Africa Oyé is the UK's largest free celebration of African music and culture and takes place annually in Liverpool. Beginning in 1992 as a series of small gigs in the city centre, the event has gone from strength-to-strength, moving to its present Sefton Park home in 2002 to cope with demand. Now in its seventeenth year, Africa Oyé continues to grow. In 2008 the event attracted an audience of over 20,000 people and even more are expected to attend Oyé 09.

With too many negative representations of Africa entrenched in images of war, disease, poverty and famine, Oyé seeks to redress the balance and highlight the fantastic range of cultures, foods, music and artists that make this great continent one of the most vibrant and inspiring in the world. The festival is also a truly international event that harnesses the spirit of multiculturalism and tolerance. It has played host to artists from nations right across Africa and also programmed music from South America and The Caribbean with Salsa, Soca and Reggae always a popular addition to the festivities.

But Africa Oyé is about more than music. Over 40 stalls selling the best food, drink, arts and crafts and fashion from Africa and beyond will again be present at the Oyé village along with face painting, bouncy castles and workshops to keep the kids happy. Africa Oyé will also have a beer tent in the festival grounds for the first time to keep the adults entertained too!

Oyé's subsidiary company Oye touring and trading will organise two UK tours this year including Reggae superstar Freddie McGregor from Jamaica
in June and July who you can see at Oyé 09, and Odemba OK Jazz All-stars from DR Congo in September and October with a Liverpool date to be confirmed.

Oyé will also organising a special educational project around schools in the Liverpool area during the autumn of 2009 and more details on this will also be available soon. To launch Oyé touring and trading, an event will take place at The Picket on Sunday 5th April with a live Performance by reggae legends The Mighty Diamonds from Jamaica.  Also confirmed for Oyé 09 is the ever-popular Kanda Bonga Man from DR Congo who last played Oyé in 2003.

Please check www.africaoye.com for tour update, ticket info, and festival information.

www.africaoye.com
www.myspace.com/africaoye