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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
FUN lovers in Victoria Falls are poised for an action packed weekend with the annual Zambezi Lager Victoria Falls Carnival and Mapopoma Festival set to roar into life today.

A combined 14 000 revellers are expected in the resort town over the three days of the festivals.

One of the organisers of the carnival, Emmanuel Tivatyi said more than 4 000 tickets have been sold thus far with more sales expected today.

“Our equipment partners are now putting the final touches at the sites with the stage already mounted at the main venue — the Vic Falls Primary School.

“We’ve already sold more than 4 000 tickets with the first two trains already sold out. We expect the third train to be sold out today (yesterday) judging by the way tickets are moving,” said Tivatyi.

He said they expect between 6 000 and 7 000 to attend the festival this year.

Tivatyi said the locals who form a huge population of those expected to attend, were well catered for as a day’s pass has been pegged at $20 for them while the two and three-day passes are pegged at $40 and $50 respectively. An ordinary three-day pass costs $90.

Tivatyi said the performing artistes who have begun arriving in the resort town are geared to entertain the crowds.

The carnival action begins at 4PM today with an African carnival train party at Jafuta Siding with three trains expected to ferry people. Rocking patrons during the train and bush party will be DJs Francis, China, Easy Freak, Invizable, Niskerone, Jason Le Roux, Ryan Synth and Lazarus Man.

Tomorrow, Freshly Ground, DJ China, Hazel Mac, Lady Zamar, Black Motion and Hyena will entertain patrons at the Vic Falls Primary School with revellers also being treated to a host of community parties lined up around Vic Falls.

The New Year’s Unity Concert will be held at the same venue on Monday with So Kindly, Mokoomba, Flying Bantu, BCUC, Ammara Brown, Prince Kaybee, Jason Le Roux, Lazarus Man and Bahna billed to perform.

Other than the carnival, those visiting Vic Falls during this period will be spoilt for choice as they can also attend the Mapopoma Festival which will run concurrently with the carnival.

The Mapopoma Festival will be held at Zambezi House with local artistes and DJs leading party lovers into the New Year.

Event organiser, Patrick Musonza, popularly known as DJ Spevar said this event was being held to celebrate the arts, culture and the beauty of Victoria Falls through music and dance. He said close to 3 000 tickets have been sold so far with more than 6 000 people expected over the three days.

“Everything is set for the event. About 2 800 advance tickets have been sold so far and we expect about 7 000 to attend the festival.

“All we’re saying is that locals should come in their numbers because this is their show,” said DJ Spevar.

The line-up of artistes includes Kweseka, Peanuts and Ice Cream, Making Ginger Music, Abobhudi Be Space, Criss Ozzy, Mafia King and Shoemaker while DJs comprise DJ Spevar, Jimmy, Wallace, Klizer, Static, Genesis and Harare’s Dollar Bill.

A Lumo party (glow in the dark) will be held tonight where revellers will use safe ultra-violet lights and put on creams to make luminescent and neon things glow while other objects remain dark.

Fans of imbube music will be treated to an Imbube Family Show today with that event’s organiser Thokozani Dube saying they are expecting a big crowd. The imbube show will take place at Chinotimba Community Hall featuring Bulawayo’s Indosakusa (formerly Impumelelo Shining Stars) who will be supported by Victoria Falls’ UmkhankasoWamajaha. The event is expected to kick off at 11AM.

“We’re on our final stages of preparation and have widely marketed the show. We’ve realised that imbube has died in Victoria Falls so we want to reignite the genre,” Dube said.

This will be the first imbube event in Victoria Falls since 2004 when Black Umfolosi performed in the town. — @ncubeleon