The time has come: Kilifi New Year!
With 38 degrees, full sun and a nice clamminess characteristic of the Kenyan coast, we arrive in Kilifi on the Saturday before the festival. It's still pretty quiet here, which is strange considering that a few thousand revellers will arrive here tomorrow for the festival. Anyway, still time to relax, swim, lie in the sun and -very importantly- get a good night's sleep. The next morning, it's time to head towards the festival grounds. Previously, Kilifi New Year took place at Kilifi Creek. But as this festival quickly grew larger, the founders (also the brilliant owners of the too-crazy Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers) decided this year to have the festival take place on a large jungle area full of orchards and bamboo forests, located a few kilometres from Kilifi town and Kilifi creek. Before we cart to the festival site, we make a quick stop at the local supermarket. Where it was still fairly quiet yesterday, Kilifi town is now packed with well-hung partygoers. People from all over the world in the most colourful outfits gather here to stock up on as many snacks and water as possible (this is allowed onto the site). Loud music plays from the packed pick-up truck next to us and the atmosphere is already well established: ‘KILIFI NEW YEAR, WOO!’
Glamping with safari tents
At the entrance to the festival, we are given a colourful band and neatly escorted to our glamping tents. These prearranged safari tents with beds really are a godsend! Nothing inflating airbeds or pitching tents in the scorching Kenyan sun; but just hup, your stuff in and straight on for your first cold beer. Not only is the set-up of Kilifi New Year festival well organised. Kilifi New Year really distinguishes itself as an eco-friendly and sustainable festival. The way to go! There are eco showers and eco toilets everywhere -which in turn are made into natural compost for the land. Also, only sustainable and locally produced materials are used to build the festival grounds. For example, the 200-square-metre deck is made of melted and recycled plastic waste. Single use plastic is out of the question and all festival guests are therefore encouraged to bring their own cups or buy a cool festival cup made of recycled plastic. With your own or the recycled cup, you get a discount on your drink at the bar; a real win-win! Kilifi new year turned out to be an amazing few days full of music, dance and culture. This festival shows that you can create a great setting for a good party in a sustainable way.

Three stages, each with its own vibe
The festival offers three different stages; each place with its own vibe, decoration and music. Furthermore, down in the valley there is a beautiful large wooden figure (a kind of burning man) that will be lit on the last day to usher in the new year. Over the next few days, 40 different artists and DJs will spin at the festival. There are seating areas made everywhere, and other places to chill out. Want to cool down? Then sit on the swing shower, rinse off under a rain mushroom or slide down the homemade water slide at the Kilifi NY water park.

So what about the food?
But above all, let's not forget this; the food. There are plenty of different joints to score a tasty and nutritious meal and build a good base for the long evening parties. Think scrumptious wraps, fresh curries, traditional dishes, fish, but of course also juicy burgers and stone-oven pizzas.

And here's our final verdict
All in all, the festival is a lovely place to spend the last few days of the year. There is a relaxed atmosphere. People are beautiful and unusually dressed. Until deep into the nights, we dance under the Baobab trees and on 31 December at 0:00, we festively usher in the new year with everyone. The ‘burning man’, a 23-metre-high wooden rhinoceros, was lit on 1 January. Kilifi New Year turned out to be an amazing few days full of music, dance and culture. This festival shows that on a sustainable way you can create the perfect setting for a great party, we are fans!
