Naija Fest LA 2026: Free Nigerian Festival at Grand Park

Nigeria's Independence Day falls on October 1, and the Los Angeles party lands two days later. Naija Fest LA '26 fills Gloria Molina Grand Park in Downtown LA on Saturday, October 3, from noon to 7 p.m. Admission is free. Organizers bill it as the largest Nigerian Independence Day celebration in the U.S., and if you're scanning for LA events this weekend that aren't another brewery crawl, this one deserves a spot near the top.

Who's on the stage

Mr. P Square headlines. Yes, that's Mr. P, one half of the twin duo P-Square, whose hits carried Nigerian pop far past Lagos in the 2000s and 2010s. King Kanja and Meaku share headliner billing with him, so the main stage has three acts at the top of the bill rather than one star and a string of openers.

Comedian Seyi Brown hosts, with Dulo as co-host. Between sets you'll also catch live performances from Funke Lagoke and Echezona. Three Afrobeats DJs keep the soundstage running all day: DJ Major League, DJ Afriiique and MJ the DJ. Seven hours is a long time to stand still, and nobody will expect you to.

What to expect

The festival has a theme this year, "United by Culture," and the program runs well beyond music. There's merch, fashion, dancing and raffles, plus food. The organizers name jollof and suya specifically, which is reason enough to come hungry. Wear Ankara if you've got it. Streetwear works fine too.

It's all ages and billed as family-friendly, so strollers and grandparents are part of the crowd. The organizer is the NAPAC Foundation (Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee), a Los Angeles nonprofit founded in 2013 that works on education, health and economic empowerment for Nigerian-Americans and other communities.

Practical info and getting there

• When: Saturday, October 3, 2026, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Where: Grand Park, 200 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
• Cost: Free (general admission is listed on the event page)
• Ages: All ages

Grand Park stretches between the Music Center and City Hall, and the Metro B and D Line Civic Center/Grand Park station sits right at its edge. That's by far the easiest way in. Parking garages around the Music Center fill up fast on busy Saturdays, so give yourself extra time if you drive. October afternoons downtown can still hit the 80s. Bring water and sunscreen, since shade on the lawns goes fast once a big crowd settles in.

Organizers also say "come early," which is usually good advice at free events this size. Grab a spot near the stage before the headliners go on in the late afternoon.

More around town

For more things to do in Los Angeles this fall, browse our festivals coverage or see what else is on the calendar in Los Angeles. Few days on the calendar pack this much jollof into one city block.