Organization Overview, Mission, and Purpose:
The Ottawa African Festival, presented by the Pan AfriKan Coalition of Canada (PACC), is a non-profit cultural organization established in 2009 and formally incorporated in 2010. Operating primarily within the National Capital Region, the organization is dedicated to promoting knowledge, appreciation, and celebration of the diverse cultures, histories, and artistic traditions of Africa and the African diaspora in Canada. Through its flagship annual festival and related cultural initiatives, PACC creates inclusive platforms that showcase the richness of African heritage while fostering intercultural dialogue, artistic exchange, and community engagement. The Ottawa African Festival serves as a vibrant multidisciplinary cultural event that brings together artists, cultural practitioners, community leaders, and audiences from across Canada and beyond. The festival features high-quality performances, visual arts exhibitions, cultural demonstrations, and culinary presentations that highlight both established and emerging artists. Through this programming, the festival celebrates multicultural diversity and strengthens connections among African Canadians, Canadian-based African artists, Indigenous communities, and other culturally diverse and historically underrepresented groups within Canada’s cultural landscape. At the core of the organization’s mandate is the commitment to creating open, inclusive, and accessible cultural spaces. The Ottawa African Festival is intentionally designed as a welcoming platform for individuals of all backgrounds who share an interest in arts, music, culture, and community engagement. The organization actively responds to Canada’s evolving multicultural environment by supporting diverse artistic voices and providing professional opportunities for artists from equity-deserving communities. These include African-Canadian artists, non-citizen African artists residing in Canada, Indigenous artists, culturally diverse Canadian artists, artists with disabilities, and members of other marginalized communities. Through equitable working conditions, thoughtful program design, and respectful collaboration, the organization ensures that these artists are meaningfully represented and supported within its programming. In addition to artistic presentation, the Ottawa African Festival plays an important educational and community-building role. The organization works to increase awareness and understanding of African cultures among Canadians of all backgrounds while strengthening cultural pride among African communities living in Canada. Through workshops, performances, cultural demonstrations, and community outreach activities, the festival provides opportunities for Canadian-born youth and other participants to learn about African traditions, histories, music, dance, arts, cuisine, and cultural values. These experiences help promote cross-cultural learning, social cohesion, and mutual respect within the broader Canadian society. The organization’s mission is to bring together people from across the African continent and the global African diaspora to celebrate, promote, and preserve African cultural heritage. By presenting cultural demonstrations and artistic expressions rooted in tradition while embracing contemporary innovation, the Ottawa African Festival informs and enriches audiences throughout Canada about the depth and diversity of African cultures. The festival also seeks to strengthen unity, pride, and shared identity among African communities while highlighting the important contributions of African peoples to Canada’s cultural fabric. Guided by principles of equity, accessibility, and inclusion, the Ottawa African Festival actively supports participation regardless of sex, gender identity or expression, race, sexual orientation, ability, cultural background, or immigration status. The organization remains committed to ensuring fair and respectful treatment of all individuals and continues to build inclusive cultural environments that foster belonging, representation, and artistic excellence. Through its programming, partnerships, and organizational practices, the Ottawa African Festival contributes meaningfully to the cultural vitality of the National Capital Region and to Canada’s broader multicultural arts landscape.

Festival Purpose and Activities

• The Ottawa African Festival is dedicated to creating a dynamic cultural platform that brings together people from diverse backgrounds to foster intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, and meaningful community engagement. Its primary purpose is to celebrate and promote the rich artistic traditions, cultural heritage, and contemporary creativity of Africa and the African diaspora while strengthening connections among communities in Canada’s National Capital Region and beyond. Through a multidisciplinary program of performances and cultural activities, the festival provides audiences with an immersive and educational cultural experience. The event features live music concerts, traditional and contemporary dance performances, storytelling, spoken word, visual arts exhibitions, cultural demonstrations, and culinary presentations that reflect the diversity of African cultures. These activities highlight both established and emerging artists, offering professional performance opportunities while supporting artistic collaboration and cultural exchange. A key objective of the festival is to advance public knowledge and appreciation of Africa’s historical and contemporary contributions to global art, music, culture, science, and philosophy. By presenting authentic cultural expressions alongside innovative contemporary works, the festival provides audiences with opportunities to experience the depth and diversity of African creativity. Educational workshops, artist talks, and interactive demonstrations further enhance the learning experience, particularly for youth and students interested in exploring African heritage and artistic traditions. The Ottawa African Festival also plays an important role in supporting community development and cultural inclusion. The festival is intentionally designed as an open and accessible space where individuals from all communities can gather to share experiences, celebrate diversity, and build connections. Its inclusive approach ensures opportunities for participation by marginalized and equity-deserving groups, including African-Canadian artists, Canadian-based African artists, Indigenous artists, newcomers, youth, artists with disabilities, and other culturally diverse communities. In addition to artistic programming, the festival incorporates cultural marketplaces, community networking opportunities, and family-friendly activities that encourage broad public participation. Cultural vendors, artisans, and food exhibitors present traditional crafts, fashion, and cuisine, offering visitors a deeper appreciation of African cultural practices and entrepreneurship. Sports demonstrations, youth activities, and collaborative community initiatives further strengthen the festival’s role as a gathering place that celebrates diversity and social cohesion. By combining artistic excellence with community engagement and educational programming, the Ottawa African Festival contributes to a broader understanding of African cultures while promoting respect, equality, and cultural pride. Through its annual celebration and related initiatives, the festival continues to strengthen cultural bridges, support artists, and enrich Canada’s multicultural landscape.

Community Impact and Mission

• The Ottawa African Festival plays an important role in strengthening the cultural vitality of the National Capital Region by contributing to greater diversity, inclusion, and intercultural understanding. Through its multidisciplinary programming and community-centered approach, the festival creates meaningful opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with the rich artistic traditions and contemporary cultural expressions of Africa and the African diaspora. By presenting music, dance, visual arts, storytelling, and culinary experiences, the festival highlights the unifying power of artistic expression and fosters connections among individuals from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. The festival is intentionally designed as an open and accessible cultural platform, welcoming all individuals who share an interest in arts, music, and cultural exchange. This inclusive environment reflects Ottawa’s rapidly growing multicultural population and provides a space where communities can celebrate their cultural identities while learning from one another. Through these shared experiences, the Ottawa African Festival encourages dialogue, promotes mutual respect, and strengthens social cohesion across diverse communities. A central component of the festival’s mission is education and cultural awareness. The organization strives to increase public knowledge and appreciation of African cultures, histories, and traditions through engaging and accessible programming. Particular emphasis is placed on educational opportunities for Canadian-born youth, students, and families who may have limited exposure to African cultural heritage. Workshops, performances, and interactive cultural demonstrations provide valuable learning experiences that deepen understanding of African music, dance, art, cuisine, and traditional values. In fulfilling its mission, the Ottawa African Festival seeks not only to entertain but also to inspire, inform, and build lasting cultural connections. By bringing together artists, educators, cultural leaders, and audiences, the festival strengthens community engagement while celebrating the important contributions of African cultures to Canada’s multicultural landscape.

2026 Event Dates and Location

• This year, the Ottawa African Festival 17th Edition; is scheduled for August 28–30, 2026, in Britannia Beach "Pier Park" Ottawa, Ontario
• Two Addresses: 
• 2805 Britannia Rd, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• 102 Greenview Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Past venue: Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Ave, Ottawa..

Organizational Structure 

The Ottawa African Festival is organized and administered by the Pan AfriKan Coalition of Canada (PACC), a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to promoting African arts, culture, and community engagement within the National Capital Region. The festival operates through a collaborative leadership structure that combines artistic direction, administrative management, and community partnerships to ensure professional delivery and strong cultural representation. The organization is led by Daniel Eji, who serves as Executive and Artistic Director. In this role, he provides overall strategic leadership and artistic vision for the Ottawa African Festival and its related cultural initiatives. Daniel Eji is responsible for shaping the festival’s multidisciplinary programming, building partnerships with artists and cultural organizations, and ensuring that the event reflects the richness and diversity of African and African diasporic artistic traditions. His work focuses on promoting cultural exchange, supporting emerging and established artists, and strengthening opportunities for community participation in the arts. Through his leadership, the festival has grown into an important cultural platform that connects African artists with audiences across Canada while fostering intercultural dialogue and artistic collaboration. Supporting the leadership of the organization is Enock Shikongo, who serves as Vice President. In this role, he contributes to organizational governance, strategic planning, and operational coordination. Together, the leadership team works with volunteers, community partners, artists, and cultural practitioners to deliver a high-quality festival that is inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the diverse communities it serves. Additional information about the Ottawa African Festival, including upcoming programming, partnership opportunities, and community engagement initiatives, is available through the organization’s official website and social media platforms. For event updates, artist announcements, and general inquiries, interested individuals and organizations may visit africanfestival.org or contact the festival directly via email at: e.daniel@africanfestival.org. Through this leadership structure and collaborative approach, the Ottawa African Festival continues to strengthen its role as a significant cultural event that celebrates African heritage while contributing to Ottawa’s vibrant and multicultural arts landscape.