Windhoek
Records are set to tumble next week at the annual Omaheke Trade Fair (OTF) when 14 000 people are expected to pour through the gates of the Legare Stadium in Gobabis, where the fair will be hosted.
An upbeat head of marketing and funding of the fair, Levi Katire, says the stage is set for a record-breaking year with the OTF showing significant growth since the inaugural event in 2012.
“In 2013 our attendance figures shot up from less than 6 000 people to 7 999. Growth continued last year when 12 475 people attended the fair and this year we expect even bigger growth. Some 14 000 people could attend the fair. We also have experienced tremendous growth in all the different categories of farming, business, entertainment and sport,” he noted.
The fair will officially be opened on September 21 and the gates will close on September 26 after what promises to be an exciting programme of entertainment, socialising and recreation for show-goers.
“But the fair offers much more than that,” says Katire. “We also award champions in sports, entertainment, business, arts and farming and promote agriculture, music and artistic talents, as well as create some 500 indirect temporary jobs during the fair.”
The OTF was established in 2012 by the Office of the Governor of the Omaheke Region, Festus Ueitele, with the goal of uniting the annual trade and exhibition events in the region and to have one big regional fair that bonds all stakeholders. The fair was established through the merger of Ondoneno Top Breeders, Omaheke Regional Youth Expo, Cattle Country Fair and Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers Union. Highlights for next week will include the official opening on September 21, the SME Summit (September 23), the VIP Tent, where a huge variety of mixed businesses will exhibit, the trade exhibition, cultural village, kids entertainment, traditional food outlets (kapana), a beer tent, a livestock show, local artists (September 22 – 25), the talent show on September 25, and a music bash on September 26 with performances by Ongoro nOmundu, One Blood, Kalux and other local artists.
Another first for this year’s OTF is that tickets can be bought online at Computicket and are also available at Shoprite, Checkers or OK Grocers.