A big weekend sits ahead for Kigali’s nightlife as the curtain falls on the Basketball Africa League season, the first one to see a Rwandan side reach the finals. The city feels charged by it all, from packed rooftops to late-night dance floors and galleries stretching hours a little longer. ALSO READ: Movies: Standout picks for your weekend watchlist Here is where the city moves from Friday into Sunday. Kigali Dutarame Concert Your weekend could easily begin at Imbuga City Walk, where the Kigali Dutarame Concert brings together live music, dance and cultural performance on Friday evening. The lineup features the Indatirwabahizi troupe alongside Imanzi Band, Ingenzi Cyane, Li John, Dreamaah, Benno View and Abapansiyone. Free admission. Road to Spinny and Friends Festival The BAL playoffs continue to blur the line between sports weekend and nightlife marathon, and one joke making the rounds is that Ugandans are now hosting Kigali. That energy lands at Atelier du Vin this Friday with DJ Spinny joined by Dash, Etania and City Girl for a party expected to pull in some of the city’s biggest nightlife crowds. Regular access starts at Rwf25,000, while table packages range from Rwf300,000 to Rwf1 million with sparkling wine, Martell, Don Julio and champagne included depending on how large your crew arrives. Umudende Live Concert Jules Sentore returns to the stage with “Umudende Live Concert,” a live experience inspired by his album “Umudende” and rooted in Rwandan musical tradition. Expect live instrumentation, cultural influences and the kind of songs that invite the entire room to sing back. Tickets are priced at Rwf15,000, Rwf25,000 and Rwf50,000, while a table for six goes for Rwf300,000. Shallipopi Xperience Nigerian artiste Shallipopi lands in Kigali for the first time this Friday at KCEV Camp Kigali, bringing his Pluto energy to a city already moving at full speed for BAL weekend. The “Laho” hitmaker headlines a lineup featuring DJs Julzz, Inno, 72C, The Champions and rapper KidfromKigali. For Kigali’s younger party crowd, this one already feels like a guaranteed singalong before the doors even open. Between Silence and Becoming: Solo Exhibit by Ford J. Bosco If the weekend calls for quieter moments, “Between Silence and Becoming” by Ford J. Bosco opens Friday at Simple Living Art Gallery in Kibagabaga. The exhibition reflects on transformation, memory and identity through contemporary paintings that sit between stillness and movement. The show runs until June 17 with free admission. Strictly Soul Strictly Soul returns to Kigali this Friday, bringing Africa’s traveling R&B party to the Kigali Convention Centre rooftop. DJ Aikio leads the night alongside KRu, Senshi and Hottempah, while Kenyan singer Bensoul delivers a live performance expected to keep the crowd locked in well past midnight. Hosted by Lady Bicu and Zuba, the night stretches from 7 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., with ticket prices moving from Rwf12,500 to Rwf35,000. Les 5 Ans du CCFR The Centre Culturel Francophone du Rwanda marks its fifth anniversary with an evening packed with music, dance, slam poetry and live performance. Artistes including Delah Dube, Bel, Bill Ruzima, Mutha II, Kankadem and Bushali share the stage alongside dance performances from Teta Ornella and Muze Tubyine Dance Company, before Binghi and Kavumbi close the night with a DJ set. It is free to attend, making it one of the weekend’s easiest stops for anyone wanting to move through Kigali’s creative scene in one night. UEFA Champions League Final Viewing Party Football takes over Saturday night as Heineken House hosts its UEFA Champions League Final viewing party at the Kigali Convention Centre rooftop. Fans will watch Europe crown another champion on the big screen before the night shifts fully into party mode with OBI’s House, DJ Aikio, DJ Niny and DJ Muun taking over the soundtrack. Tickets are priced at Rwf35,000, while group packages for three go for Rwf90,000. Party Next Door: BAL Edition BAL fever keeps rolling into Saturday night at Zaria Court, where Party Next Door: BAL Edition gathers music and basketball crowds in one place. Nigerian rapper Olamide headlines the night alongside Mike Kayihura, Logan Joe, Rlutta, DJ Marnaud, DJ Sonia, Nicolas Peks, Rocky.Try and Zuba. Student tickets begin at Rwf5,000, while VIP access goes for Rwf35,000. Jewelry Workshop For those wanting a slower pace on Saturday afternoon, Lemon Kigali hosts a jewelry workshop centered around creativity, conversation and handmade bracelets. Guests can spend the afternoon designing colorful beaded pieces using glass beads, shells and wire while mingling with fellow creatives in an easygoing setting. The workshop runs from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with tickets priced at Rwf10,000. Something African II Saturday night closes at Depot37, Mundi Center, where “Something African II” leans fully into Afro House, Amapiano, AfroTech and Gqom rhythms. DJs Pyfo, Donzilla, Kbira, Kavumbi Dust, DJ Motari, Itsmdnyt, Carlos Caula and Afro Kasa make up the lineup for a dancefloor-driven night expected to run deep into the early hours. Presale tickets are set at Rwf10,000, while a combined Game and Groove pass gives access to both the UEFA final screening and the afterparty for Rwf15,000. BAL Finale Petro de Luanda will meet RSSB Tigers in Sunday’s BAL final, while Libya’s Al Ahly Ly faces Egypt’s Al Ahly SC in the Third-Place Game at BK Arena. This is Petro de Luanda's third straight BAL final and fourth appearance in the championship game across the league’s six seasons. The club has now reached the BAL final in 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026, continuing its run as one of the competition’s defining teams heading into Sunday night. Stay in the loop with The New Times for the latest from Kigali’s entertainment scene and breaking news. Follow us on social media for curated weekend picks and real-time updates.
