For its 24th edition, Sauti za Busara gives preference to women artists and women-led groups and asks acts to play 100% live.
Sauti za Busara returns to Stone Town, Zanzibar, from 19 to 21 March 2027. The festival’s current 2027 announcement (opens in a new tab) confirms the dates and location, and its ticket page (opens in a new tab) lists early-bird passes for sale. The main-stage window is currently listed as 16:00 to 01:30; organizers say dates, times and programme may change. When checked on 14 October 2026, the homepage said the first artist announcements were still to come. Use the dates to plan, then check the organizer’s updates before booking a non-refundable trip around a particular performer.
The cover and gallery use AI-generated editorial scenes of music and Stone Town. They are not photographs of the 2027 festival.
A festival shaped around live African music
The 2027 event is the festival’s 24th edition. Its call for artists (opens in a new tab) describes a programme focused mainly on music from the African continent, along with music connected to Africa and its diaspora. The organizers ask for performances to be “100% live” and give preference to women artists and women-led groups, young and emerging talent, and music with positive, relevant messages. These are selection priorities, not a confirmed list of acts.
The organizer lists the 2027 carnival parade (opens in a new tab) for Friday 19 March at 16:30, starting at Forodhani Gardens and passing through Malindi and Darajani to Mnazi Mmoja. The page calls it the festival’s official opening act. Check the route and time again closer to the event in case they change.
Dates, tickets and late performances
The 2027 dates are Friday 19 to Sunday 21 March. A Regular International Pass is a three-day ticket with access to Mvinje, the main stage, the food court and other public areas. The ticket page also lists VIP and regional passes. If you are considering the Africa United & East African Resident Pass, check the eligibility rules before paying: the organizer asks for a valid African passport or an East African Community residence permit and says a driving licence is not accepted.
Children aged 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult, with a maximum of two children per adult. Check the official ticket terms (opens in a new tab) for the latest prices, pass conditions and refund dates. The listed main-stage window runs from 16:00 until 01:30, and the programme can change. Because the main stage can run past midnight, plan the trip back and choose your accommodation with the late finish in mind. Wait for the 2027 venue map before paying a premium for a hotel based on its walking distance to a presumed site.
The 2027 main-stage venue needs confirmation
The organizer currently names Stone Town, but not a specific main-stage ground, on its 2027 announcement and ticket page. The parade route (opens in a new tab) ends at Mnazi Mmoja; that does not by itself confirm the main-stage location. The venue changed recently: in a January 2026 announcement (opens in a new tab), Busara Promotions said the 23rd edition would move from the Old Fort to Mnazi Mmoja Grounds while restoration work was under way at the fort. That announcement does not confirm the 2027 site. Check the festival’s current map and access information before booking a non-refundable hotel on the assumption that the event will return to either venue.
If you have time between festival plans, explore Stone Town. UNESCO describes it (opens in a new tab) as a Swahili coastal trading town whose buildings and streets reflect African, Arab, Indian and European influences. UNESCO also notes that accommodation in the historic town is limited and expensive. If you want to stay inside the old town, start looking early. Otherwise, compare places elsewhere in Stone Town and use the festival’s 2027 map to judge how convenient they are.
Getting to Zanzibar
The festival’s Visiting Zanzibar page (opens in a new tab) describes arrival by air and by ferry from Dar es Salaam. It also contains older February-season text and dated fares, even though the 2027 festival is in March. Use it as a starting point, then confirm routes, departure ports, schedules and prices directly with the airline or ferry operator for your travel dates. Leave room for delays if you are connecting to the festival, and avoid planning to reach the island just before the first evening’s programme.
The organizer’s current event pages establish Stone Town as the destination, not a transfer time from the airport or ferry terminal to the 2027 grounds. Once the venue is announced, compare accommodation and transport using that location. For now, a booking with flexible dates or cancellation terms leaves more room to adjust if the official map changes your preferred base.
Check visa and insurance rules before departure
Visa requirements depend on your nationality and country of residence. Use Tanzania’s official eVisa portal (opens in a new tab) to check the current process and confirm the rules with the relevant authorities well before departure. Do not rely on another traveller’s eligibility.
Inbound travel insurance also needs attention. In a 7 October 2026 notice, the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation said the applicable mandatory policy depends on the traveller’s first point of entry into Tanzania. Visitors entering first through Zanzibar should use the official Zanzibar insurance portal (opens in a new tab); those entering first through mainland Tanzania should check the National Insurance Corporation portal (opens in a new tab). The notice says travellers with a valid policy for the journey do not need to buy two policies just because they visit both areas, and asks them to keep the certificate or QR code available. Read the latest ZIC notice (opens in a new tab) before travel, since entry rules can change before March 2027.
Is the 2027 lineup available?
Not when checked on 14 October 2026. The festival homepage said the first artist announcements were still forthcoming. Check the organizer’s site again before choosing flights around a specific act.
Has the festival confirmed Mnazi Mmoja for 2027?
The 2027 announcement and ticket conditions do not name a main-stage ground. The parade route ends at Mnazi Mmoja, but that alone does not confirm the festival venue. Check the official map before booking nearby accommodation.
Can children attend?
Children aged 12 and under are admitted free with an adult, up to two children per adult, according to the current ticket page.
Public holidays around the festival
Public and bank holidays in Tanzania from 3 days before to 3 days after the festival ().
Shops, banks and transport should keep their normal timetable.
Editions
- 2027In 5 months
