Habari Africa Festival hits Harbourfront, August 9th to 11th

Sudanese star Emmanuel Jal joins oud ace Hassan el Hadi & Ethiopian Idol Melat Mengesha at Harbourfront Centre this weekend. 

Habari Africa Festival 2024

Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West)

Friday August 9: 7:00pm – 11:00pm 

Saturday, August 10: 12:00pm – 11:00pm 

Sunday, August 11: 12:00pm – 7:00pm

Batuki Music Society is proud to present the Habari Africa Festival 2024 at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre from Friday, August 9th through Sunday August 11th. This multi-disciplinary African arts festival is free with activities for all-ages. Join us for a weekend of exploration and engagement with the art, sounds and tastes of the continent. Co-produced with Harbourfront Centre.

Music and Dance Performances 

From his start in life as a child soldier in the war-torn region of Southern Sudan, Emmanuel Jal has come through personal struggles to become a successful recording artist, author, actor, speaker, social entrepreneur and peace ambassador. Concert Stage – Friday, 10 pm. 

Teranga Senegal curated by Batuki Music Society brings together some of the finest singers and instrumentalists of Senegalese heritage for their premiere concert at Habari Africa. The music performance will focus on specific traditions, songs and rhythms that draw from the vast cultural wealth of Senegalese music. Concert Stage – Saturday, 9:30 pm.

Sia Tolno is an award-winning touring and recording artist, vocalist and songwriter, from Guinea/Sierra Leone, steeped in Afrobeat, Afro-blues, Manding and Soukous styles of African popular music. Concert Stage – Friday, 8 pm. 

Rumba: Soul of Congo features an all-star ensemble who share a deep connection through the languages, stories and songs that define their Congolese heritage. The repertoire will celebrate the artistry of the veterans and icons of Congolese music. Concert Stage – Sunday, 4 pm. 

Hassan el Hadi, singer/songwriter, oud player and percussionist is a native of Marrakesh, where the great diversity of Moroccan music comes together. Stage in the Park – Friday, 7 pm. 

Empress Nyiringango is an Ottawa-based Rwandan singer-songwriter with a message of faith, resilience, and healing. Her music uplifts and raises awareness on the impact of cultural heritage. Concert Stage – Saturday, 8 pm. 

DJ Moussa spins a diverse selection of the latest African music hits and classics. Starplus General is a singer, dancer and choreographer with Congolese heritage. Stage in the Park – Friday, 9:30 pm. 

Gye Nyame Band is a highlife group that celebrates the vibrant musical and cultural heritage of Ghana. Highlife music, with its infectious rhythms and melodious guitar lines, forms the heart and soul of the ensemble’s sound. Stage in the Park, Saturday, 7:15 pm. 

Melat Mengesha is an outstanding vocalist, born and raised in Addis Ababa. Her success in the first season of Balageru (Ethiopian Idol) in 2015 was a major breakthrough in pursuing music for her career. Stage in the Park – Saturday, 4 pm. 

An acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter, Kunle’s folk and soul music bridges contemporary styles with roots in West African rhythms and stories. Stage in the Park – Sunday, 3 pm. 

Mzee Watmon Amone has mastered various traditional instruments; the nanga, adungu, flute, lukeme, larakaraka and bwola drums, performing globally. Joined by his son, MC Ojegele, they bring their rich heritage from northern Uganda to Toronto. Stage in the Park – Saturday, 2:15 pm & 9 pm.

Professional dancer, choreographer and instructor Mabinty Sylla, created Lanaya African Cultural Group to present traditional dance and drumming from West Africa. Stage in the Park, Sunday, 2 pm.

Sadakah means to give. Inviting our divine deities to give us the energy to spread blessings. Join master drummers, musicians and friends in a parade to the heart of Habari Africa. Everybody is welcome to drum, dance, clap and sing along! Stage in the Park, Sunday, 6 pm.

Interactive all-ages workshops

Les Frères Cissoko; Sadio, Fa and Noumoucounda are the descendants of one of the great families of Mandingo griots in Senegal, West Africa. Multi instrumentalists, masters of the kora and percussion, come discover this musical culture rich in several millennia of stories and captivating rhythms in a warm and festive atmosphere. South Lawn Tent – Sunday, 2:30 pm. 

The Balafon Village instructor Adama Daou will introduce you to the African wooden xylophone through simple rhythmic and melodic exercises. Grab your sticks and create your own sound, inspired by your inner soul! North Orchard – Saturday, 3 pm & Sunday, 2 pm. 

Sia Tolno shares her compelling story and music in this workshop - My life: School, War & Music from Sierra Leone to Guinea. Learn more about her journey to overcome challenges through her love of Afrobeat music and the legendary Fela Kuti. South Lawn Tent – Saturday, 4:30 pm.

Join Empress Nyiringango in this interactive workshop to learn the basic steps of traditional Rwandan dance and the style’s history, as well as its role in the society. South Lawn Tent – Saturday, 3 pm.

Fiyé Foli: N’goni, Calabash & Djembe with Amadou Kienou, an exploration of the music that continues along the living and rich traditions of the Mandinka empire of West Africa. South Lawn Tent – Sunday, 1:30 pm. 

Film Screening

Filmed with stunning cinematography over four years, Between the Rains explores a childhood caught within a traditional culture that is a casualty of climate change. During a period of record low rainfall in northern Kenya, the Turkana-Ngaremara community faces growing clashes with rival tribes and encroaching wild predators hunting their livestock. Host: Kobinna Ulzen. Studio Theatre – Saturday, 5:30 pm. 

Children’s Activities

Abe African Circus features incredible balancing acts, juggling displays and acrobatic feats! Born in Ethiopia, Abebe Atlebachew is a circus performer, dancer and choreographer. He shares the struggle of migration through his art of circus. West Lawn – Saturday, 6 pm & Sunday, 5 pm. 

Njacko Backo leads this interactive fun children’s workshop in the Kalimba Village to learn to play Manganbeu, a traditional music from Cameroon. Harbour Kids' Tent – Saturday, 1-5pm.

Storytelling through Fabric with Blank Canvases, using fabrics with vibrant patterns, colours and shapes, families and children will create unique one-of-a-kind art pieces. Harbour Kids Tent – Sunday, 1-5 pm.

For more info about the participating artists and events, visit the Batuki Music Society site right here. Check the clips below.