All roads will at the end of this month lead to Hunyani Hills Hotel on the shores of Lake Chivero for a three-day social outing dubbed Lake July Festival.
By Nicola Gibson
The event, the first of its kind on the Zimbabwean entertainment scene, will also see a clash of local and foreign DJs who include top South African wheel spinner DJ Stavo, DJ Leon and Nox, DJ Fugee, Judgement Yard, Legendary Sound, Immortional Movement, Gray B and the famous Zimdancehall godfather Templeman.
Lake July Festival starts on July 29 and ends on July 31.
Organisers of the event, Ecrag Group, said although top wheel spinners drawn from Zimbabwe and South Africa would grace the occasion, the festival was aimed at identifying and nurturing latent talent.
“We believe in local talent and we have created this platform to showcase our very own artists so that they are known across the nation and beyond,” said Tawanda Madzara from Ecrag Group.
He said their aim was to revive the local arts industry and give it an impetus so that they contribute to the economy.
Madzara said the Lake July Festival was not entirely for entertainment but to boost domestic tourism and destination marketing.
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“We are expecting people from outside the country to join in this festival. The event will bring Lake Chivero and the Hunyani Hills Hotel to life; it will put Lake Chivero on the spotlight as one of the country’s tourist destinations,” Madzara said.
Another member of the organising team, Tare Munzara said they wanted the festival to be taken as a platform that would benefit the youngsters.
“We definitely encourage such platforms for the future and for the benefit of the Zimbabwean brand. The Zimbabwean brand is not just a brand based on agriculture and mining, but also on the dreams of the youngsters,” Munzara said.
“Twenty years from now we want to see the effectiveness of the Lake July Festival benefitting our country and also the engagement of regional and outside relations.”
The organisers of the event are looking forward to attract the corporate world locally or even from beyond borders.
“We are showcasing our country through various activities such as art, while at the same time promoting grassroot artists,” said Madzara.
He said having the festival for three days was meant to give people full appreciation of the festival concept.
“A lot of activities will be held during the three days and these include beach volleyball, basketball, beach soccer and the clash of DJs,” Madzara said.
Madzara added that the festival was a destination marketing tool aimed at promoting artists.
On the first day of the Lake July Festival, the International Model School of Zimbabwe will host Top Model Africa, featuring 30 models drawn from 17 African countries.
Madzara said they would lobby for the winners to get the titleship of brand ambassadors.
