ZIMBABWEAN festivals have a tendency of lacking the colour that is usually the key factor that marks a festival.
Silence Charumbira
At the two editions of the Harare International Carnival and a handful of other festivals it is difficult to tell there is a festival going on as people go about their business as if everything is normal.
A festival is one event that just has to be out of this world as everything around you should denote the mood.
Yet in Harare, the Sunshine City besides maybe just the Harare International Festival of the Arts; there is aptly no festival to talk about.
Of course the Harare Agricultural Show has soldiered on over the years, but one can tell the zest that used to characterise this particular event is not there anymore.
But there could soon be the answer; of course for the adult audience who will next month be treated to a magnanimous beer festival dubbed the Sunset October Beer Festival.
Interestingly, the festival is likely to happen in the same month with the annual Lion Larger Summer Beer Festival.
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Although no information is available for the Lion Larger Summer Beer Festival, Delta Beverages is said to be planning to bring Jamaican Busy Signal for their show scheduled for October 11.
Organised by a consortium of promoters, the Sunset October Beer Festival will run over two days starting on October 24 and ending on the 25th.
One of the organisers told NewsDay that they are working on modalities to make sure that they sell alcoholic beverages at subsidised prices.
“We are engaging different partners to make sure this festival comes out as nothing that has been seen in Zimbabwe before,” said the spokesperson.
“We are a reserved people yes, but the world is changing and we are being left out by the day. The showbiz market is dying for concepts and by introducing this we are making sure that even the tourism sector benefits.
“A team is on the ground drafting concepts and engaging artistes while others engage partners to make sure no one feels left out.”
He said there will be four stages at the Sunset Arena (Safeguard Training Grounds/Civic Grounds) where different activities will be taking place.
“There will be a main stage whose entrance fee we are still working out, but what we are trying to do is when one buys a ticket they get unlimited beer covered by the cost of their ticket,” he said.
“What will then happen is they will get only one brand, if they want a different brand then they will have to buy, but at a subsidised price. Their ticket will only give them access to the main stage and they will have to buy a different ticket to access other stages.”
If the organisers’ concept does come to fruition then Harare could be headed in the direction of the Munich Octoberfest (Munich Beerfest).
An important part of the Bavarian culture, the Octoberfest sees Munich hosting six million tourists for 16 days in the German capital.
Then Harare will sure have a dose of binge and for a few days, it will be brisk business for different service providers and of course hoteliers.
