Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
As the year draws to a close, many people will no doubt begin to reminisce on the major arts and entertainment events that defined 2025. While some may look at gigs as mere outings where people go to drink, make merry, and enjoy their favourite artistes, to others they are far more than that.
For many, musical concerts, poetry readings, theatrical performances and other cultural gatherings are where lasting memories are forged.
Most people can give a blow-by-blow account of their favourite night out, recalling remarkable moments that live on in their minds for a lifetime.
Who can forget the night the Soul Brothers lit up the New Windermere Hotel with Mama kaSibongile? Or when Cassper Nyovest and AKA clashed on stage at Queens Sports Club?
These are events that remain etched in the memories of those who were there, time capsules that transport them to a bygone era.
As 2025 winds down, there are a handful of events that created similar memories. Saimon Mambazo Phiri’s 50 Dates at the Theatre series brought several unforgettable shows, including Zwelethu, the production that saw the late parliamentarian Desire Moyo take to the stage for the last time.
Mzoe7 delivered a memorable one-man concert that reaffirmed his status as one of the country’s most electric performers. Nitefreak also returned to cement his growing influence, headlining HInde, one of the standout events of the year.
However, as the calendar turns, some may begin to wonder which events will survive into 2026. The arts calendar is littered with once-beloved festivals that fizzled out after strong runs, forced to close when they stopped making financial sense to their backers. In such a harsh operating environment, the events that wish to continue into 2026 and beyond will need to adapt if they are to maintain their top-dog status.
Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo
Last year’s edition of the country’s oldest surviving festival unfolded under the shadow of a city in mourning. Following the deaths of Babongile Sikhonjwa and Desire Moyoxide, two titans who served as pillars of the arts for over two decades, the city was in no mood to celebrate. This placed festival organisers in a delicate position: they wanted to honour their fallen comrades, yet postponing the festival would have meant discarding months of planning and hard work.
Under these circumstances, the festival became a low-key affair held beneath a sombre cloud. Despite this, Intwasa once again proved its worth by providing a platform for often-neglected genres. Still, it will need to prove its mettle again in 2026, as funding for arts festivals continues to dwindle. Innovative sponsorship models and creative partnerships will be essential if the festival is to avoid the fate of other respected arts showcases around the country.
Munch & Sip
Bulawayo’s premier lifestyle event hosted only one edition in a year that, by its standards, offered little to write home about. In April, organisers found themselves in a bruising dispute with city authorities after being ordered to end the event prematurely. The festival, now a marquee celebration of Zimbabwean food, music and artistic talent, was abruptly halted by municipal officials citing by-laws and permit violations. Some revellers complained about the limited availability of preferred beverages, while others felt the food stalls underperformed.
Organisers Lemongroove Brands insisted they complied with council regulations and accused the city of frustrating efforts to grow Bulawayo’s cultural economy. With no follow-up event later in the year, the 2025 edition left a bitter after-taste.
This makes 2026 a crucial year for Munch & Sip. It must raise its standards and regain its place at the top of Bulawayo’s events calendar. Given the ingenuity of its organisers, many expect a strong comeback
Garden of House
With each edition held in 2025, Garden of House (GOH) reaffirmed its status as the premier event in the country. Driven by the innovative Bulawayo Exclusive Events (BEE), GOH ended the year at the summit of Bulawayo’s cultural scene, offering a consistency that many of its competitors could not match.
The organisers’ unwavering commitment to house music, a genre gaining traction beyond Bulawayo and even outside Zimbabwe, positions them well for the future. GOH’s momentum makes it one of the safest bets for 2026.
Bulawayo Sneaker Expo
A few years ago, it would have seemed far-fetched to imagine a sneaker culture event taking root in Bulawayo. Yet for the second year running, the Bulawayo Sneaker Expo has proven itself worthy of being counted among the country’s top festivals. As 2026 approaches, organisers know that more must be done. Since returning in 2024, the expo has attracted impressive crowds, but many supporters believe it has not yet reached its ceiling.
A broader, more diverse music line-up may help the event evolve and attract an even wider audience. The potential is clear; the challenge is achieving the next breakthrough.
Private School
Perhaps the biggest disappointment regarding Private School events in 2025 was that they were not held more frequently. Targeting the solid 1Ks, the generation born before the turn of the millennium, the Private School series became one of the highlights of the arts calendar, drawing lovers of old-school jams despite premium ticket prices.
While hosting one event a year keeps the concept fresh, some argue that the long wait dulls the shine of a festival that helped kick-start Bulawayo’s arts momentum at the beginning of 2025. Because the concept is still relatively new, memories of the event fade as the months roll by, robbing it of some of the acclaim it deserves.
Bulawayo Shutdown
The event powered by Harris Entertainment, has proven beyond doubt that it has strong staying power. The event’s pulling power has largely been driven by consistently booking crowd favourite Winky D as the headline act across its editions.
What began as a platform to entertain delegates attending the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) each April has since grown into a major fixture on the city’s entertainment calendar. Its expansion into a December festive season show has seen it successfully occupy the slot previously held by the Kalawa Homecoming gig.
Although the event features performances by South African artistes, it has remained deliberate in placing local acts at the forefront, ensuring homegrown talent continues to shine on a big stage. Coupled with a winning formula and the organisers’ rigorous, innovative marketing approach, Bulawayo Shutdown is well positioned to not only endure, but thrive well into 2026.
