About this Event
Through our programming over the years, AFROFEST has become one of the most important African cultural events in Canada as we present numerous multinational artists and initiatives which aim showcasing the diverse and beautiful nature of various cultures in Africa. We welcome everyone to join us to celebrate our cultural heritage.
Key points about AFROFEST 2022:
- Celebrating its 34th year
- This is the first time we will present a 3-day festival at Woodbine Park.
- Largest free African festival in N. America with over 45 performances, 70+ vendors and over 120,000 visitors over the weekend.
- Programming Philosophy: Genres of music which showcase African, Diaspora and Black culture (Afrobeat, Afropop, Soukous, Makossa, Rai, Reggae, Rumba etc.)
- Lineup focuses on local artists but also includes international artists.
AFROFEST 2022 will feature 6 main areas:
1. Main Stage: Will feature performances by established artists. Examples include: Femi Kuti (Nigeria), Tabou Combo (Haiti), Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe), Daphne (Cameroon), Dicko Fils & Amadou Kienou (Burkina Faso), Nyboma & Dally Kimoko (Congo DR), D-Flex (Ghana), Steele (Jamaica), Council of Fire (Native Canadian) and Ruth Mathiang (Sudan), Ngoma Ensemble (Multinational) and other local artists.
The stage will be hosted by Comedian, Trixx (GhanaMore artists will be announced in future.
2. Baobab Stage: This highly energetic and engaging stage is the home of emerging artists and talent. It has shorter performances which focus on more interaction between the emcees and the audience. Some of the artists scheduled to perform include: FAARROW (Somalia), Beenie Gunter (Uganda), Black Stars (Ghana), Rayzalution (Jamaica), Imah (Senegal), Shy Musiq (Kenya), Temi O. (Nigeria), Quakes (Ghana), S!nful Poet (Sierra Leone) among others.
The stage will be hosted by Mr. Bonderai (Zimbabwe), Mr. Activated, AJ Styles and Eves Eye.
The full schedule for both stages is available on this site.
3. AFROFEST Marketplace: Features about 70 food and merchandise vendors.
We have a smaller African village area for smaller entrepreneurs. Make sure you show them some love!
4. Children’s Creative Village: Led by Mesha Maloney, this area is reserved for toddlers who are introduced to basic elements of African culture. Activities include face painting, storytelling and other interactive elements. We also have a mom-and-tots area where nursing mothers can change their children.
5. Drum Zone: Drumming is an integral part of African culture. Hosted by African Drums and Art Crafts this is an area reserved individuals who will like to experience traditional African drumming and dance.
6. Mom-and-tots area where nursing mothers can change their children.
Some new elements of AFROFEST 2022 are:
1. DJ Exhibition: Showcase of some of the best African DJ’s in Toronto. Sponsored by Flow987, this segment will feature DJ sets by DJ’s from various regions in Africa. This will take place on the Baobab Stage.
2. Fashion Show: This is another interactive element with daily cash prizes of $350 awarded to the best male and best female individuals dressed in the African or African inspired attires. We will have “Fashion Police” on site and a booth where interested participants will enter to be considered. Contestants can also take a picture and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #AFROFEST2022fashion. The more the likes on the picture, the higher the chance for the contestant to be chosen. The top 10 contestants will be invited to present their outfits on the AFROFEST main stage and the audience will select the winner.
3. AFROFEST Community Shield Awards: There are many Africans in Toronto doing amazing work and inspiring people on a daily basis but whose stories go unrecognized. This award is for the unsung heroes within the African community in Toronto. Individuals are encouraged to submit the profile of anyone who they think is worthy of consideration. The winners will be presented on the main Stage at AFROFEST 2022.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Woodbine Park, 1695 Queen Street East, Toronto, Canada
CAD 0.00