Mutzig Beer event to shift focus from music to festival

Last year’s festival attracted almost 10,000 people. PHOTO | ANDREW KAZIBWE | NATION 

In Summary

• This year’s edition will take place on September 2, at Golden Tulip Hotel in Nyamata.
• The organiser’s are shifting the focus of the event from music and live performances to the core aim of the festival, which is celebrating the Mutzig Beer brand.
• Other activites that will feature at the festival will include cocktail and food stalls, art exhibitions and face painting.

By ANDREW I KAZIBWE
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The country’s lifestyle culture is improving and one of the events making its mark is the Mutzig Beer Fest. The festival makes a comeback this year.

This year’s edition will take place on September 2, at Golden Tulip Hotel in Nyamata.

Last year’s edition, which took place at Rugende, Rwamagana district, saw Nigerian Afro-pop musician Wiz Kid perform. It attracted close to 10,000 people.

“We were overwhelmed by the number of people who turned up for the event, but it also challenged us to prepare better,” said Patricia Garuka, Bralirwa Ltd’s brand manager, the organiser’s of the event.

The organiser’s are shifting the focus of the event from music and live performances to the core aim of the festival, which is celebrating the Mutzig Beer brand.
“We want those who attend to enjoy the many different activities of the beer festival,” said Ms Garuka.

READ: Bralirwa beer festival marked by heavy rain, live shows, alcohol

Previous years have seen continental and international artistes take centre-stage at the event, but this will change this year. The organiser’s want to only feature local and regional musicians.

“We received a lot of inquiries about why we haven’t given local musicians more space to perform,” said Mrs Garuka.

Thus, this year’s event will feature Médard Jobert Ngabo alias Meddy — an Afro-R&B US-based Rwandan musician, who is also an MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) 2016 nominee — and Kenya’s Just A Band alongside other local musicians.

Artistes that have performed at previous events include local musicians like Angel Mutoni, Mike Kayihura, The Neptunez Band, Makumbi Band, Nubian Gypsies, WizKid, Liquid Deep, Mafikizolo, Lillian Mbabazi, Tito Al Ulibe among others.

The event will be held at Golden Tulip Hotel in Nyamata town of Bugesera district. Golden Tulip Hotel has also been chosen because it has larger spaces and is easily accessible and secure according to organisers.

Some of the challenges encountered last year included lighting and poor sound, which the organisers say they have now resolved.

Previous editions offered free public transport to those attending but this will not be the case this year. Mrs Garuka said Bralirwa is in talks with public transporters to provide buses to transport people to and from the venue.

Other activites that will feature at the festival will include cocktail and food stalls, art exhibitions and face painting.

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