HARARE – The Harare International Festival of the Arts is back. After an eight-year hiatus, HIFA will stage its 2026 edition – themed “Up” – from August 3-9 in Harare, organisers announced on Saturday.
The return of the celebrated arts festival, once a fixture on the continental cultural calendar, comes with a broader programme of events stretching to 2028 as HIFA seeks to re-establish itself as a year-round arts institution.
Dates for the next two editions have already been set: HIFA 2027 runs from April 26 to May 2, and HIFA 2028 from May 1 to 7.
Alongside the main festival, HIFA announced a “Laughter, the Best Medicine” monthly stand-up comedy series, launching with performances in Harare on June 26, 27 and 28 before heading to Bulawayo on July 4.
A “Zimbabwe Independence” series of annual worldwide tours by Zimbabwean artists has also been announced as a build-up to the country’s Golden Jubilee — Zimbabwe marks 50 years of independence in 2030.
The International Heritage and Arts Symposium (IHAS) is scheduled for September 20, 2026, and a separate festival titled “The Right Stuff” is set for December 7 to 13, 2026.
HIFA, founded in 1999, drew tens of thousands of visitors annually at its peak, showcasing local and international artists across theatre, music, dance and the visual arts. Its last edition was held in 2018.
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