Zim festival culture is back!
Fcommunity cohesion,
OSTERING upholding Ubuntu and having a sense of pride breeds happiness.
This can be easily attained and wholly embraced through cultural festivals.
With changing trends in the global village, cultural festivals can still be aligned with modern lifestyles.
New generations should also play their part in reviving the cultural festivals.
In this quest, popular art forms — music, literature, visual arts, dance, drama and film — remain key to enhancing this drive.
On home turf, festivals are known for their power to unite people through artistic expression, music, food and traditions.
Locally, the culture was dying but we still have event planners who are determined to ensure that no one stops happiness.
Who still remembers the once-popular Jenaguru Arts Festival, which used to light up Gwanzura Stadium in Highfield?
Who still has fond memories of the Chimanimani Arts Festival, which propelled the Eastern Highlands to dizzy heights?
What about the multi-cultural Harare International Festival of the Arts, which has been shelved?
Bulawayo, too, has its fair share of festivals among them Intwasa.
Bindura hosts its own dubbed Bindura Arts Festival. The list is endless.
With the last quarter of 2024 fast approaching, holiday-makers should brace themselves for more fun-filled festivals.
An action-packaged season (last quarter of 2024) is guaranteed as the festival culture is back.
September will set the tone as it hosts a series of festivals where event planners should emerge biggest winners.
The inaugural Oliver Mtukudzi International Arts Festival (OMIFA) will certainly come under the spotlight from September 21–22.
OMIFA, which celebrates the life of the late national hero and music icon Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, has been scheduled for Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton, Mashonaland West.
A cultural icon he was, a detailed line-up to celebrate Tuku’s legacy will be announced next week.
Tuku’s legacy is to be marked through performances in music, theatre, poetry, visual artists and dance in Norton, event organisers say.
On the same weekend, the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust (ZJCT) will keep Harare and Bulawayo merry-makers on their toes once again.
This follows the return of the Zimbabwe Jazz Festival in Harare and Bulawayo under the theme “Sizzling Rhythms”, courtesy of the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust (ZJCT) in partnership with the Alliance Francaise in Zimbabwe.
UK-based jazz ambassador Paul Lunga, aka King of Jazz Horns, will headline the event along with Swiss singer-songwriter Nnavy, known for her unique personal style in which she blends R&B, soul and jazz influences.
The two-day event kicks off in Bulawayo on September 20, hosted by Alliance Francaise de Bulawayo.
Lunga, NNavy, George Phahlane and Ngoma iNgoma will perform in Bulawayo.
The Harare leg takes place on September 21 at Alliance Francaise from 2-10 pm.
Lunga, NNavy, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, Agga Nyabinde, Rhythmic Pulse, Steve Chikotie and the Hellenic Academy Big Band will take part in the event.
ZJCT founder and artistic director, Filbert ZJCT Marova, said: “Each year, we embark on a meticulous search to identify the most exceptional artistes who have demonstrated remarkable growth throughout the year.
“For international artistes, we were particularly drawn to Paul Lunga, a UK-based Zimbabwean trumpeter whose contributions to the jazz industry are nothing short of phenomenal.
“The Swiss singer, Nnavy, also captured our attention with her meteoric rise in the past year. Ultimately, our artiste selection is driven by a fervent passion for diversity and innovation within the jazz genre.
“We have meticulously curated a line-up that celebrates both established and emerging talents, ensuring a rich tapestry of sounds and styles that resonate with the heart of Zimbabwe’s vibrant jazz scene.”
Later that month, all the attention would be on Nigel Chinovhiringa’s Braai Out Festival at Graceland Resort on the shores of Lake Chivero.
As expected, a star-studded line-up will grace the event.
The same weekend, Gwanzura Stadium will host the Mbira Festival courtesy of Chipaz Promotions under the aegis of Partson “Chipaz”Chimbodza.
On October 5, the Kadoma International Music returns for its third year running.
Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platinumz will headline the event schedule for The Odyssey.
Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah, Winky D and Kura Makore are billed to perform there.
Festival coordinator, Prince Mharadze said the annual musical extravaganza will change the face of Kadoma.
“Our vision is for the event to become a regional event, which attracts music lovers from our neighbours and beyond.
SADC
“This would be great for tourism in Zimbabwe.
“I don’t know if I would go as far as saying it has transformed the lives of people in Kadoma, but that festival weekend creates a lot of business for the people in Kadoma across sectors, from hairdressers and boutiques to hospitality and food vendors,”he said.
Mharadze believes the festival has now grown to become a national event.
“The festival is now very much a national event and the vast majority of those who attend come from outside of Kadoma.
“This has presented a great opportunity for hospitality players to welcome guests from all around Zimbabwe creating lasting memories and connections.”
On the same weekend, the eighth annual Jacaranda Music Fest will take place at Thorn Park Polo Grounds in Harare.
The three-day event, which runs under the theme “The Music, the People and the City”, will parade an array of both local and regional stars.
As suggested by the theme, it will go a long way in exploring socio-cultural benefits to communities.
Other festivals that mark the last quarter of 2024 include the Mapopoma Festival set for Victoria Falls in December.
It usually runs concurrently with the Victoria Falls Carnival, which has become a permanent feature. With many people yearning for the promotion of cultural festivals, such events should celebrate the diversity and traditions of a community or ethnic group with pride.
Experts have always maintained that locals should benefit from such festivals for them to make an impression and change their lives.
Festivals are critical in promoting diversity as well as the creation of business opportunities that many are yearning for.