Abéné-festival

Music-
festivals

A musical fireworks from Boxing day till January 2nd every year. Big stars come from all over West Africa, and music lovers travel all the way from Europe to take part. We have arrangements for our guests during the festival and make sure you don’t miss the highlights.

Abéné-festival

26. december till 2. till January
Other festivals:
• Carnival in Kafountine: mid-February
• Festival in Kartong (Gambia): Early February
• Festival in Niafourang: April
• Concerts and workshops about nature and the environment
No festival during your holidays? There’s always music somewhere!

When the dust settles on the stage in Abéné January 2nd, plans are already being made for next year’s week long festival. The festival is the highlight of the year in the normally sleepy village that comes to life right before Christmas, when summer’s over and the tourist season is about to begin.

The festival attracts musicians from the rest of Senegal as well as all of West Africa, great voices from Mali, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and Gambia, as well as countless local drum and dance groups who rehearse intensively all year to be the best. The dancers are real acrobats, and some of the best local groups are Mama Africa, led by Bakary Sagna, who lives in Niafourang. He is also one of our leading drum and dance instructors.

However the best performers are the audience. The musicians are not happy unless the audience crowds onto the stage and throws all decorum over board to show that they appreciate the music! One or two Europeans might also dare to let loose, to ovations from the local dancers.

During the day there are programs for the children and meetings about issues such as deforestation and environmental threats. When the concerts are over, there are discoteques or reggae parties till the early morning, with hundreds of happy revelers on the beach for fireworks and big bonfires, guitar playing and singing.

The audience comes from all over Europe and fills up all hotel rooms. Abéné is our neighboring village, and of course we can arrange for our guests during the whole festival week. Abéné is our neigbouring village, and we have a program prepared for our guest during the festival week.