Clash of festivals

You might have planned to attend both the Blantyre Arts Festival (BAF) and Sunbird Sand Festival this year, well, it won’t happen as the festivals clash in dates.

The festivals are taking place on October 4-6, 2013 at Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) in Blantyre and Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi respectively.

Coordinator of the Sunbird Sand Festival, Lucius Banda, has expressed concern over lack of coordination among festival organisers.

“The situation will automatically divide fans,” he said

BAF first announced the dates at last year’s festival and then repeated the announcement in January this year. Sunbird Sand Festival followed suit some months ago.

Records also indicate that BAF is held during the first weekend of October and Sunbird Sand Festival, which is in its second year running, was last year, held towards Mother’s Day celebrations.

Both BAF chief executive officer Thom Chibambo and coordinator of the Sunbird Sand Festival, Lucius Banda, confirmed that they are not changing the dates. Chibambo said his office respect the legacy and identity of the festival. He added that it is the dates and venue that anchors the festival’s identity.

Banda, however, played down the anxiety arguing that the two festivals have different themes and will take place at different places.

“Sunbird Sand Festival will go as planned and we are currently finalising our preparations. We do not see any reason to cancel the festivals at this time considering that both are three days festivals which mean people can watch both. If it was a day event, I think it would be wise to discuss to change on the dates,” said Banda.

He said his office has been very careful on short listing artists to ensure that artists are not found in dilemma of performing at the festivals on the same day.

“There is Piksy, Maskal and Skeffa Chimoto that are appearing on the list of both festivals and we cannot stop them because we will need them for a day and that means they can perform at BAF the following day,” said Lucius.

But, Chibambo said Malawians especially those that like both festivals are not happy to have the festivals running concurrently.

“Sunbird Sand Festival will need Blantyre people and we will also need people from Mangochi and this will put people in dilemma. However, as BAF, we are not worried because our festival offers more than just music and I believe our patronage will not be affected,” he said.

But is there anyone responsible for controlling such events to ensure that they don’t collide?

Musicians Association of Malawi (MAM) president Reverend Chimwemwe Mhango thinks it is time artists had a body to look into planning and dates of entertainment activities.

“We need to work as a team and support each other in times of festivals and arts shows. These collisions are not healthy and may create enmity.

“Unfortunately, there is no one to come in between and discuss with the two for one to change the dates for the sake of the people who love both festivals,” Mhango said.

He added that Ministry of Tourism and Culture was supposed to help, but it has never acted actively on such issues.

But Banda trashed the idea saying artists have always shifted their activities whenever there is a clash of venues. He said festivals are a special case and cannot take place at the same venue.

Chibambo asked for festival organisers to set specific dates to help in proper planning of new festivals.