from DANIEL JONES in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
VICTORIA FALLS, (CAJ News) – THE popular Mapopoma Festival is returning for its fifth edition after it was cancelled last year as a result of the coronavirus scourge.
Organisers are targeting only local artists for this New Year’s gig which is one of Victoria Falls’ crowd pullers.
The festival has over the years coincided with the Victoria Falls Carnival, which is also expected to make a comeback this year after it was also cancelled because of the COVID-19 lockdown
Mapopoma organisers are hopeful there will be no new wave during the festive season.
Patrick “DJ Spevah” Musonza, the event organisers, said the festival would this year be held indoors at Kingdom Hotel on December 30 and 31.
“We decided to hold the festival at Kingdom Hotel due to weather issues and because of its strategic location,” Musonza said.
Over the years, Mapopoma attracted more than 3 000 revellers from across the country for the cross-over night into New Year’s Day.
Across town, the Victoria Falls Carnival would attract close to 10 000 from across the globe.
These events bring the city to a standstill amid criticism Victoria Falls was too small to host such gigs concurrently.
Mapopoma organisers have confirmed some of the artists to perform at the festival.
So far, Nutty O, Feli Nandi and Mzoe7 as well as Muffia King, DJ Snappy, DJ Conz, and DJ CJay have been named.
Advance tickets are already on sale for US$20 or US$35 for a day’s ordinary and VIP tickets respectively.
A two-day ticket is US$30 and US$55 for VIP.
The Mapopoma Festival seeks to celebrate arts, culture and beauty of Victoria Falls through music and dance.
The trademark Ubuntu Concert, where party makers will be expected to wear traditional attire, will be held.
There will also be a show “Africa is the Future” at the event.
The festival is a tourism draw card.
– CAJ News