Festivals in Kenya

Lamu Cultural Festival

Every year Lamu comes to life during the Lamu Cultural Festival, as Kenyans come together to celebrate both the past, future, the beliefs and traditions that are the heart and soul of this community in the lovely enchanting island of Lamu. An ancient Swahili township, Lamu is a World Heritage site and the cultural festival offers an insight of how life in the old days was in terms of architecture and lifestyle. The event is usually held annually in November, with exciting activities such as traditional Swahili poetry, henna painting, donkey races and dhow sailing, culminating with a traditional Swahili wedding and a chance to enjoy various Swahili dishes. This annual festival gives one a chance to experience the traditional beliefs that are very deeply engraved with the locals and learn more about their simple and peaceful lifestyle.

Lake Turkana Festival

The uniqueness about this annual festival that is usually held around May is the fact the festival helps to overcome stereotypes and creates a mutual understanding of different cultures and promotes peaceful coexistence. The event features unique performances and demonstrations of ten different ethnic communities which live in the Lake Turkana region. With traditional dances and a chance to taste various foods from these communities as well as being able to visit their unique huts and get a taste to experience life in Loiyangani in Northern Kenya. The presentation of the customs and living conditions of the ten tribes, their spectacular traditional costumes arts and crafts, dances and music is a fascinating experience that leaves one with a positive perception of the Lake Turkana region.

Maulidi Festival

Lamu annually hosts the Maulidi historical festival which has become a permanent feature of Islamic activities. The Lamu Maulidi celebrations bring together thousands of Muslims across East Africa, Middle East and other parts of the world as they celebrate the birth of Prophet Mohammed which is a long celebration in every third month of the Muslim calendar. Since the 1990s the National Museum of Kenya has sponsored the event in Lamu and organized various community building competitions such as swimming, dhow and donkey races, henna competitions and tug of war. The uniquely Swahili music, dance and culture in Lamu are unlike any other, since this island is rich in culture, history and traditions hence why East African Muslims choose Lamu to visit and observe this special time. It’s a wonderful experience as one gets to see the colourful and energetic procession and crowds reciting qasidas prayers together.