Stone Town of Zanzibar lists La Rhumba on 25 September
Published on 09/27/2026 at 08:07 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Stone Town of Zanzibar hosts La Rhumba at Secret Garden on 25 September 2026, giving visitors to Zanzibar a scheduled live-music event inside the historic town, also known in Swahili as Mji Mkongwe. The programme is published by Emerson Zanzibar, which identifies Secret Garden as part of Emerson Spice Hotel in Stone Town.
La Rhumba brings live music to Secret Garden
La Rhumba is listed for Friday 25 September 2026 in the September programme for Secret Garden. Emerson Zanzibar says the venue hosts live music on Wednesdays and Fridays, and lists the event as starting at 8pm. The same programme names Secret Garden, Emerson Spice and Stone Town, linking the date and performance to the historic district rather than to a separate venue elsewhere on Zanzibar.
The programme also lists an entrance fee of TSh 10,000 and recommends reservations. The organiser identifies the evening as part of its Friday Night Live Magic series, with La Rhumba following performances by other named acts earlier in September and preceding DCMA Young Stars on 30 September. The September programme for Secret Garden supplies the date, venue, performer and listed start time.
Music programme sits within a protected historic town
The event takes place within a living urban heritage site rather than a purpose-built concert arena. UNESCO describes Stone Town of Zanzibar as a Swahili coastal trading town whose urban fabric and townscape remain largely intact after more than a millennium of African, Arab, Indian and European cultural exchange.
The historic settlement contains narrow streets, seafront buildings and structures built principally from coralline ragstone and mangrove timber. UNESCO also identifies major buildings including the Old Fort, the House of Wonders, the Old Dispensary and religious buildings from different communities. La Rhumba therefore sits within a district where cultural activity continues alongside residential and commercial uses, a relationship reflected in the UNESCO description of the World Heritage site.
The site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000. The Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority, established in 1985, is responsible for conservation management, while the authority says 1,709 historic buildings are under its care. The performance at Secret Garden connects a current music programme with the continuing cultural use of this protected town.
Visiting Stone Town of Zanzibar: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- La Rhumba is scheduled for 25 September 2026 at Secret Garden, Emerson Spice Hotel, with the organiser listing the start at 8pm.
- The organiser lists an entrance fee of TSh 10,000 and recommends reservations. The event is presented as a public Friday Night Live performance.
- Secret Garden is inside Emerson Spice Hotel in Stone Town, in Zanzibar City. The venue is within the UNESCO World Heritage area.
- The historic district has narrow, winding streets and a dense urban fabric. Visitors should expect walking through confined passages rather than a conventional open-air festival layout.
- English is widely used in tourism alongside Swahili, the official national language. Tanzania uses the Tanzanian shilling.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Stone Town of Zanzibar
When does La Rhumba take place at Stone Town of Zanzibar?
La Rhumba is scheduled for 25 September 2026 at Secret Garden in Emerson Spice Hotel. The organiser lists the start at 8pm.
What is Stone Town of Zanzibar?
It is a historic Swahili coastal trading town in Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. Its townscape reflects more than a millennium of African, Arab, Indian and European cultural exchange.
Where is Stone Town of Zanzibar and how do you get there?
It is in Zanzibar City on Zanzibar island, Tanzania. Secret Garden is located inside Emerson Spice Hotel in the historic district.
