Beer Festival

Beer Festival
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:37:16 AM

THE curtains have closed on the first-ever Beer Festival organised by Zambian Breweries at Lusaka’s Barclays Sports Complex last week. Depending on what you went there for, the country’s maiden Beer Fest could only be analysed in a multi-barreled manner.

A dominating marquee had been imposed on the lush green at Barclays Sports Complex and the wire-fence that usually distinguishes the spectators from the soccer players was removed to pave way for the pitching of about six tents in view of the Beer Fest, which was spread across a period of three days.

The Sports Complex was parked with assorted motor vehicles inside and outside on Friday night when a corporate evening curtain-raised Zambia’s nascent Beer Fest.

Nicky Shabolyo of Zambian Breweries’ public relations wing, explained the corporate evening to the Sunday Post.

“This is mainly a fundraising event and the proceedings from here are going to be given to charity; to the Diplomats’ Wives Association,” Shabolyo says. “The people have bought tables and they are buying the beer.”

A quick peek at the people trooping into the white marquee and those loitering on the adjacent green with all types of alcoholic beverages in their hands, showed that the Caucasians were dominating the tally.

As a band blew trombones and saxophones and strummed guitars on a well-lit stage at the heart of the marquee, Shabolyo told me as follows: “Feel free, just grab a plate and get some food.”

Indeed at almost every point of the marquee’s corners was a buffet table and ‘very friendly’ servers were on hand to dish out the alimentary craves to the imbibers.

Inside the marquee, tables dressed in white cloths were strewn all over and families, friends and business partners ignored the abnormally cool night breeze to indulge in the intricacies of the Beer Fest.

Shabolyo said the Friday event apart from being a fundraising one, was meant to test the ground in terms of the country’s holding of a Beer Fest.

“We could not just go straight into the Beer Festival. We had to analyse the situation because this is the first time we are holding this,” he says.

A further review of the place showed that ample preparations were put in place to cater for the aftermath effects of people gathering in one place just to imbibe and interact.

Several portable toilets were straddling the marquee’s two sides and the traffic went on the upswing as the nights grew older.

Later, the master of ceremony announced some of the winners in an auction for some outing to a few selected tourist resorts like Chiawa, among others.

This was part of the fundraising aspect.

Another part of the Beer Fest that came out prominently was the camaraderie among those that attended the event on all the three days.

The next day, members of the public, who agreed to part away with their K50,000, made way to the Beer Festival to mark the commencement of the main event.

As opposed to the previous night, most of the festival attendees were spread on the green and a beer ticket later, one would be enjoying their beer among friends.

However, the selling of beer tickets and the Beer Fest itself were closed to people that were below the age of 18.

Yet during the Friday night, a couple of drunken young boys who walked to Barclays Sports Complex from an unknown place had a tough time trying to convince the judges as to why they should be allowed inside.

But the security officers put their foot down and the two ‘under-ages’ failed to get inside.

According to Zambian Breweries, the Beer Fest was supposed to avail Zambians an opportunity to sample the company’s products in an organised manner and about 10 types of beers were on display for the take at a reduced price.

Coincidentally, in countries like Germany, where such traditions hold sway, the month of October is the moment of positive reckoning for beer lovers.

While the Zambian Beer Fest came a few days before the month of October, it remains to be seen if it would reach the stature that its European kin has attained within a long-term traditional couch.

As usual, new things come with new feelings and Zambia’s first Beer Fest was no exception. Some people felt that the entry fee was too high, although noting that the much-sought draught beer was cheaper at K7,500 per mug.

Even though beer drinking has become a major component of the Zambian lifestyle, those with the other views calculated how many lagers one could buy from K50,000.

Anyway, these sentiments are part of the post-event analysis on the part of the organisers, as the country braces itself for the next Beer Fest and as lessons are drawn from the European October beer frenzy.