Join us for an afternoon of extravagant concerts, dance and carnival performances in the gardens to celebrate the end of our African Summer: the programme will include specially-commissioned carnival parades, live music from across the African continent, pop-up performances, workshops, food and more.
Carnival activities in the gardens
1.30-4.45pm – Mandinga Arts : Mandinga has been working over an eight week period with a number of community partners and artists to create extraordinary costumes, masks and puppets inspired by the Horniman African collections. Watch their extravagant performers and musicians parading around the gardens or learn of few dance steps to join the procession!
1.30-2 & 3.45-4.15pm: Dance workshops on the Bandstand Terrace
2-2.30 & 4.15-4.45pm: Parades, starting at the museum entrance
Concerts on the bandstand
12-1.30pm – Electric Jalaba: Dancefloor-shaking Electric Jalaba is a collaboration between Eclectic groove adventurers Soundspecies and Moroccan Gnawa master Simo Lagnawi. Simo is the leading UK player of the Guembri – a traditional lute-like stringed instrument made from camel skin. With his mesmeric voice and dance moves, join him for an uncontrived fusion of musical influences from jazz to techno, funk, psychedelic rock and Desert blues.
2.15-3.45pm – Afrospot Allstars: Afrospot are all about the joyous sounds of Highlife, the indigenous, authentic dance music of West Africa. Driven by charismatic Kodjovi Kush, the band’s unique style of Agbajazz fuses Agbadja, Kamou, Hilghlife, Jazz and the traditional music and dances from Togo, Ghana and Benin.
4.30-6pm – Yaaba Funk: Yaaba Funk bring Ghana to London and London to Ghana. Huge energy, rock solid syncopation, deep bass, African guitar and tight horn section fronted by the dynamic duo of Richmond Kessie and Helen McDonald, Yaaba Funk have gained a reputation as one of London’s hottest and most original live acts.
Other activities
Other activities will include site-specific dance and street performances, African food stalls, dance and more!