Overview:
The Spirit of Africa festival will take place at Seattle Center on Saturday, May 10, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Armory Food & Event Hall. The festival will celebrate Africa's diverse cultural heritage and global influence through music, dance, storytelling, and art. The event will highlight the richness of West African music, the resilience and wisdom of Songhai and Menge heritage, and the vibrant rhythms of Zimbabwe. The festival was founded by Thione Diop and has since evolved into a pan-African celebration through the support of community volunteers, sponsors, and partner organizations.
Spirit of Africa, a free, family-friendly cultural celebration, returns to Seattle Center on Saturday, May 10, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Armory Food & Event Hall. As part of the Festál series, this year’s theme, “Unity Through the African Lenses,” invites festivalgoers to experience Africa’s diverse cultural heritage and global influence.
Through a full day of music, dance, storytelling, and art, Spirit of Africa aims to illuminate Africa’s role in shaping community, identity, and resilience. Festival activities include curated performances, interactive exhibitions, and cultural dialogue that provide a window into the continent’s vast traditions.
“The Spirit of Africa Festival is more than just an event — it’s a cultural homecoming for many and a powerful entry point for others,” said Gora Diop, Festival Producer. “This year, we invite everyone to experience unity through Africa’s many lenses — through its music, stories, and people.”
Performance highlights include:
• Yao Amponsah (Anokye) brings the intricate rhythms and dance traditions of the Ashanti people of Ghana, highlighting the richness of West African music.
• Franco Attk (Rimnongdo Francis Ramde), a singer-songwriter from Burkina Faso, shares heartfelt lyrics and melodies from his debut album Eldorado, exploring love, heritage, and hope.
• Thione Diop, a world-renowned Senegalese percussionist and descendant of a Griot family, returns with his signature djembe and traditional drumming, electrifying the stage with powerful beats.
• Arsalan Ibrahim infuses storytelling with music to convey the resilience and wisdom of his Songhai and Mende heritage.
• Kwetu Band merges African roots music with contemporary sounds to create an innovative and high-energy fusion.
• Zambuko Marimba Ensemble, led by Sheree Seretse, has connected audiences to the vibrant rhythms of Zimbabwe for over two decades and returns by popular demand.
• Tamy Moyo, one of Zimbabwe’s most celebrated performers, makes her Seattle debut with a genre-blending performance that spans soul, R&B, folk, jazz, and more, delivering a transcendent musical experience.
Spirit of Africa was founded by Thione Diop and began as the Spirit of West Africa Festival. It has since evolved into a pan-African celebration through the support of community volunteers, sponsors, and partner organizations. The event reflects a collective effort to honor and share African traditions in an inclusive, dynamic environment.
As part of Seattle Center Festál, Spirit of Africa is one of 25 free cultural festivals produced in partnership with community groups. Festál events, hosted from January through November, are designed to promote cross-cultural understanding and celebrate the region’s rich cultural diversity.