The group has performed at earlier editions of the festival; this will be their first foray onto the Harare entertainment scene with their brand of museve music.The evening’s programme will begin with a press briefing on this year’s festival and will be followed by performances by Ngangu Band and will also feature special guests including mbira soul diva Chiwoniso Maraire and Afro-punk group Chikwata 263. Performances run from 7pm onwards.The Chimanimani Arts Festival will be held over the weekend August 12-14. This will be the fifth edition since the festival revival in 2007.Organised by the Chimanimani Arts Festival Trust and under the leadership of festival director Steve Brown, the Chimanimani Arts Festival remains a “free entry” festival and has established itself as a premier national arts festival, the second biggest festival in Zimbabwe besides Harare International Festival of the Arts. The past four editions have showcased many of Zimbabwe’s best known talents — from Oliver Mutukudzi, Suluman Chimbetu, Andy Brown, Busi Ncube, Albert Nyathi, Chiwoniso Maraire, Victor Kunonga, Dudu Manhenga and Dino Mudondo, Junior Bantan and Friends — the list is extensive. The festival places a strong emphasis on emerging talent and regularly features groups from Music Crossroads and the Flame and Bocapa talent development initiatives as run by Pamberi Trust, whilst also placing special focus on including groups and acts from Chimanimani, Mutare and elsewhere in Manicaland and Zimbabwe. The festival organisers are committed to showcasing and developing acts from Manicaland Province — tomorrow evening’s press conference and performance by Ngangu Band is a warm-up for this year’s festival — punters are invited to attend for a taste of Chimanimani right here in Harare.
