Osun-Osogbo festival targets 500,000 participants — Organisers

The organisers of the annual Osun-Osogbo Festival say about 500,000 participants are expected to attend the 2026 edition, scheduled to hold from July 27 to August 7.

This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Osogbo by Mr Oyindamola Olukanni, Media Head, Our Heritage Branding and Advertising Limited, the festival’s marketing consultant.

Olukanni said the globally recognised cultural event continues to unveil new campaign visuals aimed at repositioning the festival as a living and uninterrupted civilisation.

He noted that for more than 600 years, the festival has been continuously practised and preserved, not in archives but through a living tradition.

According to him, the 2026 edition, themed “Preserving Heritage, Inspiring the Future,” underscores the role of tradition as a guide to progress rather than its opposite.

“The Osun Sacred Grove, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remains one of the last surviving sacred ecosystems where spirituality, culture and community exist in active continuity.

“This is not a festival that merely survived history, but a civilisation that never stopped,” he said.

He added that monthly campaign rollouts have been ongoing since February to boost audience engagement and enhance visibility for participating brands.

Olukanni also said that pre-festival activities, including the Osun-Osogbo Global Summit, will be held on May 29, bringing together stakeholders to outline the festival’s strategic direction and formally announce partners.

He noted that under the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the festival has continued to stand as one of Africa’s most enduring cultural institutions.

Olukanni, however, described the festival as unbroken, authentic and globally significant.

(NAN)