Uganda Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Uganda, UG, East Africa)

Annual events and festivals are still relatively few and far between in Uganda. Its calendar is certainly more sparsely populated than in other African countries. Some public holidays are observed fairly assiduously, however, and more and more new events are being added as the political situation in Uganda settles down.

If you can time your visit to include one of the country's annual sporting, cultural or traditional festivities, then it is the best way to get an insight into the Ugandan way of life.

The most notable seasonal offerings and things to do each year tend to be based within Kampala and include a leading international film festival each May, a dog show in June and a food and tasting extravaganza for gourmets each October, followed by the city's extremely successful marathon in November.

Uganda Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• New Year's Day - in Kampala, Ugandans count in the minutes to the start of the New Year with fireworks and parties at its clubs and bars. Expect large crowds and plenty of fun lasting well into the early hours of New Year's Day

February

• Rubaga Beach Volleyball - held at Sport's Beach in Entebbe, this Rotaract Club-organised event is a popular fundraiser each year in February, with all the money raised helping to fund local community projects

March

• MotoCross Championship - staged at the Uganda Motosports Arena in Kampala and attracting some of Africa's best bike riders, including top names from Kenya

April

• Easter - the Easter Weekend is celebrated by Ugandans through church services and special events. Local radio stations play religious hymns and gift shops soon fill up with Easter-themed goodies and cards. Each year on Palm Sunday, local street vendors sell woven palm fronds to churchgoers in towns and cities, while in more rural areas, palm branches are shared between friends and families

May

• Amakula Kampala International Film Festival - screenings held to showcase films in all their various guises, from contemporary to classic. This event was first held in 2004 and includes workshops with filmmakers, various movie-themed seminars and storytelling sessions

June

• National Heroes' Day - held each year on June 9th, this Ugandan public holiday remembers the men and women who died during the civil war of the 1980s

July

• Annual Dog Show and Bazaar - late June, based in Kampala, includes a best-in-show category, a red carpet photo shoot and all the usual canine agility and obedience events. The dog show began its life in 2011 at the Rugby Club and has quickly grown in size and stature, thanks to its great popularity and some prominent sponsors

August

• Uganda International Book Festival - mid-August, held at the Uganda Museum (Kira Road, Kampala) and lasting around three days, aimed at promoting a culture of reading and storytelling

September

• Royal Ascot Goat Races - staged at the Speke Resort Munyonyo, with crowds of folk coming to place a bet on the goat they think is most likely to cross the finishing line first
• Annual Dinner and Art Auction - hosted by the Shanti Uganda Society. A live auction follows the dinner, with the proceeds going to various local charities

October

• Kampala Contemporary Art Festival - early October, with exhibitions held in locations such as the Nommo Gallery and the Afriart Gallery
• Independence Day - October 9th, celebrations held to commemorate the events that took place in 1962, when the country gained full independence from Britain
• Kampala Food Festival - a one-day showcase of the country's finest flavours, as well as the creative culinary work of the country's top chefs
• Big Birding Day - a 24-hour event during which crowds of ornithologists converge on Uganda to collect sightings of resident species

November

• Hospice Africa Uganda Annual Fundraising Dinner - a fashion show and live music are part of the entertainment on offer at this charity event
• Kampala Marathon - one of Africa's biggest running events, attracting some 25,000 runners to a course that takes in the city of Kampala

December

• Manya Human Rights International Film Festival - raises awareness of human rights through the medium of film, based at Kampala's National Cultural Centre (together with 40+ additional venues in the capital)
• Uganda Diaspora Annual Networking Gala - celebrates success stories from Ugandans abroad with an evening of fashion, art and cuisine at the Kampala Serena Hotel, first held in 2011
• Annual Sipi Falls Mountain Bike Race - cross country race that is held in Kapchorwa. The route passes waterfalls and cliffs, and takes in climbs and descents along murram (dirt / stone / sand) roads