Fans gathered in Kenya to celebrate a genre born far away but that more and more Africans are coming to appreciate.

Fans gathered in Kenya to celebrate a genre born far away but that more and more Africans are coming to appreciate. Brian O. Otieno put on his best western outfit and attended this year’s International Cowboys and Cowgirls Day festival in Nairobi, Kenya. The country music fans sang along to classic hits, drinking beer and whiskey as they tried to keep their line dancing synchronized. No memo was needed on the dress code. The Ngong Racecourse, a horse track on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, was packed with cowboys and cowgirls wearing their best western styles. The crowd was there to celebrate International Cowboys and Cowgirls Day, a festival in Kenya held on the last Saturday of July. For the second year in a row, the audience kicked up dust, danced and ate barbecue, celebrating a musical genre born far away but that more Africans are coming to appreciate. Country has long been played on radio stations across the continent and has drawn increasing interest from local artists over the years. It is particularly popular among Afrikaners in South Africa, where artists like Bobby Angel and Lance James first became stars. Purity Melubo and Fatuma Isaack, both in their 20s, wore matching beige hats to the horse track. They were both newcomers to the festival this year. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.