Aboakyer Festival 2026

Winneba, Ghana

Ekem Quiz Bowl

Friday, April 24th, Time: 10:00am, Location: R.C. Ekem Library & ICT Centre at Lowcost

Gift Set, Effutu Municipal Director, Ghana Library Authority

Students Competing in the 2026 Ekem Quiz Bowl

Gifts to Teachers who are Participating in the Quiz Bowl

1st Place Winners, A.M.E Zion

The Ekem Quiz Bowl is an Aboakyer Festival quiz that aims to educate and inform not only the participants but other Effutu community members of the traditions, culture, and heritage of the festival.

Sports & Competitions

Triathlon: Friday, April 25th, Time: 6:00am, Location: Boat Yard
Athletics Relay: Friday, April 25th, Time: 2:30pm, Location: Commercial Street
Arm Wrestling: Friday, April 25th, Time: 6:30pm, Location: Taxi Rank/Adanse

Triathlon: A grueling three-stage endurance race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession.

Relay Races: A team track event where members take turns sprinting specific distances and passing a baton to the next runner.

Arm Wrestling: A test of upper body strength where two opponents grip hands and try to pin the other's arm to the surface.

Candidate Biking in the Triathlon
Credit: National Sports College

Candidate Swimming through Landing Beach in the Triathlon

Candidate Participating in the Triathlon Nearing the Finish Line
Credit: National Sports College

Asafo Companies Engaging in Arm Wrestling
Credit: 98.3 FM

Jersey Float & Artist Night

Saturday, April 25th, Time: 5;00pm, Starting Location: Roundoff

Individuals Parade Through the Streets of Winneba Wearing their Jerseys
Credit: Nyce 90.7

Trucks Lined with Speakers for the Parade and Dancing

Three Individuals Enjoying the Festival

Artist Energy Man Patapaa, Performing for Artist Night
Credit: Nyce 90.7

A vibrant street parade where participants wear sports jerseys, followed by a concert featuring live performances from popular musicians.

Sanitation Day

A community-led morning dedicated to cleaning public spaces, streets, and gutters to ensure the town is pristine for festivities.

Monday April 27th, Time: XXX, Starting Location: XXX

Individuals Cleaning the Streets of Winneba

A Sign Depicting a New Beginning for Winneba and its Environment

Trash and Liter Collected at This Years Sanitation Day

Individuals Posing for Sanitation Day

Tug of War

Tuesday, April 28th, Time: 2:00pm, Location: Penkye Landing Beach

A classic contest of strength where the Tuafo and Dentsefo teams pull on opposite ends of a rope to drag the other across a center line.

Women Dentsefo Company Participating in the 2026 Tug of War

An Overhead View of the Asafo Companies

Men Tuafo Company Participating in the 2026 Tug of War

Men from Both Companies Bringing out the Rope

Regatta

Tuesday, April 28th, Time: 4:00pm, Location: Penkye Landing Beach

A colorful competitive boat race or rowing event held on the sea, showcasing the skills of local fishermen. Multiple boats race to the boundary and return to the beach, the first team back wins the Regatta competition.

Drone Footage Capturing the Overview of the Race

Bystanders Watching their Companies Race
Credit: 98.3 FM

The 2026 Regatta Races

Asafo Companies Beginning to Race
Credit: 98.3 FM

Health Walk

Thursday, April 30th, Time: 5:30am, Starting Location: Trauma Junction

Group of Individuals Walking in the Morning
Credit: Akessesem TV

A guided community walk aimed at promoting physical fitness and wellness among participants of all ages. This walk begins, Thursday morning of the festival week.

Chief Neenyi Ghartey Fronting the Health Walk
Credit: Akessesem TV

The 2026 Health Walk T-Shirt Designs

Individuals Playing Brass Instruments as they Engage in the Health Walk.

Concert Party

DAY, DATE, Time: XXX, Starting Location: XXX

A traditional Ghanaian form of comedic musical theater that combines highlife music with storytelling and drama.

XXX

Parading of the Asafo Gods (BasaBasa)

DAY, DATE, Time: XXX, Starting Location: XXX

Tuafo Asafo No. 1 proudly parades the mighty “NKUMSA” deity

Simpa tuafo Asafo No. 1 parade GYEMISI their oldest and one of their powerful deity(bosom)

The performance of the sacred Bruku ritual by the Dentsifo Asafo No. 2 group

Basabasa was Reserved for Elders, but the Youth, with Permission from their Forefathers, created Bruku as their own Deity.
Credit: Akessesem TV

The two rival Asafo companies (Tuafo and Dentsifo) display their deities and flags in a colorful procession; this is often high-energy and chaotic, which is why it is colloquially referred to as BasaBasa.

Lemon Thursday

DAY, DATE, Time: XXX, Starting Location: XXX

A grand, festive parade through the town streets; held on Lemon Thursday, characterized by participants wearing bright yellow or creative costumes.

The Streets of Winneba Filled with People Dancing and Singing

Individuals Beginning the Parade

Three Women Dancing During Lemon Thursday

2026 Lemon Thursday Street Carnival Signage

Night of Boxing

Friday, May 1st, Time: 10:00pm, Starting Location: XXX

An evening event featuring a series of matches where local or amateur fighters showcase their skills in the ring.

Aboakyer Day

Saturday, May 2nd, Time: the Hunt can Begin as Early as 4:00am, Starting Location: Chosen by the Gods Each Year

The climax of the festival where the two Asafo groups compete to be the first to capture a live bushbuck with their bare hands. The First Company that Presents the Deer to the Chief will have Libation Poured by the Chief (Asserting the Winning Team)