As the clock ticked 12 midnight on Sunday, the moment signalled the close of the 11th edition of the annual Sand Music Festival.
The few weary-looking patrons who were still standing on the last day of the festival were the evidence of how busy the weekend had been.
They soaked in the fun during the three-day marathon and withstood the scorching heat that reflected on the beautiful beaches of Sunbird Nkopola Lodge.
There was little time for rest between Saturday and Sunday as performances from Saturday overflowed to the following day. Reggae band Black Missionaries took to the stage around 6am after Gramps Morgan had completed his set.
Sandfest after a prolonged absence
So, the group set the tone for events of the day. The tireless fun-seekers stood throughout on the Wambali Stage which lay on the southern side of the beach. Black Missionaries Band performed till 10am before bowing out to allow patrons to rest.
But by noon, events had rolled into life again, especially on the Standard Bank stage with a poetry performance from Josephy Madzedze, music performances by Mr Piano Man, DJ Ken and others.
Overall, the last day had a gospel feel all over it. The performance schedule had several gospel names such as Princess Chitsulo, Wendy Harawa, Reverend Emmanuel Malunga, Ugandan Levixone and South Africa’s Sipho Makhabane, among others.
They took turns to entertain the patrons who had endured the rigorous three-day partying and merrymaking. They just had to make sure that they made full use of the K35 000 they had paid at the gate.
Above everything else, the moment was an important one for Lucius ‘Soldier’ Banda who made a comeback on the stage after a long absence. Initially, there were doubts if he was fit for the festival.
But come October 3, there he was and the fans accordingly warmed up to his presence on stage. The Impakt Events Management director used the moment to recognise the partners who sponsored the event.
“It has been a wonderful event and I have to mention here that the support of our sponsorship partners has been key to this success. As I have always said, this is not a one-man show. It is important for us to come together to make things work,” he said.
