The Zimbabwean Music Festival is made possible through the charitable stewardship and contributions of time of many generous volunteers. Listed here are tasks that festival attendees can sign up for during online registration, in advance of the festival. Plan ahead and make your volunteer time a valuable part of your festival experience! Address any questions you may have to .
This volunteer sign-up is now open, and will close on July 28 (at 11 PM Pacific Time). After that, please come see us during the festival to sign up at the volunteer table at CWU.
Task Groups
Tasks are organized in six groups:
Caution!
Please make sure you do not register for workshops (etc.) at the same time you are volunteering. Zimfest workshop registration and the volunteer sign-up are two separate systems (which don’t talk to each other) and cannot prevent you from volunteering at the same time you are enrolled in a workshop.
How to Read Times
Start and end times are shown using the 24-hour clock. 12:00 is noon. Times between 12:00 and 24:00 are p.m. 24:00 is midnight. Times greater than 24:00 are after midnight (the next day, technically). 24:30 is our shorthand for 12:30 a.m. the next day.
Festival Setup
Signage Setup
Date: August 7, 2025
Help Staff make and post signs around campus to help attendees navigate efficiently. Must be physically able to walk around campus. Report to the Volunteer Coordinator at the Volunteer Table in registration area.
Stage Setup
Date: August 7, 2025
Assist with load in and set up of equipment for day stage. Report to Stage Manager at Outdoor Stage area.
Workshop Instrument Setup
Date: August 7, 2025
Move instruments (mostly marimbas) from vehicles to classrooms. Must be physically able to manage large and bulky instruments. Supervised by the Lead Instrument Wrangler. Check in at the volunteer table.
General Festival Setup
Date: August 7, 2025
Help get tables and chairs set up wherever they are needed. Dorm lounges to be used for mbira workshops may need chairs or other setting up. Report to Volunteer Coordinator at the volunteer table in the registration area.
Decorations: Concerts and Marketplace
Date: August 7, 2025
Set up decorations and banners at Indoor and Outdoor Stages and Marketplace. Report to Volunteer Coordinator at the volunteer table in the registration area.
Registration
Registration Desk
Date: August 7, 2025
Welcome folks as they arrive at the registration desk! Respond to questions, issue Zimfest handouts, and direct registrants to the Volunteer Table. Must be friendly, organized and have good people skills. Most urgent needs are during the middle of the day. Report to the Registration Lead at registration desk. Note: Most shifts begin with 15 minutes of training.
Volunteer Table
Date: August 7, 2025
Help attendees sign up for volunteer slots and fill miscellaneous needs as they arise. Report to Volunteer Table in registration area.
Workshops
Workshop Support
Date: August 7, 2025
Work with the Workshop Coordinator to move small instruments (mostly mbiras, drums and additional equipment) between classrooms as needed for teaching. Report to the Workshop Coordinator in the Registration area.
Workshop Evaluation Assistant
Date: August 7, 2025
Thursday shift: Consult with Festival Coordinator to prepare evaluation packets and distribute to the classrooms which will be open for set-up.
Friday morning shift: Distribute prepared evaluation packets to the remaining classrooms that were not open on Thursday.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday afternoon shifts: Collect completed evaluations each day after last session, and compile as instructed. Must be able to walk around the site. Tasks are very time specific, immediately after workshops while buildings are still unlocked. Shifts are short! Please consider enrolling in both evening shifts! Report to the Festival Coordinator in Registration area for instructions; completed and compiled sheets go into box in Registration area.
Marketplace
Marketplace Daily Setup / Takedown
Date: August 7, 2025
Help set up or take down the Marketplace as directed by Marketplace Coordinator. Includes helping to get materials to and from storage, as needed. Report to Marketplace Coordinator near Zimfest Booth in the Marketplace.
Marketplace Zimfest Booth
Date: August 7, 2025
Sell Zimfest t-shirts and posters at the Zimfest Booth. An accounting sheet must be kept detailing all sales and money received. Money will be kept secured at all times. Report to the Zimfest Booth Manager at the Zimfest Booth in the Marketplace. First shift to assist daily booth setup.
Concerts
Afternoon Stagehand
Date: August 7, 2025
Assist Afternoon Stage Manager with setup and breakdown tasks, including moving instruments (mostly marimbas) to and from afternoon stage. Moving can be to and from vehicles, possibly classrooms — others doing this will be performers. Report to Afternoon Stage Manager at the outdoor stage.
Evening Stagehand
Date: August 7, 2025
Move instruments to the back of the stage before the evening concert. Also move instruments between sets during the evening concert, and move instruments back to vehicles, classrooms or backstage as directed after the concert is over. Report to the Concert Production Manager.
Evening Concert Door and Ticket Sales
Date: August 7, 2025
Collect all tickets from people going into the evening concerts, and collect donations for tickets to those who do not have them. An accounting sheet must be kept showing all tickets sold. Money will be kept in the cash box and secured at all times. Payment via PayPal, Venmo or debit/credit card will also be offered. Check rosters of performers for free entry and return rosters to Concert Coordinator. Report to the House Manager (a ZA Board member) at the entrance to the concert hall. All merchandise sales are the responsibility of performers, not Zimfest staff.
Festival Takedown
Workshop Instrument Takedown
Date: August 7, 2025
Move instruments (mostly marimbas) from classrooms into vehicles. Must be physically able to manage large and bulky instruments. Supervised by the Lead Instrument Wrangler. Check in at volunteer table.
Marketplace Decoration Takedown
Date: August 7, 2025
Take down the decorative banners from the Marketplace when it closes on Sunday afternoon. Report to the Marketplace Coordinator at Zimfest Booth.
Marketplace Takedown
Date: August 7, 2025
Assist Marketplace Coordinator to retrieve all tables and chairs from the marketplace and move them where designated by Concert Producer. Report to the Marketplace Coordinator at the Zimfest Booth.
Concert Decoration Takedown
Date: August 7, 2025
Take down decorations and banners at Indoor Stage. Report to the Concert Producer in stage area.
General Festival Cleanup & Signage Takedown
Date: August 7, 2025
Sunday shifts: Help with cleanup and dismantling after registration closes and workshops end. Move any requested chairs out of the dorm lounges used for mbira workshops. Report to Volunteer Coordinator at the volunteer table.
Monday shifts: Help with cleanup or dismantling after the festival ends, including removing directional signage and posters from around campus. Report to the Volunteer Coordinator at the volunteer table.
