AFCON 2027: Arusha adds culture to football fever

ARUSHA: FOOTBALL fans heading to Arusha for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals will have more than matches to look forward to, with a new cultural festival planned to give visitors a taste of Tanzanian traditions.

The inaugural Arusha International Cultural Festival (AIC Festival) is expected to run during the continental tournament, which Tanzania will co-host with Kenya and Uganda.

Organised by the African Tabasamu Foundation (ATAFO), the festival will bring together traditional dances, music, handicrafts, paintings, beadwork, leather products, pottery, weaving and other cultural activities.

ATAFO director Samora Edwin Mlowe said the idea is to give football fans visiting Arusha an opportunity to experience Tanzanian culture between matches.

ALSO READ: AFCON qualifiers crucial test for Stars

“If a match is scheduled in the evening, visitors can spend the day at the festival, go to the stadium to watch the match and later return for cultural entertainment,” Mlowe said.

Mlowe said that the festival is an opportunity for young artists to benefit from the expected influx of football fans and other visitors during AFCON.

ATAFO runs programmes that train young people in traditional dances, painting, tailoring, weaving, carving, pottery, beadwork and leatherwork.

Mlowe said the expected increase in visitors could create a market for products made by young artists, allowing them to earn income from their skills.

“I am sure that by the time AFCON ends, there will be young people who will have seen the benefits,” he said.

The festival is also expected to promote Arusha as a destination for visitors seeking cultural experiences alongside the football action.