Munching and sipping from the palm of Matobo How M&S became Byo’s premier event

THE cars were lined-up in their hundreds, stretching towards the horizon, in the majestic Matobo.

The sheer number of cars was daunting, but it was not as aweinspiring as the number of people that had disembarked from them.

From the mouth of Matobo Sailing Club, they spilled in and out, and from the numbers still waiting to get in, one could have been forgiven for thinking that even that expansive venue would eventually get overwhelmed. Soon, it seemed, people would be driven into Lake Matobo itself.

As the baking Matobo sun rose higher, the numbers swelled, and hundreds of feet disturbed the usually settled and peaceful dust of Matobo, which rose up in protest, enveloping the venue in a brown haze.

Revellers munched and sipped as a pig roasted, burning in its own fat as it rotated over a spit, getting a double dosage of heat from the Matobo sun and a fire made specifically for it. As the name of the event suggested, it was one for those that love their food and beverages. Teeth and throats, were fully employed that Sunday.

But the Munch & Sip feast is one that goes beyond mere food and drink. The event has become a trademark not only because of the tasty delights that it comes bearing but because of its celebration of all things Bulawayo. Munch & Sip is also feast for the eyes.

The ladies, as if conscious of the often-touted stereotype that Bulawayo has beautiful women, came out fittingly dressed in style, draping colourful, summer-friendly fabrics on their bodies.

The gentlemen also moved with purpose, sacrificing some of their most loved and expensive footwear to the tough and unforgiving dust of Matobo. On stage, some of Bulawayo’s most beloved artistes always give their best at this event, perhaps safe in the knowledge that they are playing for a crowd that appreciates them for what they are, and does not degrade them for what they are not. They did the same again on Sunday.

The boos, whistles and sometimes even missiles that sometimes accompany their performances in major gigs in Bulawayo were once again non-existent at Munch & Sip. It is perhaps the one event in the City of Kings where they can wear their crowns with confidence without fear of being usurped by some unruly and impatient elements in the crowd.

As last Sunday’s gig unfolded, it was clear to everyone present that they were witnessing a crowning moment for what is undoubtedly Bulawayo’s premier event.

For weeks prior, Munch & Sip was the talk of the town and for all intents and purposes, it lived up to its high billing.

For most event organisers in Bulawayo, Munch & Sip has become a lesson in organic growth. Perhaps those that come to Bulawayo when big events roll into town might have been tempted to look at the poster to see who exactly had attracted such an eye-catching crowd.

Some might have

thought that, in a city thought to be foreversmitten with acts from south of the Limpopo, this was only the latest episode in Bulawayo’s long-standing romance with Mzansi. Instead, the poster looked fairly modest, with Gemma Griffiths, Ryan Synth, Reno Life and Asaph some of those billed to perform.

While these acts have cemented their reputation as stellar performers, for promoters in Bulawayo, they are usually not thought to be the artistes to bring the bacon at the end of a night.

This perhaps is the greatest illustration of the charm of Munch & Sip: it has managed to register impressive growth without adding foreign performers who, more often than not, have left local fans with a sour taste in their mouths after their appearances.

It is perhaps fitting that the biggest event in Bulawayo is one made by the people, for the people. A few years after it started running, the event has managed to win over the hearts of Bulawayo and unlike other events where the fun only starts when the sun sets, the best parts of Munch & Sip unfold in daylight.

“Munch & Sip is the only afternoon event where people come together as family and friends to taste different cuisines that will be on offer,” event organiser Mduduzi Mdlongwa of 3D Events told Sunday Life.

“It’s been going on for a couple of years and I think this was the 14th edition since they started. It’s an issue of being consistent, an issue of keeping the quality and sticking to the concept that has the buy-in of Bulawayo. We can learn from it that you have to perfect your concept and stick with it. People will eventually get used to it and come in full support.”

Fellow event organiser and promoter Joe Da OG said while those behind Munch & Sip had found a winning formula, the key to their success was consistency.

“This is basically people who came up with a good idea, because if you’re eating, drinking, and you have good company, what more do you want? It’s a package that is sellable and they took an idea and turned into a brand then sold it to people. People bought into it.

They were consistent with their idea. This is the number one factor that makes them sellable — consistency. Consistency means that when you have a good product, you maintain it at a high standard all the time. This means that whenever you do whatever you do, there’s enough of things like security and people go home having enjoyed. There are never any problems. So, I say that is a good idea that they managed to maintain to a certain level of standard. Perhaps another thing to mention is that they choose the right venues for their event and brand. That’s something that also makes them tick,” he said.

While other event organisers were scrambling around, searching for big name performers to pull off miraculous numbers, the organisers behind Munch & Sip had thrown down the gauntlet by pulling off the sort of numbers that many thought were not possible with a local-only cast.

“In a nutshell, it’s a good idea that turned into a brand.

“People follow it and it’s attracting big numbers now. It’s quite a challenge to a lot of people in entertainment circles because, people you’d expect to have those sorts of numbers don’t but instead, some girls decided to come up with a product that brings the whole of Bulawayo into one space,” he said.