Barefeet Youth Arts Festival

View on map
Arts & CultureLusaka
DatesDates TBACheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forPerformance, exhibitionsThe festival is the visible culmination of a
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: ZMW
CategoryArts & CultureFestival type
The story

Barefeet Youth Arts Festival in Lusaka

The Barefeet Youth Arts Festival is an August celebration of youth-led music, dance, theatre and visual art organised by Barefeet Theatre, a Zambian arts organisation working with vulnerable and street-connected children. Over 33,000 people attend across five provinces, Lusaka, Kabwe, Kitwe, Kaoma and Livingstone, making it one of the country's largest youth arts platforms.

Barefeet Theatre built its Youth Arts Festival on a specific and unusual foundation: an arts organisation whose original mission centred on working with street-connected and otherwise vulnerable children in Zambia, using performance as a tool for empowerment rather than simply entertainment.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The festival is the visible culmination of a year-long programme rather than a single staged event: young performers, many of whom Barefeet Theatre describes as having overcome significant personal challenges, spend months developing work before sharing it with more than 33,000 community members and, notably, government figures who attend specifically to hear from them

02

The mystery stays covered

Its reach across five provinces, rather than a single city, and its carnival procession through public streets give it a scale and civic visibility unusual for an event built around emerging and often previously unheard young artists rather than established performers

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Barefeet Theatre's programming draws on Zambian street and community performance traditions

Water and renewal

Living ritual

using music

The sacred route

Living ritual

dance and physical theatre techniques associated with the organisation's original work with street-connected children

The local code

Living ritual

now expanded into a structured

Tradition 5

Living ritual

multi-province annual showcase for young Zambian artists more broadly

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA

Getting around

For Barefeet Youth Arts Festival, plan transport around the exact Lusaka venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Festival-casual, comfortable clothing suited to outdoor carnival and street-procession settings works well; the August dry season in Zambia is generally mild, so light layers for cooler...

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

For Barefeet Youth Arts Festival, stay near the part of Lusaka you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

ZMW

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map15.41 S, 28.29 EOpen in Google Maps

Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia

Nearest airportLUN — Kenneth Kaunda
TransportFor Barefeet Youth Arts Festival, plan transport around the exact Lusaka venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Barefeet Youth Arts Festival, stay near the part of Lusaka you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Lusaka via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Lusaka, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for festival season.Compare faresFestival gearFestival-casual, comfortable clothing suited to outdoor carnival and street-procession settings works well; the August dry season in Zambia is generally mild, so light layers for cooler mornings and evenings are practical.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Zambia and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Barefeet Youth Arts Festival?

Barefeet Youth Arts Festival is listed for Dates to be announced. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Barefeet Youth Arts Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Lusaka, Zambia. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Annual is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLbarefeettheatre.org
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA
Source statusOfficial source linked
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Buenos Aires International Book Fair

Past edition: 23 April–11 May 2026

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Photo pending

Cairo International Book Fair

Past edition: 21 January–3 February 2026

Cairo, Egypt
Photo pending

Pageant of the Masters

Not represented as one continuous festival occurrence

Laguna Beach, United States
Photo pending

Annecy International Animation Film Festival

Past edition: 8–14 June 2025

Annecy, France

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →