One Vibe is proud to unveil the eighth annual Madaraka Festival on Saturday, August 13th and Sunday August 14th. Madaraka Festival brings Africa’s finest musicians and creatives together with world renowned artists and innovators for a celebration of music and civic purpose. The festival will be held from 2:00 pm at Pier 62 at Waterfront Park in Seattle, Washington where we will have live musical performances, African food, and art! The festival will also be streamed for a global audience on YouTube and Facebook. In these unprecedented times, it is vital that we stand in solidarity with one another and enjoy the creativity that has sustained us through challenging times. What better way to live in the post-pandemic period than being the Global Village that we are!

Since 2014, Madaraka Festival has attracted more than 12,000 patrons & reached over 15 million people annually while empowering diversity and inclusion in the Seattle community. Madaraka Festival has uniquely deepened the relationship between African, African American communities, and fostered partnerships with other international communities while shifting narrative and honoring cultural dynamics. In 2019, this international cultural extravaganza was a culmination of an entire week of activities in Kisumu, Kenya where One Vibe Africa originated. In 2020, Madaraka happened virtually and raised seed capital for 106 women who run small scale businesses in three Kenyan slums. Madaraka provided an opportunity for nearly 100 African-Americans to participate in cross-cultural exchange programs. In 2021, Madaraka Festival was held at Bellevue Youth Theater’s outdoor amphitheater headlined by Grammy Award nominated reggae legend, Pato Banton as part of his world peace tour.

A Night to Remember

– Northwest Music Scene

 Together, this group of creatives continue to serve as a support system for Madaraka Festival – with over 30 million social media reach as a combined internet ecosystem.  

Proceeds from Madaraka Festival go towards One Vibe Africa’s Education Music and Art Program (EMAP) in Kisumu, Kenya. 

Over the past five years, Madaraka Festival has helped One Vibe accomplish the following:

  • Serve over 1,000 youth through an Education Music & Art Program (EMAP) in Kisumu.

  • Build a recording & film production studio to enhance the impact of these programs, and to generate income to help sustain the organization.

  • Pilot programs such as Miti Ni Dawa, a tree planting & vegetable farming initiative for environmental protection and vegetable farming in Kisumu, Kenya

  • Produce Madaraka The Documentary, which is an original work that embodies a spirit of liberation while fostering partnership and collaboration among filmmakers, innovators, and entrepreneurs across Africa and the Diaspora

  • Galvanize over 9,000 Africans in the diaspora through a consistent Pan-African annual even

  • We reach over 6,000 people through in-person events annually

  • Engage over 15 million via digital impressions

Our hope is to make Madaraka Festival an annual pilgrimage for African-Americans and other Africans in the diaspora that have a deep desire to consistently connect with the motherland, Africa.

This year, Madaraka Festival will honor African and African American culture while elevating their voices and creating community cohesion. The founder of One Vibe Africa and Madaraka Festival Simon Javan Okelo, has curated a lineup that will be unveiled as we get closer to the date of the event. We are excited to come together in the spirit of unity to collaborate with Converge Media, Common Good Church, RVC Seattle, Langston Seattle, Wa Na Wari, N333D Creative, NW Film Forum, NW Folklife Festival, Microsoft, and other organizations, sponsors, and partners to bring to you the 2022 Madaraka Festival. Additionally, Wednesday, May 25th during Africa Day we marked the beginning of the online campaign for Madaraka Festival, which is scheduled for August 13th and 14th.

DATE: Saturday, August 13th and Sunday August 14th, 2022 TIME: 2:00pm PST

VENUE: Pier 62 at Waterfront Park in Seattle TICKETS: FREE with RSVP and all Ages

Contact: Simon Okelo

206-613-9581

okelo@onevibeafrica.org

Some of the International Artists who have graced Madaraka Festival are since 2014:- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis who headlined Madaraka Festival 2014; Rocky Dawuni, Sauti Sol, Aramide, Meklit Hadero, Nik West, Blitz the Ambassador, Yaddi Bojia, Owuor Arunga, Draze, Choklate, Chimurenga Renaissance, Singer Dynamq, Karun, Nazizi, Bensoul, Otieno Terry, Draze, Pato Banton, Naa Akua, Jaye Ware, Austin Dean Ashford, Simon Javan Okelo, Nairobi Horns, Khaligraph Jones, CBK, Mazzi & Soul Purpose, Musa Jakadalla, Marga Mbade, Amen Viana, The Swahili Jazz Band, Shamir, Wendy Kemunto, DioMara, Moseh the Drummist, Aisha Fukushima, Aaron English, General Mutumbo, Boutross, Philip Mbinji, Sol Afrique, Olisa Enrico AKA Spyc-E, Apesi, Rayson Gathoni, Gabiro Mtu Necessary, Dawe Dawe, REFUGE, Greg Thornton, Mitchelle Omondi, Lake Vibe Band, Lee Roy