Leonida OwagaThe one thing we can all agree on is that in Kisumu, its people love to not only live life, but to enjoy it. ‘Luo is a lifestyle’ as they say. They believe that life is to be enjoyed.
It is one of the things I noticed after moving here. Life is slower and the people are more relaxed. It might be the fact that we are living right next to Africa’s largest fresh water lake, where the weather is always right and sunsets are therapeutic.
Watching the sunset by the lake is one of my personal favorite things to do. There’s a way it calms you instantly. Kisumu offers various spots from which to take in this breathtaking view, both from public beaches like Dunga and hotels mostly spread across the shoreline, facing the great lake.
Kisumu is attractive to international and local events one, for its logistics, the great lake is the center of life for East Africa, holds historical significance and has the potential of drawing guests from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi.
Read also: Vinyl addiction; Kisumu edition
The event scene in Kisumu is rapidly growing and has seen the city host FESTAC AFRICA, the Pan African art and music Festival as well as East Arica Poetic Hour earlier this year.
Despite the friendly less anxious locals, logistical advantage, affordable accommodation, some of Kisumu events have struggled to get in the crowds.
Creative townhall
In a Creative town hall at the launch of Baraza Media Lab into the city, artists claimed that local government bureaucracy has bred internal gatekeeping that locks out and exploits artists discouraging endorsements.
Kisumu’s social scene is also restricted to Facebook marketing that has left social media space under cultivated especially leaving out the younger generation and has limited the growth of the Arts Scene.
However emergent digital marketing ideas, platforms for podcast production and growth of social platforms from the likes ourselves at Seamless Frames, as well as entry of new players like Baraza media Lab, promise to change that.
Events like Kisumu Old School Brunch and Vinyl Addiction had such a tremendous showing on demand for neo-age entertainment, effectively marketed online, that both shows are returning this October.
This Saturday October 5, we return to Radio City for Kisumu’s second Vinyl addiction that has promised to crown the City’s Vinyl queen. Radio City will also play host to a return of Kisumu Old School Brunch in October 20.
End year parties
The 2nd edition Kisumu Old School R&B Brunch entry is free and promises to deliver nostalgic RNB and old school music with live mixes from the best DJs in Kisumu, DJ Incredible, DJ Brik and VJ Slim.
Be sure to also catch the Dala Afro-Latin Festival happening from October 18th to 21st, 2024. It is a vibrant event that hopes to bring together dancers, instructors, and enthusiasts from across East Africa and beyond for the celebration of Afro-Latin culture.
Some of the artists expected to perform on the lineup include DJ D’Cure from Kenya, Jos Lyon from Kenya, Laura Del Vecchio from Germany, Steve Ngueumeta from Cameroon just to mention a few.
Some of the activities taking place during the festival will include Workshops for skills enhancement led by local and international dance instructors, Themed Parties featuring the best DJs, tours aimed at experiencing Kisumu,Tembea Kisumu, and team-building activities at Villa del Sol by the lakefront.
The internationally acclaimed Madaraka Festival also returns to Kenya to celebrate its 10 year anniversary by bringing a vibrant Omena Celebration to Kisumu City. This year’s event is scheduled for December 14th, 2024 at Tom Mboya Labor College in the picturesque Kisumu City.
It aims to promote the local delicacy, Omena, and links improved nutrition to better health outcomes, particularly in communities that rely on this vital resource.
The event promises to be impactful, blending music, culture, and a strong focus on building the Omena Train. The festival will highlight the powerful theme: "Fighting Hunger, Creating Awareness on Climate Change, and Promoting Access to Healthcare for all. The festival will promote sustainable fishing practices to protect Omena populations, aligning with its climate change awareness efforts.
It also shines a spotlight on "Madaraka Vibes," the latest album by Simon Javan Okelo. Leading up to the festival, exclusive listening parties have been hosted in Radio City in Kisumu.
The Lake Region Motorshow 2024: Ultimate Mobility Experience will take place on the 3rd of November 2024 in Kisumu. The biggest Motorshow event of 2024 championing the move to clean efficient energy.
It will feature quality exhibitions from trusted brands and vendors, Panel discussions and family friendly fun. There will also be a bench of moderators and panelists covering everything automotive industry and conversations around E-mobility and future of transportation.
The Lake Victoria Aquaculture Forum 2024 - Toward Sustainable Aquaculture in Lake Victoria will take place on Thu Oct 17 2024. This event brings together diverse stakeholders to collaborate on addressing the challenges that impede the development of aquaculture in the Lake Victoria region.
The forum will mark the official launch of the Lake Victoria Aquaculture (LVA) Association, a newly registered collaborative platform dedicated to fostering unity among industry stakeholders. It is free to attend.
Other events happening in the county include National Youths Convention happening on the 20th October, Talanta Africa’s 1st Annual SRHR & Climate Change Summit 2024 on the 23rd of October and the 2nd Annual Patient-Centered Care Africa Conference (APCCA) on November 8th-10th, 2024, at Maseno University that aims to promote adopting patient-centered practices in African healthcare systems.
With Kisumu however, most people only hear about these events on the day of its occurrence. On one such event, the date was changed without informing attendees leaving one frustrated resident stranded on what he thought was the D’ Day. It is not an isolated case, some events in Kisumu have complained of low turnouts including the Festac festival that happened recently.
That does not have to be the reality with platforms such as this one, that are able to reach people not only in Kenya but across East Africa and beyond, event planners and organizers should consider marketing their upcoming events to reach wider audiences and in turn better turnouts.
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