With two shows left for the Bloemfontein-based Lemo Fest, they are of the view that they are giving their patrons the best experience.

Lemo Fest is the flagship festival of the Kenworth Group, and they have sub-contracted C-Squared to handle the logistics. The founder and CEO of the Group, Freddie Kenney, said the festival is actually a birthday celebration of the mall, as it is turning seven years old, and a token of appreciation to his clients and the community of Bloemfontein.

Patrons and staff at the Lemo Fest Thanksgiving. Photo: Facebook 

The festival is held at the Lemo Green Park, situated next to Lemo Mall on the borders of Heidedal and Phahameng. The two shows that are left are Woman 2 Woman and the Global Stages. They have so far held eight shows, Thanksgiving, whereby the community and clients were shown appreciation; and a two-day Business Expo, whereby Bloemfontein entrepreneurs were given advice on how to expand their businesses.  

A Qaoi Fashion Show was hosted, which focused on showcasing local designers and models; they also hosted piano nights; the All White Gospel Show; and lastly the Comedy Night.  

The concept was also to leverage Macufe, which is the flagship event of the Department of Arts and Culture and has been running for over two decades.

Attendees at the All White Gospel Show. Photo: Facebook 

"We were waiting to hear about Macufe's plans, but as the department remained silent, I grew increasingly concerned." When no announcements were made around June, he approached the Finance Department and decided to take matters into his own hands with his team.

What astonished him was how the festival expanded significantly, growing from a three-day event to a fifteen-day celebration. Since they began preparing for Lemo Fest, numerous individuals from the township were provided with temporary job opportunities. "We had approximately 190 people hired for tasks like venue cleanup, pothole filling, and addressing sewage spills."

OFM News/Tshehla Koteli