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THE annual Kadoma Music Festival has evolved from being merely a weekend of travel, leisure and music into a powerful platform for tourism, hospitality and business opportunities.
Now in its fifth edition, the festival has become one of Zimbabwe’s premier entertainment events, attracting thousands of music lovers while providing a huge economic boost to Kadoma.
Hotels, restaurants, transport operators, travel agencies and other local businesses continue to benefit from the influx of visitors drawn by the star-studded annual extravaganza.
This year’s edition promises to be the biggest yet, with Jamaican dancehall icon Beenie Man and Congolese rhumba virtuoso Awilo Longomba headlining the festival on October 10 at The Odyssey in Kadoma.
Leading the local contingent is sungura maestro Alick Macheso, who will be joined by Winky D, Feli Nandi, Selmor Mtukudzi, Suluman Chimbetu, Junior Spragga and Chill master. Baba Harare, Kurai Makore, Leonard Zhakata and Tendai Dembo, among other surprise acts from the local community.
Last year, Jamaican acts Busy Signal and Chris Martin headlined the festival, which has since become one of the country’s biggest events on the entertainment calendar.
Festival coordinator Prince Mharadze recently told Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment that the event was now playing a significant role in Zimbabwe’s economic development. “The Kadoma Music Festival has become one of the platforms creating business opportunities,” Mharadze said.
“We are now in our fifth edition of hosting this annual event, which has been embraced by the business community.
“It generates a lot of travel and increases demand for accommodation, providing a major boost for the local economy.
“Each year, there is an influx of people coming to Kadoma for the festival, putting the city firmly in the spotlight.”
He added: “People travel from as far as Harare, Bulawayo, Chinhoyi and Gweru because of the popularity of the Kadoma Music Festival.
“Kadoma has also been developing in terms of infrastructure in recent years, and the calibre of stars performing here is helping to place the entire community in the national spotlight.”
Mharadze’s team, which has been hailed by tourism authorities and industry stakeholders for promoting travel and hospitality, is now ranked among the country’s leading event organisers.
“Each year, we make sure we bring in new attractions and fresh performers because we cannot afford to let our patrons down.
“People want variety, and we will continue delivering that while ensuring we achieve our goals,” he said.
Kadoma, a city renowned for its rich gold-mining heritage, has made remarkable strides in development over the years.
It has taken the dedication and vision of event organisers such as Mharadze to put Kadoma on the entertainment map and position it as a destination for major events.
As the countdown to the festival gathers momentum, expectations are high for another memorable celebration that will not only showcase world-class entertainment, but also reaffirm Kadoma’s growing reputation as one of Zimbabwe’s leading destinations for music, tourism and commerce.
