Sourthen Kaduna festival shifted to first quarter, 2026, say organisers
The organisers of the Southern Kaduna Festival (SKFEST) have announced that the annual cultural festival would not hold in December 2025, following a strategic review aimed at ensuring its sustainability and broader participation.
The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee (CPC), retired Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing in Kaduna.
Bobai recalled that the maiden edition of SKFEST was held in December 2023 with the theme ‘Experience Unity, Celebrate Cultures’, while the second edition took place in December 2024 under the theme ‘Preserving Heritage, Igniting Progress’.
He said the festival had made significant strides in celebrating the rich and diverse cultures of the 57 ethnic communities in Southern Kaduna and was conceived as an annual event.
According to him, after the second edition, the Southern Kaduna Leadership Council (SKLC), the main organiser of the festival, constituted a review committee to assess the sustainability of the event and the suitability of hosting it every December.
“The committee recommended that SKFEST be moved from December to the first quarter of each year to avoid the congestion of festivities by various communities in Southern Kaduna and, most importantly, to allow our people to celebrate Christmas with ease,” he said.
Bobai, therefore, announced that the festival would not take place in December 2025 as usual, adding that a new date in the first quarter of 2026 would be announced once finalised.
While expressing regret over any inconvenience the change in timing might cause, he assured stakeholders that the decision was taken in the overall interest of the festival and its long-term growth.
The CPC chairman expressed gratitude to the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Governors of Kaduna, Bayelsa and Plateau States for attending the previous editions of the festival.
He also thanked traditional rulers, dignitaries, cultural troupes, supporters, followers and the media for their consistent support, positive reportage and image building of SKFEST.
Bobai assured participants, community development associations (CDAs), supporters and other stakeholders of a “better and more glamorous” SKFEST in 2026.
