Africa’s biggest jazz festival “Saint-Louis Jazz Festival” which held in Senegal has finally come to an end.
Misaal, a Senegalese musical group, was the last to perform at the event, which was held at Saint-Louis, roughly 250 kilometers from Dakar, Senegal’s capital.
This year would make it, the 29th time it was held since organized by the French Institute.
Last year COVID-19 stopped Saint Louis’ jazz festival for the first time in its 29-year history.
This year it came back, bringing the much needed life to the Island of Saint Louis, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its colonial architecture and pastel-coloured houses.
African rhythms, funk, gospel, and blues could be heard late into the night in the tiny alleyways, coming from restaurants, pubs, and hotels.
Saint Louis, in northern Senegal, was spared the worst of COVID-19’s effects. However, a reduction in tourism and an economic downturn have left citizens anxious for a boost that only the city’s major annual event can offer.
It lures spectators from all across West Africa and Europe, and it gives the city’s street entertainers a sense of pride.
The Saint Louis International Jazz Festival, which began in 1993, has grown to become one of the most major international jazz events.
The jazz crossroads, showcasing the city’s history to the rest of the country and the world while welcoming jazz fans of all generations.