Blankets & Wine, a Nairobi-founded live music festival produced by GoodTimes Africa, opened its 2026 season on Sunday, June 7, 2026, with a June edition held at Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi, according to a press release dated June 8. Organisers said the event ran across two performance areas—the Main Stage inside the arena and the Onja Onja Stage at The Annex—alongside an outdoor Onja Onja Market for vendors.

The June edition featured Kenyan and African performers, including Labdi, Mordecai Dex, Mejja, Serro, Mutoriah and Watendawili, with Nigerian artist Fave also on the lineup, the organisers said. The Onja Onja Stage hosted electronic and DJ sets featuring DJADE, DJ Paps, Sir M, Kaneda, One Down, DJ IV, Goldmax, Suraj, LA Dave and Hiribae, among others.

The event forms part of Blankets & Wine’s 17th year of operation. The festival was founded in Nairobi in 2008 by Muthoni Ndonga and has staged editions in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the UK, according to the same statement.

Organisers said the Main Stage programme opened with Labdi, followed by performances by Mordecai Dex and Serro. The festival said Fave performed a set during the event, while Mejja and Mutoriah appeared later on the bill. Watendawili closed the night, with the organisers citing surprise guest appearances by Charisma and Xeniah Manasseh during the set.

On the Onja Onja Stage, the organisers said DJADE opened before DJ Paps, with a back-to-back set from Sir M and Kaneda and additional performances by One Down and DJ IV. The statement also cited a performance by South African artist Goldmax, and said the stage ended with a joint set by Suraj, LA Dave and Hiribae.

The June edition also served as the rollout of the festival’s year-long platform dubbed “Your Taste Lives Here,” which the organisers described as a cultural programme focused on Kenyan music, food, fashion and community experiences.

“Every edition of Blankets & Wine begins with a simple question: what does it mean to gather meaningfully in this moment?” said Muthoni Ndonga, Founder and Creative Director. “This June, we introduced some bold changes and our audience once again reminded us that the true power of the festival lies in intentional gathering, shared experiences and the sense of community that continues to define and shape Blankets & Wine.”

The festival said the Onja Onja Market, located outdoors next to the Onja Onja Stage, brought together food vendors, fashion brands and creative entrepreneurs. “We are grateful to everyone who explored The Onja Onja Market, it was exciting to see audiences discovering, supporting and engaging with local brands,” said Michelle Njeri, Brand Manager.

For Kenya’s entertainment and events economy, large-format festivals like Blankets & Wine create business for event production, venue operations, hospitality, transport, and micro and small enterprises that sell food, beverages, fashion and merchandise on-site. The Onja Onja Market segment signals continued interest in festival-linked retail opportunities, where independent brands access concentrated footfall and brand visibility.

GoodTimes Africa said upcoming editions are scheduled for September 6 and December 20, 2026.

Blankets & Wine, a GoodTimes Africa production, closed its 2025 calendar with the Kenyan Summer 2025 edition held on Sunday, December 21, at Laureate Gardens, Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, according to the organisers.

The December event, staged under the theme “COME WE DANCE!” and delivered in partnership with the British Council’s UK/Kenya Season 2025, brought together “thousands of festival-goers” and featured two performance stages and an Onja Onja Market focused on Kenyan brands, the organisers said.

Blankets & Wine has grown into one of Nairobi’s established live entertainment properties, supporting a supply chain that includes event production, hospitality, brand partnerships, artist management, vendors and creative SMEs. Its continued regional and international activity also signals the increasing role of Kenyan-led cultural events in cross-border tourism and creative economy linkages across East Africa.

On the Main Stage, the lineup included Kenyan acts Shad Mziki, Bridget Blue, Elsy Wameyo, Okello Max, Ssaru, Matata and Iyanii. The organisers said the bill also featured Scorpion Kings (Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa), describing the performance as the duo’s first in Kenya, alongside Tanzania’s Marioo and South Africa’s Mi Casa.

The Onja Onja Stage ran from earlier in the day into the night and featured UK artist Donae’o as well as Kenyan DJs and performers including Darkfruit, Shishi, Foozak, Tina Ardor and Ms. Mika. The organisers said the stage closed with a back-to-back set from Aly Fresh, Mura and Big Nyagz.

Organisers linked the December edition to the festival’s broader international agenda in 2025. They said September 2025 marked the festival’s first UK edition, held in Bradford, which they framed as part of Blankets & Wine’s international expansion and as a continuation of collaboration with the British Council. The inclusion of Donae’o on the December lineup was described as a continuation of that partnership.

“2025 has been a defining year for us. From Bradford back to Nairobi, we’ve shown that Blankets & Wine is more than an event - it’s a living cultural platform that travels, evolves and connects people through music and joy,” said Muthoni Drummer Queen, Creative Director of Blankets & Wine, in the statement. She added: “Special thanks to the British Council’s UK/Kenya Season 2025 for supporting a fitting close to a truly transformative year for the festival, including our first-ever international edition in Bradford, UK.”

Diane Ywaya, Communications Manager at GoodTimes Africa, said the event’s programming and community support were central to its delivery. “What a powerful way to close the year. From the main stage to Onja Onja, the market and the dance floor, you reminded us why Blankets & Wine exists,” she said, thanking the community, artists and partners.

Justine Mbugua, Head of Festivals at Blankets & Wine, said operational execution remained a priority across the year’s editions. “Every edition this year reflected months of careful planning and a deep focus on service excellence. From production and hospitality to artist experience to audience flow, we are proud of the standard we delivered and the trust our community continues to place in us,” Mbugua said.

Beyond performances, organisers said the Onja Onja Market returned with a “Made in Kenya” theme, featuring Kenyan fashion, food, art, wellness and lifestyle brands. The market component is a revenue and visibility channel for local vendors, and it aligns with a broader trend in Kenya’s events industry where festivals increasingly bundle live entertainment with retail, food and experiential activations.

Looking ahead, the organisers said Blankets & Wine is entering its 17th year, positioning the 2025 close as a foundation for future editions and partnerships. Key milestones to watch will include the festival’s 2026 calendar announcements and whether it expands further into new markets following the 2025 Bradford event.