Last updated: 20 October 2026. Event details can change at short notice, so check with the organiser before you travel.
Melbourne’s biggest African festival returns to Federation Square from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November, and Kenyan-born artist Elsy Wameyo will close its main stage on the Saturday night. Entry is free. The festival opens a summer that also includes a Jamhuri Day party in South Melbourne and a run of Afrobeats nights reaching into February.
For Kenyans in Victoria, the timing works well. Jamhuri Day falls on a Saturday this year, 12 December, and Kenya marks 63 years of independence. This guide lists the Kenyan and African events Melbourne will host between now and February. We have checked each one against the organiser’s own page or the official ticket listing, and we only quote ticket prices where the organiser has published them.
Summer at a glance
| Date | Event | Venue | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 31 Oct | Mashujaa Festival (Kenya Community Victoria) | Ross Reserve, Noble Park | See KCV |
| Tue 17 – Thu 19 Nov | 3rd African Diaspora Women’s Summit | Melbourne (welcome at The Hotel Windsor) | Registration details not yet published |
| Fri 20 – Sun 22 Nov | African Music and Cultural Festival | Fed Square | Free |
| Sat 12 Dec | Kenyan Night (Jamhuri 2026 Edition) | Club Pandora, South Melbourne | Price not shown on listing |
| Sat 30 Jan 2027 | All White Boat Party | Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands | $120 (food and drinks included), 18+ |
| Sat 13 Feb 2027 | Oxlade Live | 386 Chapel St, South Yarra | See listing, 18+ |
| Fri 19 Feb 2027 | King Saha Live | Collingwood Town Hall, Abbotsford | $50–$80 |
Before summer starts: Mashujaa Festival, Noble Park
Kenya Community Victoria (KCV) is marking Mashujaa Day with a sports day at Ross Reserve in Noble Park on Saturday 31 October, from 8:30am to 7pm. The program lists golf, a 5K, athletics, volleyball and football. RSVPs are through the KCV events page. The day is a chance to meet the community before the busy end-of-year season.
November: the African Music and Cultural Festival
The African Music and Cultural Festival (AMCF) is now in its 13th year. Its organisers say it draws more than 50,000 people across three days and involves over 40 Victorian African communities in its planning. They bill it as Australia’s largest African festival.
Each day has a different focus, according to the official program. Friday 20 November runs from 10am to 10pm, with African-Australian short films, live music, spoken word and food. Zimbabwean artist Niasha closes the night. Saturday 21 November is the biggest day, with 12 hours of music, dance, fashion and food from 10am. It ends with Elsy Wameyo on the Main Stage from 9pm. Sunday 22 November runs from 10am to 8pm. It opens with giant Somali puppetry, followed by a fireside chat on African Australian medical pioneers and the Jollof Rice Wars cooking contest. South African act Afro Space Interchange closes the festival.
Wameyo’s set is a Kenyan highlight. She was born in Nairobi and lived in Kenya until she was seven, then grew up in Adelaide. Her debut album, Saint Sinner, came out in 2024. She made it with help from Kenyan musicians including Okello Max and Ywaya Tajiri. She has also toured arenas with Hilltop Hoods, the ABC reported.
Families have plenty to do as well. Drumming sessions are free on all three days. Free art workshops run at The Edge, each 30 to 60 minutes long with 30 places per session. The Kids Zone has face painting and African board games. The Mancala Challenge asks for a gold coin donation. The festival’s annual panel discussion will be held again this year, but organisers have not yet named the topic or the speakers.
Also in November: African Diaspora Women’s Summit
The Australian African Institute is hosting the 3rd African Diaspora Women’s Summit in Melbourne the same week. It is co-hosted with The Circle of Global Business Women. The program begins with welcome drinks at The Hotel Windsor on Tuesday 17 November, followed by plenary sessions on 18 and 19 November. The theme is “Reclaiming the Narrative: Legacy, Leadership & Global Sisterhood in a Polarised World – Our Connections”. A women’s golf day for registered delegates is also planned. The summit page gives two different dates for it, so check with the summit office before booking. Registration details had not been published when we checked.
December: Jamhuri Day in Melbourne
The only public Jamhuri Day event we could confirm so far is Kenyan Night (Jamhuri 2026 Edition). It runs from 10pm on Saturday 12 December until 4am at Club Pandora, 127 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne. The Eventbrite listing names the organiser as Saint Patrick and promises Kenyan hits, Afrobeats, Bongo, Gengetone and Afro-dancehall. The listing says tickets are non-refundable. The ticket price was not shown when we checked.
As of 20 October, KCV’s events calendar did not list a Jamhuri Day event. If your church, chama or association is planning a celebration, please tell us and we will add it.
January and February 2027: Afrobeats season
All White Boat Party, Docklands, Saturday 30 January. De Victorian GL presents an evening of Afrobeats, food and drinks on the waterfront at 30 Victoria Harbour Promenade, from 6pm to midnight. The listing gives the price as $120 per person, including food and drinks. The dress code is all white, entry is strictly 18+, and refunds are available up to seven days before the event.
Oxlade Live, South Yarra, Saturday 13 February. Nigerian Afrobeats singer Oxlade plays 386 Chapel Street from 6pm to 10pm, presented by Hyp Ent Group. Entry is 18+ and the listing says tickets are non-refundable.
King Saha Live, Abbotsford, Friday 19 February. Ugandan Afro-beat and Zouk singer King Saha (Ssemanda Manisul) performs at Collingwood Town Hall, 140 Hoddle Street, from 5:30pm to 11:30pm. AYAGA Events is presenting the show. The listing prices tickets at $50 early bird, $60 general admission and $80 final release, with no refunds.
Year-round: Kenyan community life in Melbourne
Kenya Community Victoria runs events throughout the year. Its biggest cultural night, the Tamaduni Festival, was held in Tullamarine in August. KCV and Centum RE also run Swahili lessons on Zoom, which continue until 28 November. To learn about future events, check KCV’s calendar or browse our Community section.
Tell us about your event
This guide will be updated through the summer. If you are organising a Kenyan or African community event in Victoria, such as a Jamhuri Day lunch, a church carol service, a chama end-of-year gathering or a concert, send us the date, the venue, the price and a link to the organiser’s page. We will check the details and add the event. More listings are in our Events section.
Frequently asked questions
When is the African Music and Cultural Festival in Melbourne in 2026?
It runs from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November 2026 at Fed Square. It opens at 10am each day and closes at 10pm on Friday and Saturday and at 8pm on Sunday.
Is the African Music and Cultural Festival free?
Yes. Entry is free. A few activities, such as the Mancala Challenge, ask for a gold coin donation.
When does Elsy Wameyo perform at AMCF?
She closes the Main Stage on Saturday 21 November, from 9pm.
Where can I celebrate Jamhuri Day in Melbourne?
Kenyan Night (Jamhuri 2026 Edition) is on at Club Pandora in South Melbourne from 10pm on Saturday 12 December. We will add other confirmed community celebrations as organisers announce them.
Are there Kenyan community groups in Melbourne?
Yes. Kenya Community Victoria runs sports, cultural and language events, including the Mashujaa Festival on 31 October.