Organisers of the inaugural Jacaranda Festival set for October 6 are confident that the music fiesta, which they intend to host annually, will stimulate the summer festive mood.
by Kennedy Nyavaya
Co-hosted by music promotion company Ngoma Nehosho and the South African embassy, the fete, set for Hellenic Sports Club, will be headlined by music legend Oliver Mtukudzi and South Africa’s Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
Speaking to The Standard Style on the sidelines of a press conference on Wednesday, event co-ordinator Walter Wanyanya said the event would be a permanent feature every first weekend of October to celebrate the beauty of Harare during the jacaranda-blooming season.
“It is summer and jacaranda trees are flourishing, getting into the festival mood (so) we believe that the blending of Harare and beauty is already done naturally and as people we then come and add onto what nature is already doing,” said Wanyanya.
He said the idea of the festival was the product of a five-year learning process which his team gained after attending other festivals. The process taught them how to host big events and not to “reinvent the wheel”, Wanyanya said.
“We worked a lot with the festivals that have been held in South Africa and within the region and we have seen the value of involving performing artistes that have featured at different events in the region,” he said, adding that it was also a platform for synergy between established and emerging artistes.
“We are focusing on music so it is purely a music festival and we are driving at everything that is related to music; so you will see that we are going to run some good workshops with young artistes who will also get to share the stage and rehearse with more famous performers.”
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Mtukudzi weighed in promising a fun-filled affair when he takes to the stage.
“Definitely on the 6th of October we are going to have fun. Lots and lots of fun and because we are one and the Jacaranda Festival is about us being together, it’s about uniting the artistes as well,” said Tuku while calling on music lovers to bring their dancing shoes because “it’s not going to be a sit-down and watch concert.”
Supporting acts are billed to perform from midday to midnight and these include Mokoomba, SA’s Micasa, Gemma Griffith and Mbeu, among many others.
Meanwhile, co-organiser Marcus Gora has allayed fears of the event being postponed because of the cholera outbreak. He said they had taken necessary precautions to make the event a success.
“We will have sanitisers everywhere as well as ensure cleanliness and there will be medical support to attend to those who could start feeling unwell during the event,” said Gora.
