Dance your Saturday away at first-ever African music festival in St. John's

The founder of a festival making its debut in St. John's on Saturday hopes to get locals grooving to the African music he loves.

The St. John's African Roots Festival SARFest is a day-long event featuring concerts, percussion workshops, storytelling and food, all centred around African culture and music.

"It's our goal to introduce this beautiful music to the local people," said founder Navel Sarr.

Sarr came to St. John's 2 years ago.While not a musician himself, he's a fan of a multitude of African music genres, and missed hearing its diversity of songs onradio or TV.

So he decided to do something about it, and started a multicultural exchange in his new home.

"It's an African festival, but it's not just for Africans. It's for everyone. It's open, we just want to share our culture. We share this country," he said.

Senegalese star

The festival's headliner is Zale Seck, an Afrobeat musician Sarr grew up listening to in Senegal, where Seck is a household name.

Seck and Sarr both ended up in Montreal later in life, became friends, and when SARFest began coming together, Sarr picked up the phone for a festival favour.

Bring your family, dance, discover something new.- Navel Sarr

Seck will also be leading a djembe workshop for anyone who wants to try their hand at the drumming style, with djembes available to use.

With 2019 being the first year for the festival, Sarr can only guess as to what Saturday's turnout will be, but he hopes it draws a big, all-ages crowd.

"I want to see Newfoundlanders dancing with this beautiful music," he laughed.

"Bring your family, dance, discover something new."

SARFest runs from 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at Ecoledes Grand-Vents, at 65 Ridge Rd. in St. John's.

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