Red Rocks Cultural Festival returns for 114h edition

MUSANZE — Red Rocks Cultural Centre in Nkotsi Sector, Musanze District, is set to host its 14th annual cultural festival, bringing together participants from different countries to showcase Rwanda’s cultural heritage and explore how it can create opportunities for young people and women.

The festival will run from August 28 to September 4, 2026, ending on the same day Rwanda is scheduled to hold the Gorilla Naming Ceremony, Kwita Izina.

Organizers say the festival will provide a platform to promote Rwandan culture, strengthen cultural heritage tourism and connect local communities to employment and business opportunities.

The event will feature exhibitions of locally made products, traditional crafts, dance and drumming performances, traditional cuisine and other activities showcasing Rwanda’s cultural heritage.

Red Rocks wants women and young people to play a leading role in preserving cultural heritage while using it as a tool for tourism development and economic empowerment.

Some community members working with the centre are already involved in making traditional crafts, including woven baskets, mats, jewellery and other culturally inspired artworks.

According to Bakunzi Gregoire, Managing Director of Red Rocks, the festival provides an important platform for preserving Rwanda’s cultural heritage while creating opportunities for local communities.

He said cultural tourism can contribute to improving livelihoods and creating jobs, particularly for young people and women.

Bakunzi said cultural heritage should go beyond preserving history and should also serve as a foundation for innovation and creativity.

“Our cultural heritage helps us understand and know who we are. It is also an important and irreplaceable source of new ideas and artistic expression. Preserving heritage is an ongoing pathway to innovation,” he said.

Red Rocks currently works with 120 people, including 83 women and 37 men, who are engaged in various craft and artistic activities.

The upcoming festival is expected to give these artisans an opportunity to exhibit their products, interact with tourists and explore new markets for their work.

The festival comes as Rwanda continues to diversify its tourism products beyond wildlife, with cultural heritage becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s tourism offering.

For Red Rocks, the event is not only about celebrating culture but also demonstrating how heritage can contribute to livelihoods, entrepreneurship and opportunities for the next generation.