Gumboot Flash Mob – Finale to Festival Highlights Show
Sunday, Aug 11, 4:40 – 5:00 p.m. at The Grove
Gumboot students will show off what they have learned and Lucky Moyo will invite everyone at the Grove to join in with some awesome body percussion! For more information, see Festival Events.
Sinini Ngwenya writes this about Gumboot Dance: Gumboot dancing, or isicathulo, was born in the gold mines of South Africa at the height of the migrant labour system and during the oppressive Apartheid Pass Laws. Many Zimbabweans migrated, seasonally or permanently, to South Africa to work in the mines and took part in the creation and evolution of the dance. Today, gumboot dancing has developed into a working class Southern African art form with a universal appeal.
Sunday Evening Free Concert
Sunday, Aug 11, 7:30 p.m. – Midnight in the Pacific Room
The Zimfest 2019 Sunday evening concert will be free admission, by donation only. There will be no restrictions as to who may perform; we are doing this to include some of Zimbabweans whose visas do not allow them to perform in ticketed concerts. To make it sustainable, we need your help as audience members. We ask that you donate the same amount that tickets cost for the Friday and Saturday ticketed concerts: currently $18 in advance, $20 onsite for adults. For more information, see the explanatory blog post here.
Encouraging Families at Zimfest
Zimfest recognizes that it can be a financial hardship for families to bring their children to the festival. To make Zimfest more truly family-friendly, we have collaborated with WOU to introduce discounted meal prices for children below the age of 12, shown on the Festival Costs page. We have also made it easier to qualify for the discount on housing for families. You now only need one child below the age of 12 (that is, 11 or younger) to be eligible.
In addition, if you are registering your child aged seven or under for a Children’s workshop, the accompanying adult can now register for free. See About Workshops (Children’s Workshops) for details.
Housing Changes and Reminders
WOU raised its dorm room prices this year, but Tent and RV Camping are still available on the WOU campus for the low price of only $10 per night per tent or RV. Pre-register and pay online to secure one of the limited spaces in a new, shady location far away from flying footballs, but still within walking distance of The Grove and Zimfest Marketplace!
No on-campus housing will be available at the festival. You must sign up and pay for your housing ahead of time through online registration, as there will be no WOU rooms available to rent onsite.
