Crayfish: A festival to remember

The 2015 Crayfish Festival is set to be the largest and most extravagant celebration, according to Suzan Ndjaleka, chairperson at the Luderitz Town Council. “The Crayfish Festival is an initiative of the Lüderitz Town Council, in partnership with the Central Government and Business Community, that presents an opportunity for all kinds of businesses to exhibit their products or services,” she said.

The festival is scheduled to launch on Friday 27 February, with the actual event taking place from 03 April 2015 to 06 April 2015, followed by a businesswomen seminar on the 2nd of April. Thereafter, smaller events that form part of the festival, such as the Miss Crayfish Festival pageant, will take place on 27 March. The theme for this year’s festival is ‘We Love The Sea’. “If all goes well, the people can expect a great surprise at this year’s Festival,” said Aunie Gideon, the festival’s Chief Executive Officer, adding that “with the cosmopolitan vibe of Lüderitz, the Crayfish Festival Board will definitely not fail to deliver an exciting festival.” Gideon stated that one of the objectives of the Crayfish Festival is to position Lüderitz as the main tourist destination in Southern Namibia. According to Gideon, the Festival has assisted to market not only Lüderitz but Namibia as a whole, and attract tourists, subsequently increasing and opening up doors for investment. “It is also a platform for people from afar to visit and explore Lüderitz and try different kinds of seafood,” she added. Gideon stated that even though there were a few complaints last year about the limited space at Lüderitz Waterfront Harbour Square, there is currently no other option available to host the event, adding, “yes, we acknowledge the space is becoming cramped as the festival grows; the board is currently trying to secure a permanent venue for the festival. It might take time.” Gideon does, however, plan to spread the Festival around the whole town by having activities at other venues, including the Sports Complex and Aeroplane Beach. “The plan is to make the Festival bigger and better this year. We want to give the people what they have never seen before in Lüderitz and make it a festival to remember,” said Gideon.