29 Jul 2019

It was a perfect Saturday night dinner venue, and the atmosphere was great.

The event,  the Francistown Rotary Club night market gave attendants an opportunity to have a meal, a drink while listening to live music and catching up with friends and family.

This year’s edition was both upbeat and a great showcase of local creativity.

It brought together talented craftsmen and fashion designers, while food lovers were treated to bustling flavours sold by the  food vendors offering cuisines from around the world.

The local food and craft entrepreneurs filled the space with anything from breads, handcrafted shoes, best of winter foods, designs and performances.

The night market is a scene popular for its live music which has added a variety to the night shopping.

Organisers had also focused on entertainment and family activities.

Guests spent hours exploring the food and drink stands and browsing through a number of clothing and craft stalls.

There were plenty of activities for children which included target shooting, jumping castles and face painting.

Since its inception in 2011, the event has become more than just a night market, as it offers a unique platform for emerging businesses, artists and cooks to showcase their talent at the city’s favourite event.

Event Coordinator, Mr Saadia Rossenkhan said in an interview that all the funds raised during the event would go to the Botswana Police Service, as the Rotary Club had been working with them on a drug awareness campaign.

He said the aim was for the police to install a billboard in Francistown, highlighting the dangers of substance abuse.

Rossenkhan further explained that the event was a way to bring a variety of entrepreneurs, craftsmen, artists, and vendors together, with the purpose of providing a safe environment for the residents to enjoy an evening with their families.

Performance at the event included  by the traditional dance group of the Botswana Defence Force, whilst several District Health Management teams screened the general public for free.

National Blood Transfusion services educated the public about the importance of blood donation and also collected blood samples from willing donors.

Botswana Tourism Organisation also attended this year’s market, with an intention to partner with Rotary Club in future. Ends