- Cape Coast's Fetu Afahye festival marks 60 years with grand celebrations
- Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to make historic royal visit to Cape Coast
- Festival to feature vibrant cultural events, including durbar, regatta, and street carnival
Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, the Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, has declared that this year’s Fetu Afahye festival is set to be the most spectacular ever. Marking its 60th anniversary, the festival also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Paramount Chief’s installation. Notably, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, will be making his first official visit to Cape Coast in celebration.
The festival, known for its vibrant and diverse activities, will transform Cape Coast into a hub of excitement throughout the week. This year’s festivities will feature a series of events including glitzy parades, bustling pubs, and energetic carnivals, all set against the historic backdrop of the city.
A special highlight of this year’s festival is the release of the Fetu Afahye-branded whiskey. Named after the Emintsimadze Palace and crafted from Osabarimba Kwesi Atta’s personal recipe, the whiskey is now available for GH¢100 per bottle. Festival merchandise, including T-shirts and other paraphernalia, is also on sale.
Cape Coast is buzzing with preparations as local businesses, such as Chickenman Pizza, and hospitality facilities including Ridge Royal Hotel and the newly added Samritt and Capital Hill hotels, gear up for the influx of visitors. The city’s streets are being prepared with the annual operational bars and pubs ready for the celebrations.
Fetu Afahye, celebrated annually in the first week of September, is a key event for the people of Cape Coast. The festival serves to honor the gods for a successful year and seek their guidance for the year ahead. It is a time for family reunions, socializing, and community gatherings. The climax of the festival will be a grand durbar on the first Saturday of September, featuring a colorful procession of chiefs and queenmothers through the principal streets of Cape Coast.
The week leading up to the festival includes traditional events such as Akoms Night, which features performances by traditional priests, and the regatta on the Fosu Lagoon, showcasing the canoe racing skills of the Asafo companies. The festival also includes purification rites, with the offering of a sacrificial cow to one of the land’s deities, Nana Paprata.
In addition to these traditional events, Orange Friday has become a major highlight, attracting international attention as one of the world’s biggest street carnivals where patrons dress in orange.
Cape Coast, with its rich history as the first capital of Ghana and home to many of the nation’s first institutions, is set to host thousands of both local and international tourists. The festival’s activities will include a homecoming carnival, a drama night, youth and kids’ day, a health screening exercise, and a highlife festival, culminating in a Thanksgiving service and football competition.
Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II has called on all Cape Coasters, Ghanaians, and the global community to join in the celebrations and make this year’s Fetu Afahye festival a world-acclaimed event.
