Intwasaa��s troubled spring

Bruce Ndlovu
A LAVISH opening ceremony and the much loved main stage are just some of the things that will be missing from this yeara��s edition of Intwasa Festival KoBulawayo.

This yeara��s edition is set to be the smallest and least extravagant with organisers scaling back on some events that have helped light up Bulawayoa��s largest arts showpiece.

The build-up to this yeara��s festival has been muted than in recent years and this is not by coincidence, as the festival organisers struggle to put together the annual spring fiesta that has lit up Bulawayo in the last few years.

While others might have expected Intwasa to step into Hifaa��s boots after the countrya��s premier festival cancelled this yeara��s edition, this will not be the case as excitement about this year will be dampened by the fact that most of the high cost, but lively events have been shelved.

a�?Last year we had set the target of bringing in over 50 events but we wona��t be able to do that because instead of adding more acts we are losing more. Instead of the 50 we had we will lose half and end up with about 25,a�? said festival spokesperson Nkululeko Nkala.

Over the years the festivala��s main stage has been a hive of activity, with arts enthusiasts, tourists and the citya��s revelers all buzzing near and around it for the duration of the event.

However, that wona��t be the case this year, with the festivala��s famed stage only making an appearance on the final day of the concert for the closing Bayethe Bulawayo concert.

Also gone is the extravagant opening ceremony which was usually headlined by top acts from around the country.

Essentially, this yeara��s festival will be an all Bulawayo affair.

a�?Honestly this yeara��s festival has set us about five steps back. We have struggled like everyone else and if you look around the country only about five of the 30 major festivals will be taking place,a�? he said.

Nkala conceded that although many had seen the postponement of Hifa as an opportunity to poach some of its sponsors, the opposite was true.

a�?Hifa usually takes most of the major sponsors and most of the festivals had hoped that they will get a piece of their pie since it was happening this year. In retrospect the Hifa organisersa�� actions were prophetic because holding a festival in this harsh environment has proved harder than most had initially thought,a�? he said.

Nkala said that the citya��s promoters had also not come to the party with much needed partnerships for events.

a�?We have an open door policy as a festival and we have always encouraged people to come into partnership with us.

Sadly this has not been the case again this year,a�? he said.