This year the Afrikafestival in Hertme celebrates it's 25^th anniversary.
We have accomplished this without subsidy and exclusively with the help of volunteers.
To celebrate, this year there is a festive jubilee programme which is different from previous years.
We have asked eight groups to come back and perform in Hertme. They have been selected because of their tremendous success the previous time they appeared, and also because we want to celebrate this occasion with them.
Besides these there are three new faces who have individually made a big impression on the music.
We are honoured, that the Afrikafestival Hertme has been chosen by Songlines magazine as one of the Best 25 International Festivals of 2013.

The new faces:
Albino singer Salif Keita from Mali has become an icon and symbolises 40 years of African pop music. With his recently released CD “Talé” he is still engaged in innovation.

Tony Allen is one of the co-founders of the genre of Afrobeat Music. Fela Kuti once stated that “without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat”. The 73 year old drummer comes to Hertme with a young Afrobeat ensemble.

Richard Bona from Cameroon, is a world famous bass player. He lives in New York and works with many of the big names in the jazz world. He plays at many jazz festivals around the whole world and will be surprised to now be playing at an Africa festival.

The group of artists who are returning to Herme are headed up by Bassekou Kouyaté. His Dutch debut in Herme in 2007 was called “historic” at the time. We are honoured to be able to welcome him again, with his wife, the singer Amy Sacko and with a completely new ensemble Ngoni Ba.

Oliver Mtukudzi gave a swinging concert in Hertme in 2000. He is still at the top of Zimbabwean music, is seldom seen in the Netherlands and is coming back for an exclusive performance in Holland.

Bonga, from Angola belongs to a select group of artists which has performed twice in  Hertme. He is the symbol of Angolan music and both of his performances were so magnificent, that we are are very pleased to welcome him back a third time.

The Burundi Drummers made an indelible impression on the audience in 2006 with their hypnotic percussion and acrobatic dance.

According to Ton Maas in the Volkskrant, Rajery, the genial and charismatic bambooharp-player from Madagascar was easily the absolute sensation of the festival in 2006. Don't miss him!

In 2008, Daby Touré got the whole theatre on its feet. Everyone who was present at the time has a living memory of the event. He will be here to close the festival.

The Fanfare Eyo'nle from Benin surprised us during the opening of the festival in 2009, following which, they leapt, playing and singing over the market and caused happy smiling faces everywhere. This will happen again during our jubilee festival.

Kidsgear Children's choir from Uganda missed the stage last year; they performed on the grass in the Market. This year they will give a short performance of a half hour between two main acts, but this time on the stage!

Between the rain-swept streets of Paris and the swirling sands of the Sahara, there lies a
voice that is neither and both of these music-soaked places. Musician Daby Touré, son of the
African desert and child of a Parisian musical upbringing, has created new boundaries and
categories that go beyond territory, ethnicity or birthright. He is simply Daby.