The Afro-Excellence fair returns on April 26 for its third edition!

Sophie Demers

Bringing together culture, entrepreneurs, and community, the Afro-Excellence fair is the perfect way to learn about Afro-Canadian culture, participate in activities, and support local businesses. The annual fair will take place on April 26 starting at 10 am in the Agora of the Maison du Citoyen located at 25 rue Laurier in Hull. The free event is open to all and will have activities for all ages.

The event was founded in 2024 by three sisters Diarra, Ami, and Divanita Nuwame. Their goal was to highlight the culture, talent, and businesses of the people of African descent in the Outaouais. They hope to promote cultural exchange, address social issues, and cultivate community with an inclusive and vibrant event.

There will be 30 vendors and kiosks with local business, entrepreneurs, and organizations offering products, services, or information. The first activity of the day is a youth bullying prevention workshop followed by a traditional dance performance honouring African cultures. In the afternoon, there will be an Afro dance performance, and two intergenerational djembe drum workshops and sing-alongs open to children and adults. Later, there will be another instrument workshop, focused on the balafon, and a mini show with the children who participated in the workshop activities. The event will close with a live performance from an African artist. This year’s edition has added more activities for kids such as a dedicated children’s room with an inflatable play structure as well as educational games.

This year the organizers have partnered with Service intégration travail Outaouais (SITO) to have a Human Library activity where the people are the books. Individuals can have a conversation and learn about various individuals' lives and their journeys. The library activity gives the opportunity to ask questions and connect with others who have different life experiences.

‘The event is a way to get to know each other better. My sisters and I were born in Africa. We came to Gatineau, in Canada, which we love, which means that we learned Canadian culture. You must do it to be able to live here. But others don’t get the opportunity to learn African culture because there is less need to do so. Afro-Excellence is really a way to create that exchange, to get to know each other better,” said Diarra Nuwame.

More information on the event can be found on the website: https://www.unifest.ca/foire-afro-excellence-2026/