Colour and culture filled Sefton Park last weekend as thousands of people gathered for the return of Africa Oyé
The two-day celebration of African and Caribbean music, food and culture transformed the well-known Merseyside park into a vibrant showcase
For over three decades, Africa Oyé has been a staple of Liverpool’s summer calendar, earning a reputation as the UK’s largest festival of African and Caribbean music and culture
Since 1992, the festival has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors each year and has become one of Merseyside’s most recognisable cultural events
This year had a crowd of 80,000 attendees
However, this year had a slight difference, marking a significant turning point in the festival’s history
For the first time in its existence, attendees were required to buy tickets for entrance, bringing an end to the free entry, which was a big part of Africa Oyé
This move came after rising operating costs
Artistic director Paul Duhaney said: “A paid event was a better alternative than losing the festival altogether.”
After concerns regarding tickets being priced, the atmosphere throughout the weekend remained overwhelmingly positive as crowds packed Sefton Park to enjoy live performances and international foods
Visitors were treated to a packed programme of music and entertainment, bringing communities together to embrace the African and Caribbean culture
Ticket prices were introduced with discounted rates for residents, students and NHS workers, and under 12s got free entry
Festival videographer Ayotunde Falana praised the event’s welcoming atmosphere, stating: “Everybody can come and attend Africa Oyé, be you English, be you Asian, be you African, be you Caribbean. You can come from everywhere and anywhere. Music is a uniting force, and that’s what Africa Oyé believes in.”
As the final performances ended on Sunday evening, the success of the sell-out weekend suggested that Africa Oyé has entered a new chapter
While the introduction of tickets marked a major change, the festival’s core values of celebrating African and Caribbean culture, diversity and community remained firmly at its heart
