By midday on Sunday, the gardens of Sheraton Kampala Hotel were already beginning to look less like a hotel garden and more like a giant Sunday living room.
People walked through the gates carrying mats, ready to claim their little patches of grass, while others arrived in groups, dressed for an afternoon of music, food, drinks and good company.
The occasion was the first anniversary of the Old School Picnic, an event that has spent the past year bringing Kampala together around the RnB, Soul and Ugandan music that shaped a generation.
But if anyone thought the afternoon would be a quiet trip down memory lane for an older crowd, the Gen Zs on the grounds quickly proved otherwise. They came in huge numbers and, more surprisingly, they knew the songs.
As the music rolled through old-school favourites, young people sang along word for word, sometimes with the kind of confidence that suggested they had grown up with the songs. The afternoon’s most striking sight was the different generations standing together, singing the same lyrics and proving that a good song does not really belong to any particular age.
For Nakazzi Gloria, a regular Old School Picnic attendee, the event has become a place to unwind, catch up with friends and create special moments.
“I love anything that has to do with old-school music. Something about songs that aren’t from this era just gets me. These events are nice because it feels like a society of free souls who have moved back in time. It is pure nostalgia,” she said.
By the time the performances got into full swing, the crowd was singing its lungs out as though tomorrow did not exist. Familiar melodies turned into massive singalongs, with people dancing on their mats, on their feet and wherever they could find enough space to move.
At the centre of it all were live performances from Myko Ouma, Jose Sax and Lillian Mbabazi, whose music provided some of the afternoon’s biggest moments.
Ouma brought his musicianship to a crowd already warmed up by the DJs, while Mbabazi delivered the kind of performance that needed little introduction. Her familiar songs became communal moments, with the audience taking over parts of the performance and singing back every word.
The DJs – DJ Ssese, and DJ Cacie – kept the musical journey moving, while Ms Deedan brought her trademark energy to the microphone, ensuring the afternoon never lost momentum.
Away from the stage, the picnic retained the relaxed social atmosphere that has become central to its identity as friends gathered on mats, conversations flowed, food and drinks were shared, and strangers quickly became part of the same crowd once the music started.
Baileys added its own layer of indulgence to the celebration, bringing the creamy Irish liqueur into an afternoon built around food, conversation and music.
For Baileys Brand Manager Nancy Nansikombi, the atmosphere captured what the brand hoped to bring to the anniversary celebration – an opportunity for people to slow down, connect and enjoy the sweeter moments together.
“The Old School Picnic is really about creating those moments where people can come together, reconnect and simply enjoy themselves. Seeing the energy, the friendships and the different generations enjoying the music together made the anniversary very special for us. Baileys was proud to be part of a celebration that was all about enjoying the moment and creating memories,” she said.
Tusker Cider, meanwhile, brought its refreshing character to the outdoor setting, complementing the picnic’s food, music and relaxed social atmosphere.
Tusker Cider Brand Manager Sandra Againe said the strong sense of community and connection stood out throughout the celebration.
“What stood out for us was the energy and how naturally people connected with the experience. From the people arriving with their mats to the singing, dancing and conversations throughout the afternoon, it really felt like a community coming together. Tusker Cider is about refreshing, social moments, and the Old School Picnic gave us the perfect space to be part of those moments,” she said.
But perhaps the biggest achievement of the first anniversary was seeing just how far the Old School Picnic has travelled in one year, however beyond that, Sunday proved that while generations may change, good music never gets old.
