Tanzania: Karibu Music Fest announces final line-up

The festival features Mark Eliyahu (Israel), Africa United (Morocco), Isaiah Destiny (Uganda), The Duke of New York (US), Chikaya Buruya (Tanzania), Karibu Music Center (Tanzania), Arcenio Band (Mozambique), Irie Sound (Tanzania), Moses Zamangwa (Tanzania) and Abeneko (Tanzania).

“I look forward to learning from the international acts and experiencing their music,” Abeneko said ahead of the festival. “This is a wonderful opportunity for me and other artists to connect with musicians from different places and have a wide range of cultural understanding. It is important to bring artists from different cultural backgrounds because this gives artists an opportunity to grow."

This year’s festival programming includes workshops and training for artists on musicianship, music entrepreneurship and DJ performance. Local artisans will be provided with a space to display and sell their products. There will also be a space set aside for children to learn how to make various items such as jewellery and headwraps.

Another highlight will be Friday's festival parade on the streets of downtown Bagamoyo.

“Organising a music event like Karibu Music Festival needs a lot of external ideas and support," Karibu Festival executive chairman Amarido Charles told Music In Africa. “The Karibu Cultural Organisation can't do it alone, that's why we have Legendary Music as our technical partners, the embassy of Israel sponsoring Mark Eliyahu to come to our festival as well as Z Sound Africa and Wasafi Media Group.”

Now in its fifth edition, Karibu Music Festival is known for featuring musicians active in genres such as Afro-pop, Afro-fusion, rock, reggae, hip hop and traditional. Fifty percent of the festival's proceeds will go towards a youth arts centre in Bagamoyo.

For more information, visit the official festival website.