From sunrise worship to cooking competitions: ACDA unveils plans for 2026 Emancipation Festival

A sunrise service,  African drumming, traditional food competitions and international performances are among the highlights awaiting patrons as the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) prepares to host its 33rd Emancipation Day Festival on August 1 at the National Park.

The activities were unveiled on Friday during ACDA’s Emancipation Festival launch and press conference, where organisers also announced plans for a year-long programme commemorating 400 years since the arrival of Africans in Guyana.

This year’s festival, being hosted under ACDA’s 34th year of operations, will begin with a sunrise service before moving into a full day of cultural celebration featuring cook-up and metemgee competitions, a bishop drumming competition, a best-dressed competition and performances by local and international artistes.

But beyond the festivities, ACDA says this year’s observance carries special significance.

“This year also marks the 400th anniversary of Africans in Guyana,” ACDA Chief Eric Phillips said.

Describing the milestone as “400 years of resilience, heritage and nation building,” Phillips reflected on the struggles and sacrifices of Africans who helped shape the country.

“We need to big up our own heroes,” he said.

He referenced the 1763 Berbice Rebellion led by Cuffy, the 1823 Demerara Rebellion involving more than 10,000 enslaved Africans and Damon of Essequibo, whom he described as “the first non-violent revolutionary.”

Looking beyond Emancipation Day, Phillips announced that ACDA is planning a series of activities throughout the 2026-2027 period to commemorate the historic milestone.

Among the initiatives are a Grand Homecoming Week, a Grand Gala, a National Concert, a 400 Years Exhibition, the proposed establishment of a monument at Kyk-Over-Al, which ACDA hopes will become a UNESCO Heritage Site, and a National Awards Hall of Fame programme to recognise Guyanese in the diaspora.

The organisation also plans to publish 200 booklets documenting the history of Africans in Guyana.

Phillips said the observances are intended to “memorialise the lives and struggles of our ancestors, deepen international understanding of the historical legacy of Africans in Guyana, recognise the resilience, achievements and contributions of African Guyanese to the development of this nation and strengthen the ongoing global movement for historical justice.”

As Freedom Day approaches, the organisers are inviting Guyanese to gather at the National Park for a celebration of culture, history and heritage- one that they hope will also serve as the beginning of a year dedicated to reflecting on four centuries of African contributions to Guyana.