Uganda seems to be the place where something exciting is happening almost every weekend, whether it's a party, concert, event, or festival.
The city remains vibrant throughout the weekends. Presently, the country hosts nearly 30 festivals covering diverse themes like food, music, film, dance, culture, and more.
We've curated a list of the top 10 festivals for you to explore.
1.Twins festival
The Twins Festival, orchestrated by Vision Group, stands out as one of the grandest yearly affairs, largely due to its consistent high attendance. Traditionally hosted at Namboole Stadium, the event recently celebrated its sixth edition, which proved to be another remarkable success.
2. Royal Ascot Goat Races
The Royal Ascot Goat Races, a Kampala tradition since 1993, take place at the Speke Resort, situated along the shores of Lake Victoria. Regarded as one of the paramount events on the Ugandan social calendar, this spectacle is organized by the Ruparelia Group and involves a series of eight races, each showcasing eight goats.
Attendees have the opportunity to place bets on goats as they parade around the track before the races, using a bettors’ guide that provides details about each goat, aiding in predicting potential winners. Profits generated from betting are directed towards local charitable causes. Alongside the goat races, attendees can also explore hospitality and food tents, and enjoy various amusements designed for children. This event, characterized by networking and enjoyment, draws in Kampala's social elite and party enthusiasts.
3. Nyege Nyege festival
Undoubtedly one of the largest music festivals in East Africa, Nyege Nyege is a four-day musical extravaganza drawing party enthusiasts from all corners of the continent. The festival, according to its founder, symbolizes peace, love, and immense joy for underground music and musicians in Africa. Recently, the festival successfully hosted its fifth edition at its regular venue, the 'Nile Discovery Beach' in Jinja.
4. Pizza Festival
Certainly! Have you ever considered trying unique and diverse Pizza recipes crafted from local foods such as Matooke Pizza, Nsenene Pizza, Egg Pizza, Irish Pizza, or Lumonde Pizza? If so, this festival is tailored for your taste buds. Thanks to the innovative recipes and creativity infused into Pizza preparations, this festival has thrived for over two years, consistently drawing overwhelming attendance due to its novel culinary artistry.
6.Ice-cream and cake festival
For three consecutive years, the annual Ice Cream and Cake Festival has consistently drawn substantial crowds. This gathering unites local ice cream and cake producers, sellers, distributors, and enthusiasts, assembling them in a single venue. The event primarily highlights cake tasting, cake displays, meetings with suppliers, indulgence in cakes, cookies, bread, and various other delectable treats. Traditionally, this festival takes place at Uganda Museum.
7. Rolex Festival
The Rolex, a fusion of chapatti and eggs, has gained widespread recognition, earning the top spot as the fastest-growing food in Uganda, as highlighted by CNN. This surge in popularity is the driving force behind the Rolex Festival, a significant event in Uganda. Hosted by the Rolex Initiative Uganda, this festival gathers upscale restaurants to exhibit various styles of preparing a Rolex. The showcase of culinary expertise is complemented by entertainment, games, and various other activities.
8. Nsenene and Wine festival
The organizers behind the Nsenene and Wine Fest have articulated their objective of promoting food tourism through this event. Scheduled for November 10 at the Uganda National Museum gardens, the 2019 edition promises an array of culinary delights such as Samosa Nsenene, Burger Nsenene, Pancake Nsenene, Beef Nsenene, Chicken Nsenene, and more for attendees to relish.
9. Muchomo festival
At the festival, meat enthusiasts are presented with various meat options such as beef, chicken, mutton, pork, crocodile meat, and more. The 2019 celebration marked its fifth edition and drew an impressive turnout, catering to the diverse preferences of attendees who relished a range of meat varieties.
10. Foodie Festival
The inaugural street food festival was hosted by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in collaboration with My Food Network. Following its success, it was declared to be an annual event. This gathering aims to provide attendees with an experience of dining on the streets. The first edition took place at Parliamentary Avenue.