Get ready! Akon is bringing Jollof Music and Food Festival to Atlanta

One of West Africa’s most loved dishes has its own festival, and we will get to experience it right here in Atlanta!

Akon Lights Africa is putting on its first Atlanta Jollof Music and Food Festival. The day-long festival celebrates the different takes and variations of the beloved Jollof. There is a continuous debate about which West African country has the best Jollof and this festival will put that all to the test – in the end, a winner of “Jollof Wars” will be chosen.

During the Jollof Music and Food Festival, participants will get to enjoy all of the amazing food and vote in a head-to-head battle amongst representatives from each country, fighting for the title of Best Jollof Rice. Akon’s vote is already going to where his family hails from, Senegalese but there will be representatives from all over – they could be from Ghana, Sierra Leone or even Nigeria, but only one can take the crown!

It will be a day full of music, food, art, dance and so much more. There will be a variety of food to eat and things to do at the festival – including being able to watch a number of live performances by Rotimi, Afro B, Focalistic, Nektunez, Salma Slims, Nana Kofi and of course, the man putting on the festival, Akon. Not to mention, festival-goers will be able to experience and enjoy the authentic West African dishes and shop from local black businesses providing Ankara prints, jewelry, artistic paintings, clothing and more.

One thing I know for sure is with food like Jollof and Afrobeats music, you can’t go wrong! And if the food is anything like the food in the picture for this article, from The Island Grill, then it’s definitely going to be good!

The Atlanta Jollof Music and Food Festival will be on July 23 at Piedmont Park. You can grab your tickets right now at atlantajolloffestival.com. Check out the festival announcement from Akon below and feel free to follow their Instagram page for all festival updates!