Oakenfest Founder Elsa Saadé on Community, Arab Identity & New Sounds

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.