The inaugural edition of the Sand Arts Festival took place at Sunbird Nkopola Leisure Centre in Mangochi over the weekend.

The event was a full artistic delivery as patrons were treated to poetry, theatre, comedy, music, acrobatics and dance.

On Saturday, performances started as early as 10 am with an acoustic set staged at the edge of the lake. The few patrons present were kept on their feet by the breathtaking performances.

But things roared into gear in the afternoon when event host Super DT called on seasoned poet Q Malewezi to come on stage. Q, as he is popularly known, did not disappoint. He mesmerised the audience with his immaculate articulation during his recital.

Other poets such as Rex Sitima also took to the stage.

If the poets did not leave the audience in awe, then a theatre performance by YDC Theatre did the trick. The group stole the show with an intriguing performance focusing on mental health, the theme for the festival.

As evening dawned, with breeze from the lake blowing to herald the night, events shifted to the main stage where music performances took place.

Zembani Band, Phyzix, Sean Morgan, Kell Kay, Sam Smack, Lucius Banda, McDonald Mlaka Maliro and Piksy, among others, kept the patrons on their feet till the early hours of Sunday.

Impakt Events Management director Lucius Banda said they wanted to use the platform to drive home the message about mental health which has worsened of late.

“Reports of people committing suicide have become so common in the last two years. It just shows the mental issues that people are dealing with. As artists, we have a duty to increase awareness on the problem,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Owen Chomanika said government will continue to support initiatives such as the Sand Arts Festival.

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