Borrowing the words of Toby, Kings and Queens of Accra were outside last Saturday for the 2025 edition of The Oasis Gathering’s “The Outside” festival. A festival organised to bring together Christi-Holics and kingdom lovers to worship, study the word of God and jam to the goofiness of the lord, outside.
After two events at Mmofra Place, this year’s edition was moved to the University of Ghana. Going into the event, there were many questions and concerns due to the change in venues and atmosphere. However, knowing what the Oasis Collective is capable of, there was a lot of optimism in the air.
A larger venue meant more ground to cover, a larger production, and higher expectations from potential newcomers. The build-up to the event was as smooth as it could be, with big announcements such as partnerships with Voltic, Bolt, and Coke, among others.
On arrival, it was evident that a lot of work had gone into setting up the place for this year’s festival. The stage was larger, more vendors were present, and there was more space for attendants to move around with ease. Before I delve into other aspects of the event, I must applaud the thought that went into providing multiple entry/check-in (out) points for attendants to ease human traffic. More often than not, organisers have minimal points, causing long lines even before gaining entry to the event, but that was not the case for “The Outside.”
Photos from The Outside
One of the many things that sets Outside apart from other Christian events is its holistic approach. For a festival with a young audience, a yard sale featuring other Christian creatives beyond music and dance is always a great initiative. There was Christian fashion on display for people who have been searching for Kingdom clothes but haven’t found any.
As a Christian event, studying the word of God is imperative, and, as such, Church In The Woods, as a segment of the festival, is yet another excellent initiative. Intimate, interactive, and refreshing, CITW gave people the opportunity to gain greater knowledge and understanding of scripture. The worship led by Kyei Mensah and ministration by the Scribes and Logoligi was a sweet touch. Being refreshed by the word and by Coke was definitely a nice move, and it did prep attendants for the live podcast, which I hoped could have been longer and more interactive. Since it’s the first time, we can make do with what we’ve got.
Ministrations at The Outside
The Blockparty was where the icing on the cake was. A big stage, bigger logistics and bigger production were all at the table, and the collective came out swinging. If you have been to an Oasis Gathering event, you will attest to how committed they are to delivering the best standard of performance production on all fronts. The guest ministers did not fail in taking the crowd to church. From the dancers to the DJ to the ministers, Kofi Karikari, Kofi Owusu Peperah, Manlike Stunna, Edem Evangelist and the closer Joe Mettle, along with the many other ministers, it was indeed a spectacle.
One of the things I find exciting about The Outside is the people I have met over the last couple of years at the event since 2023. We barely keep in touch, but whenever we meet at The Outside or any of the other Oasis Gathering events, we reconnect, share a few words and go about our day. That, for me, is a massive part of the community-building Oasis does through events like Outside. You come for the experience and leave with not only memories but also with people who become part of your community.
At the end of the day, The Outside is on track to become a major festival, not just for Christians but for the Ghanaian creative industry. The fusion of ministry and creativity invested in the festival over the last three editions is evidence of the intent, plans, and goals for what to expect in later years. In a few years, it would not be surprising to see The Outside become a significant part of the December festival calendar, alongside the Afros and other major December festivals in Ghana.
The Outside 2025 is the biggest yet and might have had its challenges, but the collective came out on top. Outsiders gathered, studied, connected, jammed and experienced a world time under the watchful eyes of God.
