By Yunus S. Saliu
Palma Rima Beach will again host the Perreh Bi Fest as Flex Fuzion Dance Academy stages the third edition of the cultural beach festival on Saturday, January 31, 2026, organisers have announced.
The event, scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., is organised by Flex Fuzion Dance Academy with support from the European Union Youth Empowerment Project – Tourism and Creative Industries. It is being held in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture; the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment; and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Perreh Bi Fest aims to promote domestic tourism, encourage youth and creative sector participation, and position beach-based cultural festivals as sustainable platforms for community engagement and income generation along The Gambia’s coastline.
The family-oriented festival showcases Gambian culture, creativity, gastronomy, community enterprise and sports, while providing inclusive spaces for families, young people, artists and entrepreneurs.
Since its launch on November 8, 2025, the festival has recorded notable social and economic impacts. According to organisers, the first two editions held in November and December 2025 engaged 572 women and youths as staff, volunteers and performers, providing short-term employment and skills development opportunities.
The festival also supported 60 entrepreneurs marketing Made in The Gambia products and local cuisine, attracted more than 4,000 attendees, and generated direct income for small-scale entrepreneurs, performers and tourism service providers operating along the Palma Rima coastline.
Organisers say these outcomes underscore the festival’s growing role in youth engagement, local economic participation and community-led tourism development.
The third edition will feature live cultural performances, music and dance, beach sports, children’s activities and a marketplace for small and creative businesses, offering income opportunities for vendors and artists.
The January 2026 event will be the final Perreh Bi Fest of the tourist season, ahead of a planned transition to a summer series scheduled to resume in July 2026, a move intended to broaden domestic participation beyond the traditional tourism calendar.
Flex Fuzion Dance Academy has invited families, creatives, entrepreneurs, partners, media and other stakeholders to attend what it describes as a milestone edition of the festival at Palma Rima Beach.
