The highly anticipated Shoko Festival 2023 is set to captivate audiences once again as it returns for a three-day extravaganza celebrating the vibrant art and urban culture of Zimbabwe.
The festival, known as the country’s longest-running event of its kind, is scheduled to take place from September 28th to 30th, 2023, in the lively cities of Harare and Chitungwiza. With a diverse lineup of events, Shoko Festival 2023 promises an unforgettable experience for attendees.
This year’s theme, “The Take Back,” serves as a powerful call for Zimbabweans to reclaim their spaces, voices, and art, ultimately forging a more just and equitable future. The festival aims to provide a platform for artists and creatives to express their unique perspectives and contribute to the cultural landscape of the nation.
Kicking off the festivities on September 28th, the opening Mash Up & Voice2Rep night will set the stage alight with an eclectic blend of musical performances. Audiences can expect to witness never-seen-before mashups of urban, traditional, and electronic music genres.
Adding to the excitement, the event will also feature the Voice2Rep competition, showcasing the talents of ten contestants from each of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces.
These gifted artists, who have undergone a year-long incubation process as part of the Voice2Rep Project collaboration between Magamba Network and Accountability Lab Zimbabwe, will launch a compilation of their work. Additionally, the night will showcase the Women’s Cypher, an extraordinary all-female performance spotlighting Zimbabwe’s biggest and emerging female rappers and performers.
On September 29th, laughter will take center stage as the Shoko Comedy Roast unfolds. This immensely popular event will feature a lineup of hilarious stand-up comedians, along with a scintillating Roast of a prominent public personality. Last year’s edition at REPS Theatre witnessed a sold-out crowd, and the 2023 edition promises to deliver an evening filled with side-splitting humor and unforgettable moments.
The grand finale of Shoko Festival 2023, the Peace In The Hood Concert, will take place on September 30th. The main event will be a music lover’s paradise, showcasing a diverse range of musical performances, including Zimbabwean hip hop and dancehall in Chitungwiza.
The annual Hub Unconference will be held on the sidelines of the main events, on both September 28th and 29th. This conference will explore the latest trends in civic tech, journalism, and digital media, not only in Zimbabwe but also in the broader region and the world. The Hub Unconference is free and open to the public.
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