After a 2 year hiatus, the famed Beneath The Baobabs Festival (formerly Kilifi New Year) is making a comeback this December, only now it’s even bigger and better.
Beneath The Baobabs has proudly evolved into a 2 day, 2 night Kenyan Destination Festival, uniting the rising counter-culture movement of East Africa for a celebration like no other.
The Ambiance Is A Must, No?
On a 50-acre property in the heart of a Kilifi baobab forest and nestled amidst a plateau 30m above the source of the Takaungu Creek sits Beneath The Baobabs which happens to be home to 5 Stages and Bars, indoor conference facilities, secret orange, and lemon orchards, bamboo forests, hundreds of square meters of overhanging decks with spectacular views over the treetops, hideaway spaces in the shade of thousand-year-old Baobabs and so much more. Also, they now offer accommodation facilities which is definitely a plus.
Behind The Scenes
Behind every successful destination festival is a team of dedicated festival promoters:
Mark Swallow is the Creative Director of the Beneath The Baobabs festival and we got a chance to hear from him during the launch party. Having been part of the festival when it was Kilifi New Year, the decision was made to rebrand during Covid to what we know now as Beneath The Baobabs festival. “ We have accommodation, we have a restaurant and music studios now giving an opportunity to all creatives to be able to leave the city and be creative in Kilifi. Whether it’s on stage or for some R&R.” We are definitely here for the R&R, right?
The festival will have an amazing Kenyan lineup. Mark is set on ensuring no demographic gets overlooked. Mark is a firm believer in what Kenyan art has to offer as he had this to say, “Beneath The Baobabs is about bringing sub-cultures and groups together, it’s about art, a lot of dance and expression. It’s about people coming together to celebrate what was the year before and what’s to come for Kenyan art”.
The Head of Marketing for the festival, Julie Olum, also chimed in on this. With a scaled-down version of the event having been held last year, and 1,500 tickets sold, the organizers are doing it bigger and better this year. “We really appreciate people who trust us to put on a unique experience. Not to brag but sometimes there are conversations on Twitter about insecurity at certain venues… Beneath The Baobabs is the safest I’ve ever felt and a lot of people will back us up on that”. Breathe a sigh of relief because security will not be an issue, we love that for all the festival attendees.
A lover of glamping? Julie says they have that covered, “Some of our partners Turpo are here and they’ll be providing glamping options. They’ll provide you with a bed and a fan and sockets plus a shower all in a tent. We also work very closely with ecolodge and backpackers, so consider accommodation sorted. Come ready to plug in for two days and two nights on December 30th. Tickets are selling out fast”
The Launch Party
Facilitated by Anyiko PR, Beneath The Baobabs Festival recently held a re-launch at the newly opened Kenyan Originals Gin Bar and it was something else! We were treated to amazing music by DJ IV, DJ Paps, and Blocka Beats, giving us just a little taste of the vibes we can expect at the festival.
We had a chance to chat with DJ IV and Blocka Beats who will be on the lineup for this year’s festival. Here’s what they had to say:
DJ IV
How does the music scene compare now to before covid hit? Are fans more appreciative of the art than they did before or is it more or less the same?
Fans are definitely more receptive now. It’s easier to consume art in whatever form, music especially because there are a lot of projects being released every other day.
Are festivals different for you compared to a gig in a club?
Oh definitely. With festivals, you have the experience in terms of music. When you’re experiencing music, not only does the DJ matter but so does the crowd, the environment, the vibes, the drinks…it’s the whole crazy shebang!
You’ve previously mentioned in an interview that you would love to get into music production. How’s that going and can we expect to hear the music you are producing soon?
Yes, that’s going very well. I’m collecting artists to collaborate with like Thanos. Anytime between December and January, my music should be out there.
What can fans expect from your set at Beneath The Baobabs festival?
Expect nothing but greatness from Me!
Blocka Beats
What do you love about performing for a Kenyan crowd?
What I love is that us guys we know how to party. We will drink and party and all you gotta do is play some good music it doesn’t matter! (Where’s the lie?)
It doesn’t matter if the music is in Swahili or Spanish, Kenyans are going to dance and have a good time. These are my people so I can never go wrong with them.
How does performing in a festival compare to other gigs or concerts?
A festival is a bigger stage. Clubs and smaller venues are more intimate coz it’s a smaller crowd whereas 2000 people are expected at the festival. Whether there are 5,000 or 10,000 people, I’m ready to go. It’s a new challenge to throw the biggest party you can.
So the bigger the crowd the better for you…
A large crowd pumps me up coz I think my music is unique plus I play certain music that people will know but also certain music that people might not know, giving a balance of both. People may not remember the songs but they’ll always remember Blocka Beats gave us a good time dancing, jamming, shazaming. Whether it’s midnight or 6 A.M., I’m reading the crowd and the vibes and giving a good time.
You’re a producer/rapper/sound engineer and according to Tidal, a vibe creator. So, what can those attending the festival expect from Blocka Beats, the vibe creator?
A good time no doubt. I’m here to set the year right. We’ve been working hard, struggling, hustling so on the 30th when I’ll be performing it’s just good vibes, letting everything go, and just bringing the New Year in with Kenyan music… I’ll be playing all Kenyan music; from my music to all the dope guys I collaborate with and I support.
Parting Shot…
Let’s usher in 2023 the right way. Grab your booze and selected items, but whatever you want to do, let’s do it together at Beneath The Baobabs Beach Festival.
Well, you heard it from two performers who are part of the lineup. You don’t want to miss out on the best end-of-year festival party down in Kilifi from 30th December to 2nd January. There are still some tickets up for grabs. See You Beneath The Baobabs!
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Written By Anne Wambui
