More than 2 300 young musicians from South Africa, the United States, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Lesotho will converge on Boksburg for the 2026 International Marimba and Steelpan Festival, one of the world’s largest event of its kind.
Hosted by Education Africa, the three-day festival will take place at St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls from July 24 to 26, bringing together learners, educators, professional musicians and audiences for a celebration of music, culture and youth development.
Schools and community organisations from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape and neighbouring countries will participate in performances, competitions, workshops and collaborative learning experiences designed to showcase the unifying power of music.
Now regarded as one of South Africa’s premier youth music events, the festival has grown beyond a competition to become a platform for nurturing young talent, building confidence and celebrating cultural diversity. It also provides thousands of children with the opportunity to perform on an international stage.
Education Africa founder James Urdang said the event was about much more than winning.
