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Press Release

AFROFEST 2019

THE LARGEST AFRICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA

Photo courtesy of Afrofest

Music Africa of Canada presents the 31st annual edition of Afrofest, highlighting African arts, culture, music and live entertainment at Woodbine Park in Toronto July 6th & 7th.

Toronto, ON (June 28, 2019) – Music Africa of Canada Inc. is excited to present Afrofest 2019, showcasing 50 local and international artists, 65 food/merchandise vendors in addition to an action-packed schedule, all set to hit all 5 senses and delight festival attendees with performances from some of Africa’s top superstars. The 2-day festival takes place at Woodbine Park, located at 1695 Queen Street East, Toronto, On M4L 1G7 on Saturday July 6th from 12pm to 11pm ET and Sunday July 7th 12pm to 8pm ET.

The 2019 edition of Afrofest returns with festival favorites, new additions and features. The festival will be streamed live via Afroglobal TV on its Facebook social media platform. Visit facebook.com/afroglobaltelevision to watch all the festival fun! Bring the kids to Afrofest and let them have a good time at the Children's Creative Village. If you love to drum or want to try it for the first time, come to the Drum Zone. An elder and performer from the Black Indigenous community will open the festival with a special performance. Shawl by Pero, the first African beer brewed in Canada, will be the official sponsor of the Beer Garden located beside the main stage.

Enjoying Afrofest (Photo by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine)

The festival would not be complete without the notorious Dance Competition at the Baobab Stage, where fancy footwork and stiff competition is hard at work. Afrofest introduces the Afrofest 2019 Fashion Contest, a collaborative effort with African Fashion Week Toronto with two prizes to be won by one best dressed male and one best dressed female. This will happen during the annual Fashion Show at the Baobab Stage with this new and interactive element. African Fashion Week Toronto will have special "fashion police" officials in search of the best dressed contestants at the festival and the audience will decides who wins.

Music Africa welcomes everyone to the Festival kick-off party, which takes place on Friday July 5th at the Vault located at 366 Queen Street East in downtown Toronto with music and performances by local artists set to begin at 10pm. The Afrofest after parties for Saturday July 6th and Sunday July 7th will also take place at the Vault and doors will open at 9pm. Tickets to the after parties will be available at the festival and at the door. An extra 200 extra parking spots have been added to provide hassle-free parking for attendees in advanced on a first come first serve basis. Limited spaces in the Woodbine Park parking lot adjacent to the park (1663 Queen Street East, Toronto ON M4L 1G7), can be pre-purchased for a single entry flat day rate of $20.00 no later than 9am on Friday July 5th online at https://afrofest-parkig.eventbrite.ca/

Afrofest 2018, Main Stage (Photo by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine)

Afrofest is proud to represent an incredible roster of acts from over 20 countries, including Congo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Eritrea, Cameroon, Morocco, Cape Verde and more presenting different vocal, music, drumming, dance, traditional and contemporary artistic styles. Headlining International acts include; Congolese singer-songwriter Fally Ipupa, Nigerian recording artist Iyanya, Cape Verdean singer Elida Almeida, Eritrean singer Faytinga, Burkina Faso singer Amity Meria and Hassan El Hadi from Morocco! The festival’s musical programming reflects the artistic diversity of Africa and the community in Toronto.

Sponsors for Afrofest 2019 include; World Remit, Ethiopian Airlines, Toronto Arts Council, Toronto Arts Foundation, Afroglobal TV, Shawl by Pero, Canada Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Creates, Canada Council for the Arts, Factor and the province of Ontario.

Afrofest is North America’s largest free African festival attracting 125,000 visitors to Woodbine Park – Toronto over two days. The festival celebrates African music and culture, by highlighting its cultural beauty and diversity in food, fashion, art, crafts and performers. The festival aims to promote inclusion, showcase diversity, build the community and uplift Africans in the diaspora.

To learn more, please visit: www.afrofest.ca

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About Music Africa Inc.

Music Africa is a not-for-profit community-based organization that promotes African music in Toronto through its annual flagship music festival, Afrofest. Established in 1990, Music Africa is among the oldest and most respected organizations promoting African music in Canada.

Through its activities and events, such as the annual Black History Month Concert Series, Music Africa is committed to enhancing appreciation and awareness of African music among Canadians and continues to strive to establish Toronto as a thriving global center for African music.

About Afrofest

Afrofest is the largest free African Music Festival in North America. Afrofest ignites the spirit of African culture in the heart of Toronto, one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. The festival seeks to share the rich and diverse expressions of African music and culture in an inclusive, vibrant and positive community festival setting. Through Afrofest, a diverse audience celebrates the abundant energy of African music in an effort to cultivate community spirit and enhance the understanding and appreciation of the diverse people of Africa.

Afrofest 2018 Photo Diary