DRAFTING: CALENDAR OF POPULAR CULTURAL FESTIVALS,

TRADE FAIRS AND SHOWS IN NORTHERN NAMIBIA

2024
Compiled by Mr. Kleopas Nghikefelwa: Museum and Cultural Researcher.
Cultural & Heritage Adventure in Northern Namibia (CHANNA)
Contact: Mobile: +264 812755616 Email:[email protected]

Date Cultural Festivals and Trade Fairs Location and

events contact
person
16 February 2024 King Mandume Day Ohangwena
Region.
THE Mandume Day commemoration, which takes
place annually on the 6th of February, tooks place Oukwanyama
belatedly at the Oukwanyama Queen Martha Traditional
Mwadinomho Kristian Nelumbu’s palace at Omhedi, Authority.
on the outskirts of the Helao Nafidi town.
The annual event commemorates the death of King P.O.Box
444,Ohangwena.
Mandume Ndemufayo, who died at Oihole in southern
Angola, where he was confronted and killed by a much Enquries:
stronger British/South African force, from the south. He
died in combat on the 6th of February 1917.(source: Cell:0812911226.
Placido Hilukilwa). Tell:065-260084.

21 March 2024 Namibia Independence day National

Independence Day, celebrated on March 21st, is one event
of the most significant holidays in Namibia. It
commemorates the country's independence from
Location:
Celebrated
South African rule in 1990. The day is marked with
nationwide in
patriotic events, flag-raising ceremonies, cultural
Namibia, with
performances, and community gatherings across the
events held in
nation.
major cities,
towns, and
communities
22 March 2024 Dr,Selma Rainio’s Birthday Oshikoto
This event always takes place at Onandjokwe Medical Region
Museum, where local Onandjokwe pioneers-retired
nurses come together to commemorate the Birthday of
Oniipa town
Dr.Selma Rainio. Dr.Selma Rainio is the Florence council
Naightngale of Northern Namibia, where she arrived Tel: +264 65 245
on December 14, 1908.Here she left an indelible mark 700/10 Address:
and legacy. She is also remembered in Namibia as the P.O.Box 25179
founding mother of the Onandjokwe hospital, which Onandjokwe,
Photo taken by Kleopas Nghikefelwa at was the first hospital, in the northern Namibia, built in Namibia Email:
Onandjokwe Medical Museum on 21 1911 by the Finnish Missionary Society. reception@oniipat
March 2022. c.org.na.
30 April 2024-4 May 2024 Ondangwa trade and industrial ONDANGWA
exhibition. Town
Council,
According to Minister of Industrialization and Trade
Lucia Iipumbu, Ondangwa Trade and Industrial’s Oshana
Exhibition presents significant potential to promote Region:
and showcase what this town and the Oshana region
Contact person:
have to offer to businesspersons, traders, travelers,
Mr. Gerald Sem or
and the general public; the region’s cultural heritage, Ms. Kandy Iihuhua
traditions, arts and crafts, and various agricultural Tel: +264 65-
goods. According Petrina Shitalangaho-Mutikisa, 240101 Fax: +264
65-240453 Email:
Town’s spoke person, “Ondangwa Industrial and trade gsem@ondangwa
fair serves as a platform for networking, knowledge tc.org.na Mobile:
sharing and exploring emerging trends and +264 81 7477268
Email:
technologies shaping the future of local economies”. Iihuhwak5@gmail.
com
/siihuhwa@ondan
gwatc.org.na
Mobile: +264 81
2455557
4 May 2024 Cassinga Massacre National
Event
Cassinga Day is a national Namibian public holiday,
remembering the Cassinga Massacre. Observed on
Location:
the 4th of May annually, the date pays homage to the Celebrated
lives lost in 1978, as a result of the South African nationwide in
Defence Force’s attack on a SWAPO refugee camp at Namibia, with
Cassinga, southern Angola. Cassinga Day is a public events held in
holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and major cities,
schools and most businesses are closed.In 2024, it towns, and
falls on a Saturday, and some businesses may choose communities
to follow Saturday opening hours.Cassinga Day give
apportunity to local people to relax in their homes and
watch or listen on National Telelvision and Radios, that
show life stories from Cassinga survivors. Some
people like to take their kids to visit local
Museums,War memorial or heritage site (Eenhana
shrine and others) and cemetery and reflect on the
history of the day.
30-31 May 2024 Opuwo Annually Trade Fair Opuwo Town
Council:
Opuwo Trade Fair is a platform where various local
business people and service providers come together
Kunene
and market their products and services. Region.
As usual, the Town Council also incorporates a career
fair, culture, boxing bonanza, and tourism expo, the PHONE
Miss Opuwo beauty pageant and a music bash.Here +264 65 273007
visitors have opportunity to buy locally made products EMAIL
(especially byHimba people) and this supports local [email protected]
enterprises’ development, promotes job creation. om
FAX
+264 65 27325

25 May 2024 Marula “Omagongo” Festival Chief/King of

Ondonga:
The hosting of the festival has been rotated annually Kuku Fillemon
between the eight Aawambo traditional authorities Shuumbwa
since the early 2000s, but was postponed in 2021 as Nangolo.
a result of COVID-19 and a poor harvest in 2022. The
festival was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative Ondonga
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Traditional
2015. Authority.
Photo: Willie Olivier The programme included cultural performances, a P.O.BOX 70,
depiction of Oshiwambo family clans/totems and Ondagwa.
stories narrated around the fire in the evening. The Oshikoto Region.
National leaders also attend, like the Enquries: Tell:
Founding President of the Namibian Nation and Patron 065-245832.
of the Omagongo Festival, Dr Sam Nujoma, He always Fax:065-225313
encouraged traditional leaders to promote culture and
heritage to build a strong Namibia.

ttps://ich.unesco.org/en/10b-
representative-list-

25 May 2024 AFRICA DAY.The day celebrates the continent's Location:

unity, diversity, and achievements, while also Celebrated
reflecting on the challenges and opportunities facing
Africa. Across Namibia, Africa Day is marked with
nationwide in
Namibia, with
various events and activities, including cultural
events held in
performances, art exhibitions, panel discussions, film
major cities,
screenings, and community gatherings. It serves as a
towns, and
reminder of Africa's shared history, cultural heritage,
communities
and aspirations for a brighter future
29 May-3 June 2024 Omaludi Festival ( Cattle Show) Okongo
Village
The Omaludi Festival is a cultural livestock event
organized to celebrate the dedication of farmers who
Council.
have taken good care of their cattle despite the
challenging lifestyle at cattle posts. The event Ohangwena
showcases cattle through display and observation, Region:
with winners being selected based on their physical
attributes. Contact person:
Over the years, the festival has evolved from a mere
livestock show to include exhibitions of agricultural Mr. Immanuel
Showing off… An ox belonging to products, including corporate displays. The festival Haikali (CEO) Tel:
Erastus Mbulu, who won the 2019 took place between May 29th and June 3rd, 2023. +264 65 288510
Omaludi Festival cattle show at
Mobile: +264 81
Okongo village in the Ohangwena https://www.africa-press.net/namibia/all- 2900048 Email:
region. news/omaludi-livestock-farmers-pride ihaikali@okongov
c.com.na

28-29 June 6 July 2024 Nkurenkuru Expo Nkurenkuru

Town
The purpose of Expos is for government ministries,
NGOs, parastatals, companies, financial institutions,
Council,
business people and individuals to showcase and
demonstrate their latest information, products/services Kavango
and meet with the industry`s partners, customers and West Region:
the general public to enhance the policy of
decentralization and examine recent market trends
and opportunities. It will further serves to facilitate Contact persons:
trade and business linkages between larger corporate
Ms. Sarah Chikanda
and SMEs (not only in Kavango West Region) but
Mobile: +264 81
across the globe.Here visitors will get opportunity to 4191302
buy local products made by local people.In Kavango Ms. Regina
Woodcarving by Kavango region is the homeland of many talented craft people
Muhembo - +264 81
craftspeople in northern Namibia who produce beautiful crafts from local trees.
2857098
displayed at the Ncumcara Tel: 066-258089
Community Forest Craft Centre, Fax: 066-258091
Rundu, 2011 (dimensions: various). Email:
Most carvings are made from kiaat, [email protected]
a hard wood from the Pterocarpus
angolenesis tree. Sarahkapango.chika
[email protected]
3 Woodcarving by Kavango
craftspeople in northern Namibia
displayed at... | Download Scientific
Diagram (researchgate.net)
1 -7July 2024 Olufuko Annually Cultural festival Outapi Town
Council,
The Olufuko Cultural Festival, take place in the town
of Outapi, located in the Omusati region. Last year it
took place from July 1 to July 7, 2023, at the Olufuko
Omusati
Centre, the event has garnered significant Region
participation and excitement. The event invite local
girls (aged 14-17) to registered and participate in the Contact person:
Olufuko Annual Festival, which prepare them for
adulthood. Ms. Nyeuvo
Elizabeth Ekandjo
Acording to Olufuko Patron and Founding President Tel: +264 65-
Sam Nujoma said the festival remains an important 251191
platform to educate the nation and promote cultural Fax: +264 65-
251128
values, norms and heritage.He added that,”the aim
Mobile: +264
and objective of the festival are to inform the nation 812485193
about the cultural norms that sustained our previous E-mail:
generations. Above all, Olufuko Festival is not solely [email protected]
focused on cultural activities but also serves as a kashikata2010@gm
platform for local business people to showcase their ail.com OR
products and services. outapiolufuko@gmai
Source: More than 20 girls to partake in Olufuko l.com
Festival - Truth, for its own sake. (neweralive.na)

19 July 2024 The “Etumo” mission festival Location:

Celebrated
This mission festival is an annual event on the nationwide in
calendar of ELCIN where deaneries come together to Northern Namibia,
commemorate and celebrate the missionary work with events held in
brought by the Finnish missionaries who arrived at different Lutheran
Omandongo in Onayena Constituency on July 7, Parishes and
1870, to plant the seed of Christianity in Northern communities.
Namibia.One can visit Onandjokwe Medical
Museum,Nakambale Museum and Omandongo The annually
National Heritage site and experience the history of event is
early Finnish Missionaries who planted the first seeds organized by
Kleopas Nghikefelwa in of mission work in Owambo.Today many abandoned (ELCIN)
2023:Staning at the monument old mission station places can be found all over the Evangelical
marking the place where the First northern part of Namibia. Many Finnish tourists Lutheran Church
Owambo people were baptized by attracted to visit these places with primary source of in Northern
First Finnish Missionaries on Namibia Finnish Mission history. Namibia
January 6, 1883.
Source:Wikepedia The contact phone
Phot taken by Prof,Olli Vainio number is +264 65
Finland. 240242 and the fax
number is +264 65
2404721
22 -28July 2024 Ehao Cultural and Business Expo fair Omusati
region,
Okahao Town Council hosts an annually expo called-
the Ehao Cultural and Business Expo - in the Omusati Okahao
Region.This year the event is scheduled to take place Town
from 22 -28 July 2024 at Okahao's Ehao Centre under Council.
the theme ‘Connecting Businesses towards Creating
the Future'.Deputy minister of industrialization and Physical Address:
trade, Verna Sinimbo, said the theme encapsulates 895 King Jafet
the purpose of the expo, which is to connect Munkundi St,
businesses with each other and with potential clients Okahao, Namibia
and suppliers. Phone: +264 65 252
204
https://www.namibiansun.com/cultural/okahao-to- Fax: +264 65 252
host-second-expo2023-05-17 201
Email:
[email protected].
na

25-28 July 2024 Etotha Annually Carnival Oshikoto

Region
The Carnival is hosted by the ministry of tourism and
forestry in collaboration with the Ondonga Traditional
Authority as the traditional custodian of the identified
Onanke
area where the event will be held. The Carnival attracts Village
a people from within the country and abroad. This year
the event is scheduled to take place 25th – 28th July Contact:
2024,at “Kangonde” salt pan, Onanke village,
Oshikoto region. The carnival presents an opportunity Ministry of
to celebrateS and showcase Namibia’s cultural and Tourism and
heritage diversity. Enviroment
Salt pan (illustration) Phone:
Ethotha festival - Search (bing.com) +264 81 336 0612

Email:
fillon.goagoseb@me
ft.gov.na
[email protected]
ov.na
29 July 2024 Omuthiya Othithiya Festival and Omuthiya
Career Fair Town
Council
Omuthiya is a capital city of Oshikoto Region in
Namibia. The town was pro claimed in October 2007
and the Omuthiya Town Council was established in Oshikoto
September 2008. The primary functions of the festival Region
and career fair is to provide a platform that showcases
the towns cultural diversity and investment Tel
opportunities to different consumers, Small medium +264 65 244700
enterprises (SMEs) and encourage economic growth. Fax
The event will target youth empowerment by tertiary +264 65 244730
education and expose students to potential job Email
[email protected]
careers.
g.na
Website Address
Omuthiya Festival & Career Fair 2022 Highlights www.omuthiyatc.org
(youtube.com) .na

31 July-5 August 2024 Eenhana EXPO

Eenhana
Town
Council

Ohangwena
region
P.O.Box 13051
Eenhana,

Eenhana Expo exhibition it has bring together various Phone: +264 65

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises from the region 2631581
and other parts of the country to share ideas, which Mobile phone:
could lead to the creation and development of new 2648141 600 051
Email: info
enterprises, job opportunities, value addition, and [at]eenhanatc.na
poverty alleviation in the communities.This Expo must
serve as a vehicle of rural economic development to
improve the lives of our people. An expo lasts for one
week, but the emphasis must be placed on the
sustainability of the business post this event. The expo
has attracts even exhibitors from other countries in
Africa, like in 2023 it attracted more than 200
exhibitors, as far as from Tanzania.
(Source)
https://informante.web.na/?p=345620
21-31 August 2024 Ongwediva Anually Trade fair Oshana
region,

Ongwediva
Town
Council
PHONE
: +264 65230 191
Late President:Dr.Hage Geingob EMAIL
ongwetradefair@iwa
officially opening the Ongwediva
y.na
trade fair. This Fair is the first and still biggest business show or
event in the whole northern part of Namibia.Is
https://namibian.org/news/economic organized annually by the Ongwediva municipality and
s/annual-ongwediva-trade-fair-the- in 2022 attracted 368 exhibitors and 90,000 visitors.
biggest-in-namibi There is also a focus on agriculture, farming and
livestock. This event also an attraction for tourists from
Namibia and outside Namibia.

August 2023 Ohangwena International AgriFood Ohangwena

Region
Confex
Ohangwena
The Confex “showcase Ohangwena region as an
Regional Council
agricultural hub empowering the small-scale
subsistence farmers and other relevant producers and
Contact person:
services providers,” the council has stated.
The expo is aimed at providing a platform to “network Mr. Etuhole Haimbili
and gain knowledge from other stakeholders with the Tel: +264 65-264
focus to promote food production, preparation and 300 Mobile: +264 81
packaging; share knowledge on the value of nutrition 1451736 Email:
and implement initiatives; investigate and secure ethaimbili@ohangw
market access.” The expo forms part of the region’s enarc.gov.na
plan to empower small-scale subsistence farmers to
effectively and efficiently network, craft collaborations
and promote food production, among many other
gains.

(Source)Windhoek Express
https://www.we.com.na/focus-oatf/ohangwe…
26 August 2024 Namibia Heroe’s day Location:
Celebrated
National celebrations take place annually at different
places, usually in the north of Namibia near important
nationwide in
Namibia, with
battle zones. Hundreds of people annually gather to
events held in
watch leaders officially commemorate veterans of the
major cities,
People's Liberation Army of Namibia
towns, and
(PLAN).[9] Likewise, honours, such as military medals,
communities.
are handed out on the day.[10][11] Heroes' Acre, a war
memorial outside of Windhoek, was opened on
A monument at the site where the Heroes' Day in 2002.
first battle for Namibia
independence started on 26August https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes%27_Day_(Namib
1966. ia)#cite_note-1

13 – 15 Sept 2023 The Grootfontein Agricultural and Groetfontein

Industrial Show Municipalities

This is an annual agricultural exhibition that has taken Otzondjondjupa

place since 1911,[7] is the second largest annual Region
entrepreneurial exhibition in the country, after
the Windhoek Show.[ Contact persons:

Source:Wikepedia Mr. Johan Van

Heerden Tel: +264
67 248000 Mobile:
+264 811247617 /
0812686513 /
0815744004
JVHeerden@oldmut
ual.com
16-22 September 2024 Namibia Heritage week National
event
Namibia celebrates Heritage Week every year from 16
to 22 September1. The week-long event is an
Location:
opportunity to celebrate Namibia's natural and
Celebrated
historical sites, objects protected by museums, arts
nationwide in
and crafts, and traditional knowledge passed down
Namibia, with
from generation to generation1. Namibian Heritage
events held in
Week 2022 will be from the 19th to the 25th of
major cities,
September2. In 2021, Heritage Week was held from 20
towns, and
to 26 September under the theme ‘Feshene, ke tlhale
communities.
e e re lomaganang’, which means ‘fashion, the threads
that bind us together’ in Setswana3.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=Namibia+heritage+w
eek+celebration+in+Namibia&FORM=HDRSC
30 October 2024 Tsumeb Copper Festival Oshikoto
region,
Every year the Tsumeb Municipality organises the
Tsumeb Copper Festival. More than 200 small and Tsumeb
medium enterprises (SMEs) and bigger exhibitors Town
showcase their products and services at the annual Council
fair. The festival takes place annually during the last
weekend of October at the United Nations Park. The Contact:
four-day event, which is aimed at boosting the
economic competitiveness of the town, draws crowds Mobile number:
from all corners of the country and beyond.[18] It also +264 811460166
facilitates indirect investments in the hospitality
sector.[1 EMAIL
jgaeseb@tsumeb
Tsumeb - Wikipedia (source). mun.org.na
FAX
+264 67 221464
20 October 2024-3 Helao Nafidi Business Expo Helao Nafidi
November2024 Town
Helao Nafidi is a town in Ohangwena Region in
northern Namibia at the border to Angola.Today is
Council;
one one of the very busy commercial town, that trade
between Namibia and Angola. Many Chinese Ohangwena
National own factories here and mini Chinese Region.
outletshops.
Contact person:
The Helao Nafidi expo aims to promote small and
medium-sized businesses, and showcases the Ms. Selma
products and services they provide in order for them Shekuza Tel: +264
to network and share business ideas. 65-261916/+264
811479401 Email:
https://www.nbcnews.na/news/helao-nafidi-business- selma@helaonafidi.
expo-underway-ohangwena-region.13997 org
27 October -4 November Rundu Annually Trade Fair Kavango
2024 East Region,

RunduTown
Council:
Physical Address:

Maria Mwengere
Rd, Rundu, Namibia

1. Postal Address:
TUPAHUKENI - RUNDU ANNUAL Private Bag 2128,
TRADE FAIR 2023 #culture Maria Mwengere
゚viral ... Road, Rundu,
#namibia #fypシ Rundu is the capital and largest city of the Kavango- Namibia
youtube.com|1280 × 720 jpeg East Region in northern Namibia.
|5 mos ago The chairperson of the organising committee, 2. Phone: +264 66
Visit site Francisca Kupembona, said the strategic location of 266 4001234. Fax:
Rundu is a gateway to the Kavango East Region and +264 66 256 7181
elsewhere within Namibia and beyond.She said
Rundu is a centre for economic activities, and
destination for tourists and other visitors .“The trade
fair is thus a vital component of our strategy to drive
development in our town and this region in general,”
she said
Source: Mutorwa opens Rundu Annual Trade Fair -
Top Story 1 - The Namibian
3 December 2024 Totem Expo Oshakati. Oshana
Region

Oshakati
TownCouncil
Contact person:

This event strives to preserve, showcase, and Mr. Fidelis Kabozu

strengthen various cultures in Namibia.On 3 Tel: +264 65
December 2023, Oshakati Town launched the 12th 229500 Fax: +264
edition of the expo, as part of the economic revival. 65 220435 Email:
Since its inception in 2012, the Totem Expo has [email protected]
provided a platform for various totems. According
Oukwambi Traditional Chief, “This event is
Oshakati Totem Expo safeguarding our cultural norms so that the future
facebook.com generations will not be coerced into adopting
European cultures. We need more of these events."
 https://nbcnews.na/node/102863

25 December2024 Christimas Day Location:

Celebrated
Namibia is in the Southern Hemisphere, so Christmas
takes place during one of the hottest parts of the
nationwide in
year. However, many Christmas traditions in Namibia Namibia, with
come from Germany as it was a German colony events held by
between 1884 and 1915. Christian families
in cities, towns,
Christmas celebration start with Advent an advent and even rural
crown is used in many churches and some homes communities.
(although as it's so hot often electric candles are
used as wax ones can melt in the heat).

People from the parts of northern Namibia where the

Oshiwambo language believe that Christmas is all
about sharing. Their Christmas meals are often
braais (barbecues) which are shared among family,
friends and the local community.

People often travel back to their home villages from

the cities to spend Christmas with their families.
Having weddings at this time is also now becoming
popular. Other people head to the coast of Namibia
where it's a bit cooler - and you might even build a
'sandman' rather than a 'snowman'!.

Christmas in Namibia - WhyChristmas.com

(References)
B4fabb6b-8352-fed0-ff97-b2b838df699b (gov.na)
https://www.encounterstravel.com/blog/cultural-events-and-celebrations-in-namibia
https://www.encounterstravel.com/blog/cultural-events-and-celebrations-in-namibia