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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
IT’S party time as the Jameson Victoria Falls Carnival starts today with a secret bush party at Jafuta Siding outside Victoria Falls.

Three trains will carry the hundreds of carnivalistas for the bush party with organisers saying all are fully booked.

Carnival attendees embark on a journey with a vintage steam train to the secret venue for the night and on their way there will be jamming on-board by talented DJs.

One of the organisers, Brent Williamson, said preparations were well on course and all artistes had been cleared.

He said the venue is set at Victoria Falls Primary School where the cross over show will be held on Thursday.

“Everything is on track and we’ve paid licence fees for the artistes,” said Williamson.

Instead of a colour festival for tomorrow, this year carnivalistas will have an opportunity to sample cultural, business and social activities in the resort town as they will move around for shopping thereby according local traders a chance to do business.

There will be after parties at Shoestrings, Rest Camp and Adventure Zone and DJ Francis will be coordinating DJs who will be shuttled from one venue to the other.

Individual tickets for today and tomorrow are selling for $60 while tickets for the cross over show on Thursday will cost $65.

There is however a special of a two-day ticket which costs $90 for the two days.

More than 7,000 carnivalistas are expected this year, up from about 5,000 last year as the event gets more and more popular.

Meanwhile, Williamson said the three-day event is a business and employment opportunity for Victoria Falls residents.

There were concerns from Victoria Falls residents after last year’s edition that the organisers bussed in people from Harare to do menial jobs such as ushering, security, bar attendants and other services at the expense of locals.

Williamson said only locals were contracted for the three-day fete. “The carnival will be bringing in thousands of people and creating employment and business for locals,” he said.

“Nobody from outside town is being given a job because we want locals to benefit from the event.

I think we had about 30 people contracted on site to prepare the venue with scores more being contracted for security while others are engaged as barmen,” said Williamson.

The carnival is the biggest end of year party taking place in the resort town from December 29 to 31 and draws attendees’ from the Sadc region and far afield.