Kigali is gearing up for what promises to be the most electrifying cultural weekend in East Africa this year. On Saturday, July 18th, the Spinny & Friends Summer Festival descends on Gahanga Cricket Stadium, and this edition is operating on an entirely different scale.
The festival, a powerhouse franchise that has dominated the social landscapes of Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya, opens the day with the SpinnyRunClub, a community wellness run, before the stadium transforms into a full arena-scale concert experience with festival-grade sound, immersive lighting rigs, pyrotechnics, and a stage production designed to rival anything on the international circuit.
South Africa’s Amapiano heavyweight Kabza De Small tops the bill, joined by Uganda’s media personality Sheila Gashumba and fast-rising singer Joshua Baraka, alongside a lineup of celebrated Rwandan DJs.
The combined social media following of the headline acts alone surpasses 12 million, and that is before factoring in up to 50 high-profile lifestyle and entertainment influencers expected to attend and document the experience live.
The festival does not stop at music. On Sunday, July 19th, the stadium pivots into an exclusive FIFA World Cup Final Watch Party, with massive screens and stadium-grade audio ensuring Rwanda’s capital watches the world’s biggest sporting finale in premium style.
The weekend is expected to draw over 20,000 attendees, with 300 to 500 high-spending international visitors injecting significant revenue into Kigali’s hospitality, dining, and transport sectors.
The City of Kigali, Forzza, Movenpick Hotel, HDI Rwanda and media platform Taarifa are among the confirmed partners, with more expected to follow. “We have two big brands that we might sign with before end of the week. Engagements are underway to a final,” the organiser told Taarifa.
In the spirit of community, the team is also planning a dedicated Umuganda in partnership with Kicukiro District at the end of the month, rooting the event firmly in the social fabric of the city it calls home.
