Africa's festival scene is vibrant and exciting, only getting more and more so. From Rocking The Daisies to Splashy Fen to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and so many others, there are so many ways to discover the continent's music and cultural gems through festival adventures. This past weekend, one of the most interesting and culturally important African music festivals unfolded: Lake of Stars.

The Malawian festival has been a flagship event on the shores of Lake Malawi (one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world!) starting in 2004 with a profound vision behind its conception. the nation of Malawi is often referred to as the "Warm Heart of Africa," it’s also the 13th poorest country in the world. That’s why festival founder Will Jameson wants Lake of Stars to, in addition to it being a top-notch music festival, serve as a community development project that benefits the tourism industry.

When Jameson first visited Malawi in 1998, he was a university student at Liverpool's John Moores University. Jameson spent six months working for The Wildlife and Environmental Society Of Malawi in Dwangwa, north of the current festival grounds. His travels inspired an award-winning club night back in Liverpool, and ultimately led Jameson to a career in the music industry.

Today, the official mission of Lake of Stars Festival is “to work in the fields of the arts, tourism and development to provide entertainment whilst developing people and places.” Other British festivals like WOMAD and Glastonbury inspired Jameson to include a charitable element, but Lake of Stars arguably has a bigger and more direct impact than those mega-fests. 


Lake of Stars began with around 700 attendees and has since grown to amass crowds of nearly 4,000 people. Attendees travel from more than 30 countries each year, thus generating an estimated $1.7 million for the Malawian economy. Additionally, the festival itself donates a portion of ticket sales revenue to worthy causes like relief efforts from the recent floods.

As for the event, Lake of Stars spans three full days. Not just limited to music, it includes poetry readings, TEDx-style talks, workshops, acrobatics, theater performances, and film screenings. Plus, Lake Malawi itself is open to festival attendees for swimming, light water sports, and more.

Still, the music draws the most international attention, as Western acts like Basement Jaxx, Foals, The Maccabees, The Noisettes, and Young Fathers have all previously headlined the fest. But as Jameson and the festival organizers aim to empower the Malawian community through this event, it also highlights many local and African acts – and its 2016 lineup was no exception. Notable Malawian performers have included Lucius Banda, Tay Grin, and The Black Missionaries.

Below are images capturing this raucous, music- and culture-infused party on the shores of Lake Malawi.