Rwanda’s holiday calendar brings music, culture & sports to young audiences

As schools close for the holiday break, a packed calendar of concerts, exhibitions, film screenings, comedy shows, sporting events and cultural experiences is set to keep students and young people engaged across Rwanda. From touring music festivals and art exhibitions to community celebrations and youth-focused programs, the coming weeks offer opportunities to explore creativity, culture and recreation both in Kigali and beyond. ALSO READ: Kigali on radar as Africa's next creative frontier One of the earliest highlights is Senderi International Hit’s “Munyarwanda Ishimire Ibyiza Byagezweho” concert series, staged to mark Kwibohora and Senderi’s 20 years in music. The free tour began in Ngoma on May 30 and is set to move through 10 districts, including Nyagatare, Gicumbi, Burera, Bugesera, Nyarugenge, Musanze, Kirehe, Kicukiro and Gasabo before wrapping up on July 2. The concerts are designed to celebrate liberation gains, encourage patriotism and use music as a public reminder of national unity. ALSO READ: Amapiano takes Kigali: Five SA acts to watch this summer Visual arts also have a place on the calendar. “Between Silence and Becoming,” a solo exhibition by Ford J. Bosco, is on at Simple Living Art Gallery in Kibagabaga, Kigali, from May 29 to June 17. The show brings together contemporary paintings that explore identity, memory and transformation, inviting visitors to pause and interpret the work through their own experience. Youth-focused creative work continues with the Sherrie Silver Foundation Tour 2026, which has been moving through Rwanda with dance workshops, mentorship and live performances. The tour, which runs from late May into June, has been presented as a talent-development program for young people and a chance to combine performance with skills building. For film lovers, the French Institute of Rwanda’s CinéMercredi series continues through June 25, with screenings scheduled on June 10, 17 and 24. The weekly program is part of Kigali’s broader cultural exchange scene and gives audiences a regular midweek meeting point for international cinema. Comedy is also on the schedule. The Gen-Z Comedy Show has new editions set for June 11 and June 25, keeping its mix of established and emerging performers in front of younger audiences. The show has become a familiar live platform for local comedy, and its return adds a lighter, social option to the holiday calendar. Music fans will also have a busy month. Rwandan stars Bruce Melodie and The Ben are set to launch the Summer Country Tour 2026 featuring Bwiza, and Kitoko, with shows scheduled in Musanze on June 13, with later stops in Nyagatare, Bugesera and Rubavu until July 4. Sports will take center stage over the June 13 to 14 weekend, when the Kigali International Peace Marathon returns across two days at Amahoro National Stadium. The following week brings the MTN Iwacu Muzika Festival, which is expected to run from June 20 to August 1 with stops in districts including Huye, Ngoma, Nyagatare, Karongi, Muhanga, Musanze and Rubavu. The festival is one of the season’s biggest traveling music events and typically pulls large crowds wherever it lands. If you are looking for your next outing, our events section is the place to start, with more city happenings waiting on our social channels.

Entertainment

Rwanda’s holiday calendar brings music, culture & sports to young audiences