting, dance classes and arts and crafts, so you’ve got every opportunity to get creative.
A mini– festival in your back garden for the weekend. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time!
Did I mention all this is free? Write the date in your calendar. You won’t regret it.
*So I’m told!