eSwatini: Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival announces 2025 dates

The annual event, which will be held under the theme #EatSwayLove, promises to be an extraordinary celebration of African sophistication, elegance, and creativity. Building on the success of the 2024 edition, which drew over 10 000 attendees from 23 countries, the upcoming festival will feature pan-African music performances, culinary demonstrations by celebrity chefs, premium wine and whiskey showcases, , and a regional fashion show featuring 10 designers from eSwatini, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.

The festival’s commitment to advancing sustainability will be reinforced through the second edition of the Luju Food & Fashion Indaba, a two-day industry conference preceding the festival weekend. This conference will bring together industry practitioners and stakeholders for knowledge sharing, panel discussions, masterclasses, and demonstrations focused on sustainability themes and best practices.

In line with House On Fire and Standard Bank eSwatini’s shared mandate, the festival will showcase local and regional artists and artisans, promoting creative economy development, sustainability, and small-business growth. According to the organisers, the 2024 edition created over 600 jobs and generated E2.5 million (about $142 000) in sales for the festival’s 91 traders, 90% of whom were from eSwatini.

Guided by the Luju Festival ethos, “A Return to the African Future”, the event pays homage to Africa’s rich history of creative inspiration, revisiting vibrant trend eras to influence current and future styles.