The annual Chimanimani Arts Festival will take place during the weekend May 21-23 .

The free entry festival regularly features Zimbabwe’s best known artists and performers; whilst this years festival welcomes Barcelona  based Spanish street performers Pa lo Q’Sea who will use mythology, tradition, ritual elements and legends to realize a contemporary  ’Fiesta” featuring recyclable large puppets, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, jugglers, drummers and acrobats on both Saturday and  Sunday mornings.

Pa lo Q’Sea(‘For whatever it’s needed)  was founded in 1989 . Their most popular production “Rompe Candela” has been presented at more  than 300 venues worldwide including Canada, Colombia, Australia, New Caledonia, and throughout Europe.

The 3 member group will spend 2 weeks working with Harare acrobatic troupe ZimZam, Mutare based tumblers Aqua and local Chimanimani  talents to present a new version of ‘Rompe Candela’ (Break the Fire) at the Chimanimani Festival for this fiesta spectacular

Pa lo Q’Sea  are supported by the Embassy of Spain and Espana Cooperacion Cultural Exterior who were also responsible for bringing musical trio Demachena to last years festival.

The festival opens on Friday 21 May with a cultural exposition in celebration of International Day for Cultural Diversity and Development during  which Zimbabwean culture will be on prominent display; and continues throughout the weekend with a program of music, theatre, film, poetry,  omedy, dance and workshops.

Feature acts include Suluman Chimbetu, Andy Brown, Outspoken, Makoomba, Junior Bantan and Edgar Langevelt plus groups from the  Flame, Bocapa and Music Crossroads talent networks and Mutare and Chimanimani based groups.  There will be a special guest appearance by  ‘Tuku’ alongside the Ay Band in tribute to his son Sam Mtukudzi; who’s recent loss has deprived everyone of a sparkling gem of a talent.

Arts and craft stalls and local foodstuffs will be available at outlets in and around the main-stage venue which is located on the village green.

Chimanimani is a tourist attraction, and surrounding places of interest include Tessa’s Pools and Bridal Veil Falls , whilst Chimanimani also offers some of the best one-day and overnight mountain walking anywhere in the world.

Steve Brown
Tel: +263(712)404019

Chimanimani Arts Festival 2010  – Friday 21 May – “Culture Day” – from 1200hrs onwards:

Saturday 22 May
1100-1200 – Street Parade – Fiesta – Pa lo Q’Sea & Friends present “Rompe Candela”
1200-1220 -  Choir – Chimanimani
1230-1330 – Makoomba
1340-1420 – Ngangu Band
1430-1500 – Gwinyai Trust
1520-1600 – TBA
1630-1720 – Music Crossroads (TBA)
1740-1830 – Ndapura Unanzva
1850-1950 – Edith Wautonga – Flame Project
2000-2030 – Edgar Langeveldt
2040-2140 – Outspoken+the Essence
2200-2330 – Andy Brown + the Storm
2350-0120 – Junior Bantan

Sunday 23 May
1100-1200 – Street Parade – Fiesta
1200-1250 – John Pfumajena – Bocapa Project
1310-1400 – Gospel
1410-1440 – ZimZam Acrobats
1450-1530 – TBA
1550-1650 – Band of Mutare
1700-1800 – Radiation
1820-1930 – Ay Band (special guest Oliver Mtukudzi)
1950-2040 – Makoomba
2100-2230 – Suluman Chimbetu + Orchestra Dendera Kings
2250-2330 – Senior Musaraketa

Poetry+Theatre – CAFT office

Film – Msasa Cafe + Hotel -   screening sponsored by the US Embassy Dept of Public Affairs and daily showings of a selection of films

Workshops – CAFT Office – Fri/Sat – Creative Writing/AIDS awareness/Spoken Word/Drumming/Meet the Artist

Popularity: 39% [?]