Tomorrow, on 1 June, Bulawayo gears up to commemorate its 130th anniversary with a dynamic lineup of cultural and artistic events, kicking off a week-long celebration under the Bulawayo Arts Festival (BAF) umbrella from 2 to 7 June.
Here’s a glimpse of the activities planned for the festival:
1 June:
Bulawayo Day festivities will kick off with the Bulawayo Day Parade at 10 am from City Hall Car Park, alongside the World Bicycle Day Commemoration. Cyclists, skaters, and stunt bikers are welcome to join.
At 2 pm, Indigenous Games Competitions, featuring traditional games like Umamtshayana and Instoro, will commence at City Hall Car Park. Simultaneously, the KoNtuthu Legends Concert will showcase talented local musicians covering songs from Bulawayo-bred music legends.
2 June:
Gospel music enthusiasts can enjoy the Gospel Explosion: Power of Praise concert at 3 pm at the Large City Hall, featuring Loraine Maplanka Stot, Snow, Vocal Ex, and other Gospel outfits.
The official opening of BAF will take place at Stanley Hall at 5:30 pm, with Back Umfolosi presenting the Kulture Kasi project.
3 June:
The Inaugural Inxwala Memorial Performance Lecture with Gogo Bekezela will be held at MacDonald Hall at 10 am. A dance workshop will take place at Stanley Hall at the same time, along with the High School Spelling Bee at Small City Hall.
4 June:
Another dance workshop will be conducted at Stanley Hall from 10 am. Simultaneously, the Schools Cultural Showcase will unfold at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre. At 3 pm, the I Wear Culture Exhibition and Documentary screening at Small City Hall will delve into the decorative aspects, colors, motifs, and sustainability fashion of various ethnic groups.
5 June:
The Youth Concert will be held at Inyathi Youth Centre from 1 pm.
7 June:
Imbokodo: Her Voice, Her Power Concert will take place at Large City Hall from 6 pm, featuring acclaimed artists like Vuyo Brown, Nkwali, Thandy Dhlana, Noluntu J, among others, celebrating female creativity.
