FuTopia 2026: Where Fumba’s streets become stage

DAR ES SALAAM: I DID not make it to Zanzibar this time, but I was not going to let the distance silence my pen.

Through videos, live coverage and streamed performances, I watched FuTopia come alive in Fumba, a burst of colour, rhythm, culture and energy unfolding before my eyes.

I may have been miles away, but the festival still gave me something to write about.

From the gates of Fumba, the second edition of the FuTopia Festival Zanzibar opened with a colourful parade that turned the streets into a moving stage.

Cultural dancers dressed in khanga brought tradition to the celebration, while circus performers, comedians and drummers added a playful and energetic touch.

One performer, walking high above the crowd on stilts, appeared almost giant-like, towering over the celebrations. Nearby, barechested performers covered in bright paint added another layer of spectacle, while the beat of drums kept the procession moving.

It was an opening that felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a festival announcing itself to the islands, loudly, colourfully and without holding back.

But the celebration had begun the previous evening.

As darkness fell, the beach became another stage, with DJs, music and dancing carrying the party into the night. The atmosphere shifted from the bright spectacle of the daytime parade to a more relaxed beach gathering, with music providing the soundtrack.

By daylight, FuTopia was back in full colour.

Busara Promotions Managing Director Lorenz Herrmann said the festival had officially opened and was designed to give audiences different ways to experience music, creativity and performance.

“FuTopia 2026 is on. We have officially opened, and right now we are continuing with the Open Mic. If you have a talent, this is your opportunity to show it,” Herrmann said.

The Open Mic is one of several elements of the festival programme, giving emerging performers a chance to take the stage and showcase their talents.

Herrmann said visitors could also explore eight different experience zones, each offering something different, alongside a creative stage hosting performances throughout the festival.

Among the artists on the programme are Brainboy and Zara Tarasook Band, while the main stage is expected to bring together some of the festival’s biggest performances.

Herrmann said he was particularly excited about Playroots from Chile, whose performance combines the handpan with a looping station.

For Busara Promotions, however, FuTopia is about more than entertainment. The festival is also part of its wider effort to create opportunities for African artists to reach international audiences.

“We are proud that, through our platforms, we have helped many artists find a pathway to international audiences. We started with live music, and now we are also moving into the DJ space,” Herrmann said.

And so FuTopia continues from the streets of Fumba to the beach, from cultural performances to electronic beats, and from emerging talent to international acts.

I watched it all from a distance this time, through a screen rather than from the crowd. But sometimes, even from miles away, a festival can still make you feel its rhythm and give your pen a reason to keep moving.