Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) 2027

Following its successful return in 2026, the Harare International Festival of the Arts comes back in April 2027 for its second consecutive year. Running across seven days from 26 April to 2 May, HIFA 2027 builds on the momentum of the revived festival to establish Harare once again as a regional arts destination.

About HIFA

HIFA was first held in 1999 and ran annually for two decades, earning a reputation as one of Africa’s best multi-arts festivals before an eight-year pause. The revived festival maintains the original format: a broad, multi-disciplinary programme spanning theatre, live music, dance, circus performance, poetry, visual art and street performance, drawing artists from Zimbabwe, the wider African continent and internationally.

The late April timing places HIFA at the tail end of Zimbabwe’s rainy season, when Harare’s jacaranda trees are green and the air is cooler than the summer months. Performances are held primarily at the Alliance Francaise in Harare Gardens and a cluster of surrounding indoor and outdoor venues, with some site-specific work taking place in public spaces around the city.

Planning your visit

The full 2027 programme will be announced closer to the festival dates — follow the official HIFA Facebook page (facebook.com/officialhifa) for updates. Past editions have mixed paid ticketed shows with free outdoor performances, so it is possible to experience a significant portion of the festival without spending on tickets. That said, headline international acts and premium theatre productions typically require advance booking.

Harare’s accommodation options range from budget guesthouses to international-standard hotels; book early for HIFA week as rooms fill quickly. The festival hub in Harare Gardens is walkable from most central hotels and easily reached by taxi or ride-hailing app from further afield.

Evenings in Harare in late April are cool (around 15-18°C), so a jacket is useful for outdoor evening events. If you are combining HIFA with a broader Zimbabwe trip, our 7-day Zimbabwe itinerary outlines how to split time between Harare, Victoria Falls and Hwange.