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Elsa Saadé

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@SceneNoise #NoiseNews: Lebanon’s only eco-conscious indie music and camping festival, Oakenfest, has unveiled the full lineup for its 2026 edition, Taking place July 25th–26th in the forests of Lehfed in northern Lebanon. Marking its 10th anniversary, the festival returns with a programme that continues to blur the lines between music gathering, cultural exchange, and outdoor retreat.

Since its launch in 2013, Oakenfest has grown into a key pillar of the region’s independent music scene, bringing together artists and audiences for a communal forest experience that extends beyond the stage. This year’s lineup spans Lebanon, the Arab region, and its diaspora, gathering established and emerging voices across live bands and electronic acts in a moment shaped by ongoing adversity in the country. Featured artists include Syrian singer Lynn Adib, Lebanese outfit Postcards, Afram, Al Tase3, Jana Saleh, Christina Kairouz, HADI, Alain Abi, and Masud.

Beyond the performances, the festival expands its programming into workshops and participatory spaces. On Saturday, July 25th, Street Studio, hosted by Samah Boulmona, will open up space for open mic sessions and spontaneous performances. The following day begins with yoga and breathwork led by Mira, before moving into ‘Village Table’ - a communal Lebanese-style brunch inspired by the spirit of a dayaa table, accompanied by a Zajal gathering that invites audience participation through improvisational exchange.

The festival will also include Oakenstore, which includes merchandise, alongside intimate concerts and listening sessions. Parts of the festival’s programme will also be streamed via Palestinian online radio station Radio Alhara.

Tickets are now available via the link in Oakenfest’s Instagram bio.

For more noise-making people, places and movements from across the region, go to www.scenenoise.com (link in bio), or download the #SceneNow app. by @elsaade

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3 months ago

@scenenoise: When asked to describe a space she’s built by hand - literally and figuratively - Elsa Saadé, co-founder and managing director of Oakenfest, took a moment to reflect. Between phrases like ‘authentic’, ‘communal’ or ‘one big family’ lie the essence of a music and camping festival built purely on impulse and passion.

In 2013, when she headed to her family’s land with a couple of friends, escaping the bustle of Beirut to wind back in Lehfed, a secluded green village atop Lebanon’s mountains, Elsa found she had accidentally built a stage - one where she, her companions, and their musician friends could all perform and indulge in the simplicity of being. It was both a camp and a non-hierarchical festival.

Fast forward to 2024, the music festival remains as non-hierarchical as it ever was, with established Arab artists sharing the stage with newcomers marking their first few notes and chords, surrounded by nature and tents.

A mountain camp, a musical festival, and - this year especially - a space to mourn and reflect in community, just a few kilometres from the threat of violence and the reality of genocide, this edition of Oakenfest has brought together artists and cultural practitioners from across Lebanon, Palestine, and the Arab world. Here, the focus is on the celebration of Arab identity—despite what Saadé refers to as the sometimes misconstrued equation between Arabness and trauma.

In this #SceneNoise interview, we speak to Saadé about the impact of the festival and her experience at the eighth edition - the first one she got to dance at.

Stay tuned for more interviews with Oakenfest’s eclectic artists.

🎥 @scenenoise
🖊️Farah Desouky by @elsaade

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2 years ago

@SceneNoise: Oakenfest: From Mountain Camp to Lebanese Hub for Indie Artists

In 2013, while planning a camping trip to the mountains in Lebanon’s Lehfed with a couple of friends, one friend asked if they could invite their musician friends. What was intended as a miniature getaway to disconnect from urban life birthed a much-needed space for independent musicians and artists away from the bustle of the mainstream. That space, Oakenfest, now a decade later has grown into a music festival first and foremost but also a space for the alternative. Across music and beyond, it is an open, shared stage.

In this exclusive SceneNoise interview, we speak to the founder, Lebanese activist Elsa Saadé about this journey, what Oakenfest has grown to represent over the last ten years and what she’s most looking forward to in its upcoming eighth edition, scheduled for July 19th to the 21st.

To find out what she had to say, head to the link in bio 🔗 by @elsaade

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2 years ago

@redseafilm recaps taken in Red Sea Jeddah by @elsaade

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10 months ago

An open discussion on artist development initiatives in Lebanon, led by professionals sharing insights, challenges, and practical approaches to nurturing artists at every stage. 📍TEMPO – Day 2 by @elsaade

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8 months ago

الليلة في بيروت، Oakenfest بيرجع
البرنامج الموسيقي الليلة هو المكان اللي رح تكتشفوا فيه فنانين جداد وتضيفوهم على قايمتكن وتسمعوهم عالإعادة

📍 KED Beirut
⏰ الأبواب تفتح الساعة 9:30 مساءً
🎟 التذاكر متوفرة على الباب

Tonight in Beirut, Oakenfest reunion.
Our lineup is where you’ll discover the artists you’ll add to your playlist and keep on repeat.

📍 KED Beirut
⏰ Doors open 9:30 PM
🎟 Tickets available at the door

📸 @lara_karam

#Oakenfest #Beirut #KED taken in KED by @elsaade

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a year ago

Our DJ for Thursday is no stranger to the Lebanese scene and the hero behind @oakenfest!

@elsaade has spent years exploring and collecting alternative Arabic music across genres like hip-hop, trip-hop, trap, and electro-tarab. Through her sets, she shares tracks from emerging regional artists together with her personal favorites, aiming to highlight the richness of the Arab alternative scene and make it more accessible to listeners. by @elsaade

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a year ago

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2 years ago

Friday night with @elsaade mixing hip-hop, electronic & alternative arabic music 🎶🏃🏿‍♀️‍➡️ taken in Tota by @elsaade

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2 years ago

🪄✨ taken in The Island by @elsaade

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2 years ago

🥬 by @elsaade

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3 years ago

Day 5 by @elsaade

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4 years ago