Lamu all year round festivals which you can lose yourself in
Lamu and Lamu Archipelago boosts of some of the most breathe takings sights you can ever imagine; it is no wonder it is one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
Lamu and Lamu Archipelago boosts of some of the most breathe takings sights you can ever imagine; it is no wonder it is one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
To capture and celebrate different aspects of its unique cultures, Lamu holds never to be missed festivals strategically spread across all year round.
Here are just some notable events you definitely need to sample.
Lamu Cultural Festival - 16th to 19th Nov 2017
Lamu Cultural Festival is a celebration of both the past and the future and the beliefs and traditions that are the heart and soul of the Lamu community.
Each year, Lamu comes to life during the annual Lamu Cultural Festival, tourists and locals alike get a chance to experience Lamu life at its most exuberant and joyous.
Several competitions and races are staged during this week-long festival ranging from dhow racing to donkey racing.
Started in 2001, the Lamu Cultural Festival has grown exponentially and has become a major cultural event in the region drawing local and international crowds.
Lamu Triathlon - 9th – 10th Dec 2017
Lamu caters for everyone even extreme sports fans.
Lamu Triathlon which was held first in 2015, involves sports fans swimming 800 meters, biking 12km and running 7km.
You can be sure to appreciate Lamu architecture and the vast blue Indian Ocean while you partake in this extreme sport.
Lamu Art Festival - 16th – 19th Feb 2018
If you are a lover of art you definitely need to attend Lamu Art Festival.
It is here you will understand and appreciate Lamu’s enormous role in the world of art and craft.
From woodcarving to painting, photography and weaving, the talented local and foreign participants come to exhibit their work within the Town Square and galleries in Lamu and Shela.
Another major attraction is Shela Hat Contest which first came alive in in 2010.
You see in Lamu the sun shines all year round, smiling down benevolently on the island as if taking a personal delight in the sheer beauty of the place.
For those trying to get any work done, however, the intense sunlight can be a bother.
The only way to therefore cope is by wearing a hat. If you don’t have one – well, just make it!
And not just any hat, the crazier, colourful, Jaw dropping, crazy, ostentatious hats to create delight, awe and inspire laughter the better.
That is what Shela Hat Competition is all about.
Amidst all the fun and laughter, the event also provides the local community with an entertaining opportunity to express their ingenuity and creativity and to be rewarded for it.
Lamu Yoga Festival 14th – 18th Mar 2018
If you are a yoga fan then you are in luck
Lamu Yoga Festival is one of the most relaxing, intense and totally mind-blowing experiences guaranteed to give you peace of mind.
The festival was founded by Monika Fauth of Banana House and Wellness Center in Shella in 1998 and continues to attract hordes of local and international tourists’ to date.
Lamu’s way of life, environment couple with its friendly people blends together to create an atmosphere of perfect destination to leave behind stresses and strain of modern life.
Apart from the yoga classes from different studios and venues in Lamu, Shella and Manda; other activities are held to make the festival more friendly and entertaining.
The four days festival includes meditating under the moon, dhow sailing, workshops, Swahili dishes and the curtains falls in a grand finale beach party complete with Lamu drummers and acrobats.
Maulid Festival 11th -15th Dec 2017
This is a four-day Islamic festival held during the third month of the Muslim calendar to celebrate the birth of Prophet Mohammed.
During Maulidi celebration joyous and beautiful music is tuned out, veneration is done and religious scriptures recited to mark the festival.
It is a celebration of a people’s culture and tradition held so dear by the residents that blends history, the present and the future.
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