Lake of Stars Festival

When: September each year, with exact dates announced by organisers well in advance.

Where: Nkhata Bay, Malawi, on the beaches and bays of Lake Malawi.

Cost: Ticket types vary from day passes to multi-day packages; buy tickets online or from local outlets and expect to pay extra for accommodation and boat trips.

Don’t miss: Sunset concerts on the beach, late-night jam sessions on the lake and the local craft and food stalls.

Nkhata Bay’s Lake of Stars is a multi-day music festival that showcases contemporary African music alongside international acts, with a strong focus on Malawian performers and community engagement. It grew into a key cultural event that brings artists, travellers and locals together on the lakeshore.

The festival atmosphere is relaxed and communal: several stages and pop-up venues run along the shoreline and in nearby villages, with daytime workshops, art stalls and boat parties, and evening headline shows that light up Lake Malawi after dark. Expect a mix of beachside chill, late-night dancing and informal musical collaborations.

Nkhata Bay, Malawi hosts the festival every September; organisers announce the exact weekend each year rather than following a lunar or religious calendar. Planning tends to centre on a main weekend of concerts with fringe events and workshops either side of it.

Peak activity is typically the days and nights of the announced weekend - arrive for the first night to catch opening acts and lakeside sunset sets and plan to stay through the final headline shows.

The main international gateways are Lilongwe (Kamuzu International Airport) and Blantyre (Chileka), from which you can continue by domestic flight to Mzuzu or travel by road north to Nkhata Bay; scheduled minibuses, private transfers and rental cars are common options. Allow extra travel time for the northbound journey and book transfers and accommodation well before the festival.

• Bring sun protection, a hat and reef-friendly sunscreen for daytime beach shows and swimming in Lake Malawi.
• Pack insect repellent and a light jumper for cooler evenings by the water.
• Carry cash in Malawi kwacha (and some US dollars as backup); card acceptance is limited outside larger towns.
• Respect local customs: ask before photographing people and support local vendors and performers.
• Book accommodation and any boat transfers early - good guesthouses and campsites fill up quickly during the festival.
• Stay aware in crowded areas, secure valuables, and plan a contingency for travel delays when leaving after the final shows.