PICTORIAL: What Blankets & Wine felt like this December

By the time the sun dipped behind Kasarani, Blankets & Wine had already done what it does best by turning an ordinary Sunday into a shared memory.

The event felt different this time. Not just bigger, not just louder, but intentional. From the moment you stepped in, there was a sense that this wasn’t just another edition. 

This was a closing chapter. A full stop to a year that had stretched beyond Nairobi and crossed borders.

The December edition felt less like a concert and more like a communal release. People danced like they had survived something together, traffic, the year, adulthood, Nairobi itself, and this was the reward.

The main stage moved like a carefully curated playlist of Kenyan cool and pan-African confidence. 

Early sets eased the crowd in, with familiar voices and easy grooves, the kind of music that leaves room for conversations flow, laughter with friends, for dates to unfold, for strangers to become familiar faces. Then the energy kept climbing.

By the time Ssaru, Okello Max, Marioo, Matata and Iyanii hit the stage, the crowd was fully locked in, not to mention surprise acts like Watendawili, Fathermoh, Savara, Coster Ojwang, Vijana Barubaru. Trio Mio and many more.

Phones were up, yes, but more importantly, people were present. Singing. Dancing. Moving without apology.

When Scorpion Kings, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa, took over, Kasarani stopped being Nairobi and briefly became a pan-African dance floor. 

Amapiano basslines rippled through the crowd, strangers dancing like longtime friends. It didn’t feel like a performance; it felt like a takeover. 

And the fact that this was their first time performing in Kenya as a duo made the moment land even harder.

Marioo and Mi Casa added their own flavour, smooth, soulful, celebratory, stretching the night across borders and reminding everyone just how wide African sound has become.

If the Main Stage was the headline, the Onja Onja Stage was the soul.

It started early and refused to calm down. This was where you went if you didn’t want to “watch” music; you wanted to move. Afro-house, electronic beats, alternative sounds, and DJs who understood pacing and patience.

Donae’o’s presence tied the whole thing together, UK meets Kenya, not as a gimmick but as a conversation. 

And when Aly Fresh, Mura and Big Nyagz closed with a back-to-back set, the Onja Onja crowd looked like it might never leave.

Sweat, laughter, arms in the air. No rush. No pressure. Just rhythm.

Blankets & Wine has always understood that a festival isn’t only about music. The Onja Onja Market, themed Made in Kenya, felt like a love letter to local creativity, fashion, food, art, and wellness brands all holding their own space.

Between sets, people wandered. Ate. Tried things. Bought things they didn’t plan to. Sat on blankets. Took photos. Reconnected with friends they hadn’t seen all year.

It felt lived-in. Human.

That sense of intention put into the event wasn’t accidental. Speaking at the close of the year, Muthoni Drummer Queen, the festival’s Creative Director, described 2025 as a turning point for Blankets & Wine.

“From Bradford back to Nairobi, we’ve shown that Blankets & Wine is more than an event, it’s a living cultural platform that travels, evolves and connects people through music and joy,” she said, adding that Kenyan Summer felt like “a beautiful way to end the year, grounded in gratitude, energy and community.”

For the team behind the scenes, the night was as much about people as it was about performance. Diane Ywaya, Communications Manager at GoodTimes Africa, summed it up simply:

“From the main stage to Onja Onja, the market and the dance floor, this is why Blankets & Wine exists,” she said, thanking the artists, partners and the community for showing up and closing the year in unforgettable fashion.

And as the crowd flowed between stages, food stalls and dance floors, the attention to detail didn’t go unnoticed. Justine Mbugua, Head of Festivals at Blankets & Wine, pointed to the quieter work that made the experience seamless.

“Every edition this year reflected months of careful planning, from production and hospitality to artist experience and audience flow,” she noted, saying the trust the community continues to place in the festival is something the team is deeply proud of.

As the night wound down, nobody seemed eager to rush home. People lingered. Danced a little longer. Took one last video. Made and hugged one more friend.

The attendees I spoke to appreciated how the team addressed past complaints, plenty of vendors, bars, and security with no long queues, quick ticketing, and kind staff from entry to exit. 

Blankets & Wine didn’t just close its 2025 calendar; it closed it with intention. With joy. With the reminder that culture isn’t something you consume; it’s something you participate in.

And as Nairobi traffic slowly swallowed the crowd again, one thing was clear: if this was how the year ended, the next chapter already feels promising.

 If you missed summer edition of Blankets and Wines or just want to relive the moments, check out the photos below