African markets in Australia 2024
African markets and festivals are making a great impact in Australia. As the African community grows, so do these vibrant events. In 2024, African markets are popping up across major cities, offering a unique experience that mixes food, art, and music. These aren’t just shopping places; African markets are cultural hubs where communities connect and share their heritage.
Like the Africultures Festival in Sydney, bring Africa’s energy and creativity to Australia. You’ll find traditional crafts, live performances, and foods from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. These markets showcase the rich traditions that African migrants carry with them, helping them stay connected to their roots.
They reflect the cultural ties between Australia and Africa, with many products made possible through remittances sent by family members abroad. The African market experience in Australia is not just about celebrating culture—it’s about keeping traditions alive, supporting local businesses, and building a bridge between two continents.
Key African Markets in 2024
The Africultures Festival in Sydney is the highlight of African markets in Australia. Scheduled for September 28, 2024, at Cathy Freeman Park, it’s the biggest African festival in the country. This market is bursting with over 40 stalls that showcase everything from handmade crafts to traditional African clothing. Visitors can browse through vibrant fabrics, jewellery, and home décor, all while enjoying music and dance performances across Africa.
But the festival is more than a cultural experience. It’s an economic lifeline for many African artisans and businesses. Many of the products sold at these markets are created by small, family-run businesses in Africa, which often rely on remittances sent by relatives in Australia. These funds help keep businesses afloat, allowing them to send goods to markets like those at Africultures.
Melbourne and Canberra also host African festivals, though Sydney’s Africultures stands out as the largest. These markets provide a platform for African Australians to share their heritage with the broader public while supporting families and communities back home by selling traditional products. African festivals and markets offer a rare chance to experience Africa in the heart of Australia, blending commerce and culture seamlessly.
African markets in Sydney 2024
Africultures Festival 2024
Date: Saturday, September 28 2024
Time: 11.00 am to 6.30 pm
Place: Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olimpic Park
More information: Africultures Festival 2024
African markets in Melbourne 2024
African Music Cultural Festival 2024
Date: November 15 to 17, 2024
Time: 12.00 pm – 10.00 pm
Place: Federation Square Melbourne, VIC 3004
More information: African Music Cultural Festival 2024
African markets in Adelaide 2024
Tetema Fest 2024
Date: Saturday, October 19 2024 – Sunday, October 20 2024
Time: 12.00 pm – 1.00 am
Place: Manor Farm Oval, Northbri Avenue, Salisbury East SA, Australia
More information: Tetema Fest 2024
African markets in Canberra 2025 (next year)
African Festival in the Park 25
Date: Saturday, April 5 2025
Time: 10.00 am to 8.00 pm
Place: Stage 88 Commonwealth Park
More information: Africa Festival in the Park 25
What to expect at African Markets
African markets in Australia are bustling, vibrant spaces where culture meets commerce. These markets are more than just places to shop—they offer an immersive experience of Africa’s rich traditions. Visitors can expect to find a wide array of products, from handmade jewellery and textiles to home décor and artwork, all crafted by skilled artisans across the African continent.
At events like the Africultures Festival in Sydney and the African Music and Cultural Festival in Melbourne, these products are showcased alongside live music, traditional dances, and fashion shows, providing a complete sensory experience. Vendors from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Ethiopia offer unique items, often reflecting the traditional craftsmanship of their homeland. These goods are not mass-produced; they carry the artisans’ stories and cultural heritage.
Food is another highlight. The African markets bring a taste of authentic African cuisine, with stalls serving dishes like jollof rice, injera, and nyama choma. Each festival offers a chance to sample the diverse flavours of Africa, prepared by local chefs who bring recipes from home.
But these markets are more than just an opportunity to shop or eat. They’re also a way to support African communities in Australia and abroad. Many vendors rely on remittances sent by family members in Australia to maintain their businesses back in Africa. These funds help them produce the crafts and food that make their way to markets in Australia, creating a cycle of economic and cultural exchange.
In short, African markets are a chance to dive into African culture—through shopping, food, and the connections made across continents.
African markets on the rise: Record crowds and cultural growth
African festivals in Australia are growing into major cultural events, drawing massive crowds each year. In 2023, Sydney’s Africultures Festival hit a record with over 20,000 attendees, making it the largest African cultural event in the country. The festival showcased over 70 stalls, including vibrant African Marketplaces and the famous Nile Food Court, offering authentic food and goods from across the continent, according to Salience at Sydney, thoughtful journalism and creative works produced by students of the School of Art, Communication and English at the University of Sydney.
Meanwhile, Melbourne’s African Music and Cultural Festival attracted an impressive 55,000 visitors during its three-day celebration, where more than 35 African countries were represented through markets, music, and performances, according to attendance statistics from the event’s official website.
These events are not just about entertainment—they represent a growing interest in African culture and offer a platform for African communities in Australia to share their heritage on a grand scale.
Sending money home in Africa
Remittance services play a crucial role in sustaining African markets in Australia. For many vendors, the crafts, textiles, and food sold at these markets are made possible by financial support from family members living abroad. Remittances, or money sent from one country to another, are often the lifeblood of small businesses in African countries. These funds help artisans buy materials, sustain their workshops, and export goods to markets worldwide, including Australia.
Remittance companies like Rocket Remit enable fast, secure transfers that help families cover daily expenses and support business operations. Without these services, many African artisans would struggle to sustain their businesses or participate in international markets like Australia. The money sent through these remittance channels provides financial support and helps preserve cultural heritage by enabling artisans to continue traditional craft-making techniques.
Rocket Remit is an innovative remittance service in Australia that allows customers to send money instantly to mobile wallets in various African countries. Rocket Remit focuses on speed, efficiency, and security, making it a popular choice for those sending funds to friends and family across the African continent.
Some African countries that Rocket Remit supports are Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. To see the complete list of African countries, click here and scroll down to the bottom.
About Rocket Remit
Rocket Remit is the world’s fastest international money transfer service. Send money instantly to over 50 overseas countries at very competitive rates.
Use the country selector to choose the country and check the rate.
Click here for more information on how to send money using Rocket Remit.
Download the Rocket Remit app from Google Play or the Apple Store