Edgar Brandt
Windhoek-The inaugural Otjiwarongo Festival, the OtjiFest, which takes place at the town’s Paresis Stadium this weekend, hopes to attract as many as 30 000 visitors.
The festival, initiated by Otjiwarongo businessman Armon Lemmer, will feature car spinning and drifting, soccer, entertainment for children and live music.
“We have embarked on an aggressive marketing strategy indicating that Otjiwarongo is ideally and centrally situated to attract visitors from across the country,” said Lemmer of A Lemmer Investment, trading as Central Café Otjiwarongo. He explained that the OtjiFest concept started off merely as an idea and after two years of planning, the idea has finally become reality. Lemmer said he hopes after this weekend, the OtjiFest will become the main attraction on Otjiwarongo’s annual calendar.
Lemmer noted that the festival has invited Grade 11 and 12 learners from the town to sell goods at some of the stalls, which he hopes will significantly contribute towards the their savings. Also, half of the profit generated from ticket sales at the festival will be donated to orphanages within the Otjozondjupa Region.
The OtjiFest is so far solely funded by Central Cafe and sponsored by radio Energy100FM but Lemmer invited additonal sponsors to contribute towards the festival to ensure that the it continues to take place on an annual basis.
The soccer planned for the weekend requires a registration fee of N$5 000, which will see the winning team walk away with N$150 000. The runners-up will walk away with N$100 000, while third place will get N$35 000 and fourth place N$15 000.
Boxers from the Salute Boxing Academy will fight for national titles over the two days. Musical performances will include Oteya, Cassper Nyovest, The Dogg, One Blood, Sally Boss Madam as well as the KFC DJs.
Much like his own inspiring business story, Lemmer hopes to make the festival a must-see, not only for Otjowarongo residents but also for visitors from all over the country.
Lemmer started his own business by selling meat from a cooler box while walking the streets of Otjiwarongo. At the time, a friend loaned him N$12 000 to buy a meat saw and he paid the generous friend back with only meat fillets within four months.
Within six months of starting, he has employed 18 people and today he owns a restaurant, butchery and take away. Lemmer expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development that helped him with N$114 000 worth of equipment to develop and expand his business. He still uses the donated equipment to this day.