Full guide to Africa Oyé 2026 festival in Liverpool

Africa Oyé returns to Sefton Park this month and for the first time in its history, visitors will need a ticket to get in.

Organisers said the event was the UK's biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture and will feature live performances, DJs, food stalls, crafts, a fun fair and family activities.

The festival took a fallow year in 2025 and this year will see it ticketed for the first time in its 34-year history, due, organisers said, to rising costs, changes in legislation and health and safety requirements.

Taking place on 20 and 21 June, there will be live performances from Patoranking, Fatoumata Diawara, Janet Kay, Fulu Miziki, Ghorwane, Nana Benz Du Togo, Kizaba, Kobo Town, Oumy and many more.

Africa Oyé 2026 takes place on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June.

Gates open at 12:30 BST and the festival ends at 21:30 on both days.

The festival takes place at Sefton Park in Liverpool.

Attendees have been advised to use the postcode L17 3AD for walking directions.

Due to Sefton Park being very busy across the weekend, including road closures around the festival site, driving directly to Africa Oyé is not advised.

Train: The nearest station is St Michaels which is a 10 to 15-minute walk to the festival site.

Bus: There are a large variety of buses that serve Sefton Park on Saturday and Sunday including those run by Arriva and Stagecoach.

They include the 75 bus from Liverpool One Bus Station, or Great Charlotte Street, to Halewood, which runs a service every 15 minutes on Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sunday.

Services on the 80 and 80A from Liverpool One Bus Station run every 20 minutes on Saturday, and the 80A runs every 20 minutes on Sunday.

Visit the Merseytravel website for other public transport services.

Car: Parking in the immediate vicinity of the festival is limited and predominantly for residents.

Organisers said due to rising costs, changes in legislation, and health and safety requirements for a festival of the size it has grown to, the event must be fenced and ticketed or it could not go ahead.

There are a number of concessions. Local residents affected by road closures are being offered free tickets or heavily discounted tickets.

More than 1,000 free tickets for each day have been allocated to local community groups and Under 12s are free.

For full ticket information, visit the Africa Oyé website.

People attending the festivals will be able to bring in their own food and soft drinks.

Small bags, one per person, will be allowed into the event to carry food, soft drinks and other permitted items, with the dimensions of about 8 by 12 by 3 ins (21 by 30 by 8 cm).

Every food trader at the site will offer an affordable meal option and drinks prices at the bars are aligned with pub prices as opposed to festival bar prices, organisers said.

Pass-outs are also allowed so people can leave the site for food and drink elsewhere and return.

Large bags, alcohol, glass, BBQs, and large structures (such as gazebos) will not be allowed to be taken into the festival.

Camping chairs and umbrellas will be allowed into the event, with one per person allowed.

For the festival, weekend entry to Aigburth Drive and Croxteth Drive will be closed to general traffic other than residents and staff.

A section of Croxteth Gate car park will be used as the main production entrance will be a restricted area with no public access from 07:00 BST on 15 June to 20:00 on 24 June.

The Review Field will be closed to public access from 07:00 on 17 June to 20:00 on 23 June.

The road closures have been authorised under a Special Event Temporary Traffic Regulation Order issued by Liverpool City Council Highways Department.

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