JACARANDA Music Festival founder and artistic director Walter Wanyanya has said the forthcoming festival, scheduled for October 3 to 5 at the Thorn Park Polo Grounds, will turn Harare into a cultural destination of choice in addition to providing memorable entertainment.
Wanyanya said an incredible line-up of local, regional and international artistes would entertain revellers at the Jacaranda Music Festival.
Local artistes such as Enzo Ishall, ExQ, Agga Nyabinde, Msiz’kay, Kyla Black and Diamond Musica will bring the homegrown sound.
Mafikizolo, Vusi Nova, Murumba Pitch and Kamo Mphela from South Africa including Jazz Worx and Thukuthela add fire to the mix on the African regional selection.
Spanish croup Candeleros will sentimentalise and sooth fans with fused prominent traditional sounds.
“The festival is hosted at Thorn Park Polo Club, which gives us plenty of space to design different experiences and we also have a designated e-hailing pick and drop space by Tap and Go for the convenience of our guests.
“Attendees can expect a variety of food vendors and even wellness areas. We’ve also invested in infrastructure like private toilets for VIPs, family-friendly zones and tight security so that everyone feels safe.
“Tickets are available through our official ticketing outlets Cafe Nush Highlands Park, Cafe Nush Village Walk, Cafe Nush and Cafe Nush Avondale.
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“The Jacaranda general admission ticket gives you a VIP experience at the cost of a standard ticket, VIP packages are available for co-operates and companies and can be made to specification for those who want a premium experience and host to their clients.
“We’ve also partnered airlines and hotels to create travel packages for regional guests. The goal is to make access easy, whether you’re a student in Harare or a fan flying in from Johannesburg or Lusaka.”
Wanyanya’s journey into the arts was motivated by the desire to create thriving platforms for music and culture.
“The inspiration came from seeing how festivals elsewhere become economic engines and cultural statements and wished if Harare could also emulate and adopt that.
“Over the years, that passion grew into producing concerts, curating festivals and running projects that bring both local and international artistes onto Zimbabwean stages.
“My work sits at the intersection of creativity, culture, and entrepreneurship and I’ve been fortunate to turn that into a career that also serves the community.
“Jacaranda was born out of a desire to celebrate diversity and to position Harare as a cultural hub.
“We looked at our city and discovered vibrant, youthful, talented artistes and asked ourselves why not create a festival that the world can come and experience.”
ND: One of the highlights of this year's festival is the appearance of Spanish group Candeleros. How did you manage to secure them as guest artistes?
WW: Candeleros came through our cultural networks. We’ve always believed Jacaranda should be a space for cultural exchange, not just entertainment.
Through partnerships and conversations with international cultural bodies, we managed to secure them.
It’s a big win for us and for the audience, to see a group of their calibre perform in Harare.
ND: What can fans expect from Candeleros' performance and how do you think it will fit in with the rest of the line-up?
WW: Fans can expect high-energy, authentic Latin sounds. Their music is rooted in tradition but with a very contemporary in feel.
They’ll fit perfectly because Jacaranda is about being a melting pot of sounds Afrobeat, amapiano, rhumba, Latin all sharing the same stage. It’s a musical conversation across cultures.
