Media Release: Following a Landmark First Year, Sankofa Day Evolves into a Three-Day Festival this August

After launching Sankofa Day in 2025 and being recognized by The Toronto Star as one of the city’s cultural highlights, Sankofa Square expands the celebration into SankofaFest, a new three-day experience of fashion, music, art, and community.

MEDIA RELEASE: TORONTO, ON — July 8, 2026 —What began as a powerful one-day cultural gathering in 2025 is now evolving into a full three-day festival.

Following the success of the inaugural Sankofa Day, Sankofa Square will launch the first-ever SankofaFest taking place August 21–23, 2026. The expanded festival builds on the momentum of last year’s debut, which was recognized by The Toronto Star as one of Toronto’s standout cultural moments, and transforms the Square into a larger platform for African diasporic creativity, remembrance, and celebration.

Anchored around August 23, UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, also recognized globally as Sankofa Day, the festival continues its mission under the theme “Looking Back, Building Forward,” honouring ancestral memory while creating new pathways for future generations.

Across three days, SankofaFest will bring together fashion, music, film, art, sport, and community programming, creating one of Toronto’s most dynamic public cultural experiences of the summer.

“Last year’s Sankofa Day showed us the power of creating intentional space for remembrance, celebration, and community in the heart of Toronto,” said Marnie Grona, Interim General Manager of Sankofa Square. “The response was extraordinary. Expanding into a three-day festival allows us to build on that momentum and create even more opportunities for cultural connection, creative expression, and collective reflection.”

Co-curated by the teams at Sankofa Square and D.PE Agency, with vital programming contributions from African Fashion Week Toronto, Double A Management, and community partners, the three-day festival will feature immersive programming designed to celebrate the richness, innovation, and global influence of Black culture. The festival’s promotional creative was developed by D.PE Agency, the team behind Sankofa Square’s new brand identity.

“Sankofa Square has long been an incredible stage for our runway shows, and we are absolutely thrilled to return this year as a partner for SankofaFest,” said Isaac Ansah of African Fashion Week Toronto. “Integrating African Fashion Week Toronto into this expanded, three-day festival allows us to showcase Black fashion, creativity, and culture on an even more collaborative and massive platform. It’s an exciting evolution that perfectly elevates both of our missions.”


FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

Fashion, Culture & Marketplace

The festival opens with a full day dedicated to fashion, culture, and commerce. Sankofa Square will transform into a vibrant marketplace featuring curated vendors, food experiences, live DJs, interactive activations, and a major runway presentation as part of African Fashion Week Toronto.

Highlights include:

  • African Fashion Week Toronto Runway Show

  • Curated Marketplace + Food Vendors

  • Live DJs throughout the day

  • Pop-up performances and fashion activations

  • Live art and digital visual installations

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22

Live Music & Headliner Experience

Saturday shifts into a full-scale concert and nightlife experience, bringing together some of the most exciting names across Afrobeat, dancehall, and global Black music culture. The day builds from emerging artists and collectives to a major international headliner.

Featured programming includes:

  • Live sets and performances from DJ LX, Steady, Afrikanah, and Deh’Ya

  • A special set by DJ Nadwa

  • Surprise guest appearances

  • Marketplace and food experiences

  • Dance activations and live visual moments

  • Headline performance (to be announced)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23

Community, Access & Creative Expression

Closing on UNESCO Sankofa Day, the final day centers on community access, youth, and creative expression. Designed as an inclusive gathering for families and emerging creators, the day combines sport, storytelling, film, and art to reinforce Sankofa’s deeper mission of education, empowerment, and cultural preservation.

Programming includes:

  • Interactive family programming

  • Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario cultural presentations

  • Youth basketball activations in partnership with HOOP QUEENS

  • Community DJ sets

  • Black Women in Music artist showcases

  • SOCAN emerging artist showcases

  • Live art experiences with Urban Arts

  • Learn how to DJ with Learn Life Workshop with Killa Kels

  • Outdoor film screening in partnership with the Caribbean Film Festival

Throughout the weekend, festivalgoers can expect curated vendors, dancers, live art, visual screen partnerships, immersive fashion moments, and interactive community activations designed to animate Sankofa Square in entirely new ways.


Listing Information

SankofaFest
Dates: August 21–23, 2026

Hours:
Friday: 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Saturday: 1:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Location: Sankofa Square, 1 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5B 2R8

Admission: FREE

For updates, artist announcements, and full schedules, visit sankofasquare.ca and @sankofasqaure.

Follow along at #SankofaFestTO and #SankofaSquare


Sankofa Square would like to thank our sponsors:
Moët Hennessy, Remitly, Wray & Nephew, and Visit Jamaica.

Supporters include:
Appleton Estate, Grace Foods Canada, and the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area.


For Media: Media images can be found HERE.

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PRESENTED BY

Sankofa Square 

Sankofa Square is a community hub and gathering place in the heart of downtown Toronto. Originally established in 2004 as Yonge-Dundas Square, the space is now guided by the Akan principle of Sankofa—"to go back and get it"—encouraging us to learn from the past to build a stronger future. The Square produces and hosts a diverse calendar of activities, events, festivals, concerts, and public art. Sankofa Square is a City of Toronto agency. sankofasquare.ca.  


PROGRAM SUPPORTERS

African Fashion Week Toronto
Launched in 2012, African Fashion Week Toronto (AFWT) is one of Canada's most anticipated diverse fashion events. Held every August, this non-profit provides a vital platform for Black models, designers, and creatives to succeed internationally. Showcasing culture-rich runways, AFWT celebrates the global impact of African fashion. Partnering with the Afro Centre for the Arts, AFWT champions mentorship, creating dynamic opportunities for the arts community. afwt.ca

Caribbean Film Festival
Caribbean Film Festival is a world-class destination film festival and the central hub for Caribbean cinema. We bring islands together under a shared love for storytelling and a collective vision to revive the Caribbean film industry. Our mission is focused on a strategic effort to ignite and energize the region’s film and multimedia industry, fueling a fresh wave of film production and creative content throughout the Caribbean. caribbeanfilmfestival.co

D.PE Agency
D.PE Agency (pronounced "dope") is an award-winning creative agency specializing in dynamic brand identity, compelling digital experiences, and impactful event programming. Known for innovation, D.PE partners with clients to bring bold visions to life through strategic design and engaging cultural activations. The agency proudly spearheaded the creation of Sankofa Square’s new brand identity and programming for the inaugural Sankofa Day in 2025. weredpe.com

Double A Management
Founded in July 2013, Double A Management (D.A.M.) is a full-service event management and talent booking agency. D.A.M. simplifies the booking process, connecting corporate, non-profit, and educational clients with diverse entertainers, keynote speakers, and DJs. Committed to quality assurance and budget-friendly execution, the team handles all operational details to seamlessly bring every client's unique event vision to life. doubleamgmt.com

Hoop Queens
Our mission is clear: to set a new standard for women’s basketball in Canada. As the creators of Canada’s first paid women’s basketball league, we’re dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for women and girls through the power of the game. thehoopqueens.com

Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario
The Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO) is a nonprofit umbrella organization for Ghanaian-Canadian individuals, professionals, and cultural associations across the Greater Toronto Area. GCAO’s mission is to enhance the living standards and well-being of Ghanaian-Canadians through social, cultural, educational, and diaspora initiatives. Through dedicated support services and resources, GCAO envisions building a strong, inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable community in Ontario. gcaocanada.org

SOCAN
SOCAN is Canada’s largest member-based rights management organization. We connect more than 4 million creators and publishers worldwide, ensuring they are paid for their work – the music we all enjoy. We issue licenses for the public playing, performance, communication, and reproduction of music. The money collected from these licenses is distributed as royalties to the rights holders who have earned them in Canada and worldwide. socan.com


SPONSORED BY

Moët Hennessy
Moët Hennessy is the wine and spirits division of LVMH, which also owns renowned estates through "LVMH Vins d’Exceptions." This esteemed group of twenty-seven Maisons is internationally recognized for the richness of its terroirs, the quality of its products, and masterful craftsmanship. For many years, Moët Hennessy has remained deeply committed to its environmental and social program, Living Soils Living Together. lvmh.com/en/our-maisons/wines-spirits

Remitly
Remitly is a trusted provider of financial services that transcend borders. With a footprint spanning more than 175 countries, Remitly has built one of the world’s leading global money movement platforms, trusted by millions of customers. Remitly continues to evolve beyond a remittance company into a diversified, cross-border financial services provider, serving both consumers and businesses across a growing set of use cases. remitly.com

 

Wray & Nephew
Established in 1825, J. Wray & Nephew Limited is Jamaica’s oldest registered company and a cornerstone of the island's cultural heritage. As a premier producer of authentic Jamaican rum, the brand sits at the heart of community, music, and celebration. Now a Campari Group subsidiary, Wray & Nephew continues to champion cultural expression, community empowerment, and Jamaica's vibrant spirit worldwide. wrayandnephew.com

Visit Jamaica
Managed by the Jamaica Tourist Board, the Visit Jamaica website acts as the official destination marketing organization highlighting the island's culture and travel experiences. It provides comprehensive resources, including local event highlights and destination guides, to promote tourism across the island. visitjamaica.com

media contaCT

Deanne Moser 
DMPUBLIC 
deanne@dmpublic.com
647-888-9388

Sankofa Square