Dashiki Fashion Show: Applications Are Open for the 10th Annual Festival

Kehinde Alagbe
Jun 10
2 min read

10th Annual Colorado Dashiki Festival — August 29, 2026 | Denver, Colorado

Every year at the Colorado Dashiki Festival, the fashion show stops the crowd.

It is one of the most anticipated moments of the day. Designers bring African-inspired collections to the runway. Models carry them in front of thousands of people who came to celebrate African culture. And for a few minutes, everything else at the festival pauses.

That is what this show has become. And on August 29, 2026, it returns for the 10th Annual Colorado Dashiki Festival.

What to Expect

The Dashiki Fashion Show takes place outdoors at the festival, in front of a live crowd. Collections tend to reflect African heritage in various forms: traditional fabrics, contemporary cuts, Ankara prints, modern tailoring. The audience is engaged, familiar with the culture, and genuinely invested in what they are watching.

It is not a typical runway setting. The energy is different when thousands of people are already gathered and celebrating before the show even begins.

16 Contestants Are Already Confirmed

Applications for the 10th Anniversary edition are open, and 16 contestants have already secured their spots. Space is limited.

If you are a designer with an African-inspired collection, this is a platform with a real audience. Over 5,000 people attended the festival last year.

If you are a model looking for a meaningful runway experience, this is one worth being part of.

Applications close when spots are filled.