Kampala’s love affair with old-school music shows no sign of slowing down. After a series of successful nostalgia-driven events, the Old School Picnic returns to Sheraton Gardens this Sunday, bringing together classic RnB, Soul, good food and an audience that still remembers when a great song could bring an entire room together.
The resurgence is part of a wider shift in Kampala’s lifestyle scene, where events built around familiar music are increasingly competing successfully with conventional club nights. Recent experiences such as the Old School RnB Brunch, Strictly Soul and the Millennials Picnic have shown that people are willing to turn up for music they already know — and sing every word.
The Old School Picnic has become part of that movement, offering something different from the louder, trend-driven nightlife experience. Here, the music is as important as the socialising, with classics from the 1990s and 2000s creating the soundtrack for an afternoon designed around connection and relaxation.
There is also something particularly appealing about hearing these songs in a garden setting. Away from crowded dance floors and heavy club production, old RnB records have room to breathe, allowing people to talk, eat, drink and still catch the chorus of a song they have not heard in years.
The event comes with a familiar indulgence. Baileys, which partnered with the Old School RnB Picnic earlier this year, has already found a natural place within the experience. At the March edition, its treating experience included Baileys-infused gelato, cold serves and other indulgent creations, alongside live music and a garden setting.
“Seeing the people come together to slow down and savour these moments is exactly why we partnered with the picnic,” said Nancy Nansikombi, Baileys Brand Manager. “Baileys is a versatile canvas for creativity with the reminder that life is sweeter when you indulge a little.”
The partnership makes sense because the picnic is as much about the experience around the music as the music itself. Guests can settle into the afternoon, enjoy a Baileys serve and reconnect with friends while the DJs move through songs that defined another era.
Tusker Cider brings a similarly relaxed, social energy to outdoor experiences, complementing the food and easy-going atmosphere of a garden picnic. At recent nostalgia events, the cider has been incorporated into food-led experiences and pairings, reinforcing the idea that these gatherings are increasingly about a complete lifestyle experience rather than simply a night out.
For Kampala’s increasingly nostalgic party crowd, Sunday offers another opportunity to revisit the songs that shaped school days, university years, first loves and old friendships.
And if recent events are any indication, the Old School Picnic will not simply be a gathering of people listening to old music.
It will be a crowd remembering exactly why they loved it in the first place.
