The festival, which had a four-day run last year, has this year added an extra two days and will run from September 18 to 23 under the theme, Take Over the Town.
Performances will take place in different venues in the capital, including the Alliance Francaise, Book Café, Gallery Delta, Red Bar and in Glen Norah with a view to reaching out to urban youths in the ghetto.
“Shoko Festival will this year embrace more art forms as it becomes a celebration of urban culture. It will feature live music, comedy, hip hop, dance, house, spoken word, dub-step and reggae,” said Magamba Cultural Activist Network projects manager, Tongai Makawa.
He said the festival would also host workshops and debates in keeping with its tradition of “edutainment”.
Makawa added that performances would come from local performers and other artistes from various countries including South Africa, Botswana, Senegal, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States.
“Last year the inaugural Shoko Festival held in the capital successfully included live concerts, artistes’ debates, an international poetry slam, film screenings, live recordings, live graffiti and a conference,” said Makawa.
A total of 1 200 people visited last year’s festival and according to Makawa, this year’s festival looks even bigger and better as the Magamba Cultural Activist Network strives to remain Zimbabwe’s leading urban culture organisation.
