When I first moved from West Derby to Aigburth in 2011, I arrived just in time for my first ever Africa Oyé festival.
At the time, I lived close enough to Sefton Park to be able to hear the thumping music from my bedroom, and the spectacular sounds only got louder as my family eagerly headed down, fresh in the neighbourhood, to sample the festival.
I can still remember the vibrancy of it all- the music was energetic and like nothing I had ever seen before. People had come from far and wide to dance the weekend away, setting up camping chairs and even flags from various countries.
The atmosphere had a way of filling you up. I was only 12 at the time, so I hadn’t been to any music festivals before, but my first experience was one I will never forget.
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Since then, Africa Oyé has just got better and better. The acts remain excellent and the food is delicious, but along with this, in 2022 the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary, and survives as a totemic free music festival in Liverpool.
Those two facts are only part of what makes it so great. The longevity, as well as it being open to anybody, coupled with the fact that it is the UK's largest festival of African music and culture, makes it something Liverpool should cherish for as long as possible.
When I got to my teenage years I even volunteered at the festival a few times. That was a fun experience as well - the staff and everybody making it work behind the scenes are dedicated to the event and work hard to make sure it is a weekend to remember.
Organisers need support from our city to keep the festival going. It remains free to the public, and we as a city are proud to host an event that does everything possible to be rich, dazzling and for everybody.
The festival welcomed me to the area over 10 years ago. I look forward to seeing it continue well into the future.
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