‘IF you are headed for the Lake July Dj Festival, be prepared to be shocked’, appears to be the new mantra.
And it seems the recently held Lake July Dj Festival is no different from the yesteryear Woodstock festivals that were more popular for their licentious behaviour than any redeeming entertainment value.
This local festival appears to outdo these Western festivals.
Observations, feedback and reports from the Lake July Dj Festival point to the fact that the festival is easily the most promiscuous of festivals held in the country so far.
Every participant at the festival, it seems, was some clone from the West.
The lakeside was turned into a ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’ with sexual debauchery all over the place, in cars and shrubs.
Many said the chilly weather was no turn off to a ‘wild’ night out.
Shockingly, people this paper talked to said it was the best festival to do ‘what they wanted far from home, including having sex with people who were not their partners, ‘new’ people’.
Teenagers, barely out of high school, said sex was part of the festival experience.
Beyond doubt, Lake July Dj Festival is an exciting three-day event offering something ‘new’ and different from what people had been accustomed to.
Apart from Dj partying, the festival provides other activities that include dance competitions, beach picnics and a beach party.
The festival is popular with youths and pervets.
But how much of what is happening at the festival is beneficial to society.
Of course times have changed. We are now in the so-called global village, but we are a people with certain values which we must uphold.
What happened at the just-ended festival shows that we are fast becoming a society that is totally losing our hunhu/ubuntu.
Festivals have always been held in the country and we have never seen the behaviour that is presently being exhibited.
What exactly is being celebrated at the lake?
What kind of behaviour is being promoted?
What is the future of the festival?
Just the dressing of participants left a lot to be desired.
Maybe near nudity is justified as the ‘beach theme’ reigns supreme at the festival.
Most of the scantily dressed were mere teenagers who had no business being there.
And these youths were preyed on by lecherous men who ended up plying them with alcohol.
“I could not believe what I saw at the lake, it seems many have adopted a culture which is totally alien to our ways of doing things,” said Nellisa Chamboko of Chitungwiza.
In an interview with Patriot Arts, Tawanda Madzara of Ecraig Group denied the negative reports and said organisers had put in place measures which ensured people did not ‘misbehave’.
“Those were mere rumours (uncontrolled sexual behaviour) that began even before the festival, hence we put a disclaimer and made it clear that we do not provide accommodation for anyone, at any big event there is bound to be speculation (sic),” said Madzara.
“We had a lot of security on the ground to monitor activities to prevent anything that might paint a bad picture and there has been no concrete evidence to all these allegations.
“Our future plans pertaining to dealing with those allegations is simply to maintain our decision not to provide any accommodation and keeping our security tight to monitor all activities.”
Apart from being used by many as a platform to engage in promiscuous behaviour, Lake July Dj Festival provides an opportunity for local artistes to showcase their talents.
Madzara said this year’s edition gave about 77 Djs an opportunity to showcase their skills.
According to Madzara, the selection of the Djs was influenced by Ecraig’s vision which is developing artistes and Djs.
The Lake July Dj Festival began in 2016 and it borrowed its concept from the popular Durban Beach Festival of South Africa, which is also an annual event.
Mbira songstress Hope Masike and comedian Tyra Chikoko, better known as ‘Madam Boss’, also graced the event.