The long-awaited summer festival We Love Summer, an Experience by SB Entertainment, took place on 10 December at Quinta Beija-Flor in Maputo. Xonguila magazine spoke to the organisers to find out how this latest edition went, the first since the pandemic. It is Luana Jane, General Manager of We Love Summer, who tells us.
“Ever since we brought this festival to Mozambique, our motto has always been to try to bring something innovative to our market, whether in terms of artists, production, decorations or other forms of entertainment. The festival's formula for success has three main ingredients: persistence, teamwork and building solid, lasting relationships with the sponsoring brands that place their trust in us. We Love Summer is a brand that continues to expand and grow enormously within South Africa, and we are proud to be the pillars of that expansion in Mozambique.
The events and entertainment industry was undoubtedly one of those hit hardest by the pandemic. Our case was no different, as we went almost two years without being able to hold the festival, but we had in mind that, as soon as the country opened up, we would produce a fun experience again. As soon as the end of restrictions was announced and we resumed commercial activities, planning began for this edition, already looking ahead to the summer of 2022.
We remain committed to opening and closing the summer with two editions, which generally take place in December and March. At this edition, we had two international DJs, Bruno Furlan and Volkoder, and new brand activations, and we also broadcast the football World Cup matches on our screen in the open-air cinema area. We had Corona, Millennium BIM and new brands, which brought something different to the decoration and the whole experience, as was the case with Bombay Sapphire, Jägermeister, Frozy and GoFuel, among other partners.
The selection of artists is made so as to keep the original musical genre of the international We Love Summer, electronic music. Of course there are always some adjustments and adaptations, to meet the preferences of the local audience. We have had excellent relationships with DJs from South Africa and Brazil, and it is our intention to keep expanding into new markets when it comes to selecting guest artists. The next edition is already scheduled, for 4 March 2023, where you can expect new international DJs, who will be coming to Mozambique for the first time, as well as new leisure areas, a new stage design and lots of fun.
Taking the festival to other provinces has always been a dream. We intend to keep growing so that this becomes a reality.
