first acts announced for free Africa Oye Festival

Omar, BKO Quintet, and Lindigo

By Neil Greenway | Published: Tue 24th Feb 2015

Africa Oye Festival 2017

Saturday 17th to Sunday 18th June 2017
Sefton Park, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 1AP, England MAP
FREE

Daily capacity: 20,000

Soul legend Omar, will be joined by Mali's BKO Quintet and Lindigo from Reunion Island as the first headliners to be announced for Africa Oye Festival which returns to celebrate its 23rd year. Held on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June, which features artists from nations right across Africa, and also from South America and The Caribbean and happens in Liverpool's Sefton Park during the two day family-friendly celebration of cultural diversity.

The main stage acts will be complemented by the usual eclectic 'Oyé Village' featuring an array of foods from across the globe, traders, DJs, dance classes and workshops in the Active Zone, as well as kids entertainment to keep Sefton Park buzzing throughout the festival weekend.

Paul Duhaney, Africa Oye Festival Director said, "Last year was a really special Oyé, there's no doubt about that. I'm really looking forward to revealing the rest of our line-up for 2015 and proving that we can follow it with another spectacular festival."

Beginning in 1992 as a series of small gigs in the city centre, the event moved to its present Sefton Park home in 2002 to cope with demand. With too many negative representations of Africa produced by images of war, disease, poverty and famine, Oye seeks to instead highlight the fantastic range of cultures, foods, music and artists that make this great continent one of the most vibrant and inspiring in the world.

The festival is a truly international event that harnesses the spirit of multiculturalism and tolerance. It has played host to artists from nations right across Africa and also programmes music from South America and The Caribbean with Salsa, Soca, and Reggae always being popular additions to the festivities.

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