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The main venue for this year's festival is again in historic Stone Town: the grassy side of Zanzibar's Old Fort ("Mambo Club") facing Forodhani Gardens and overlooking the Indian Ocean. Fittingly described by Ian Anderson in fROOTS magazine as "the big club venue most world music festival organisers would die for". Freshly grilled prawns, octopus, squid, fish kebabs are all prepared on site, with a bar and stalls selling local crafts.

The main aim of the festival is to showcase the wealth and diversity of Swahili music and we are proud to announce that many of East Africa's finest groups are confirmed to participate:

DANCE / GUITAR BANDS: Kilimanjaro Band ("Wananjenje"), Zanzibar Moonlight Jazz Band

MUSIC FUSION: Saida Karoli, Manyani Nani, Sisi Tambala

HIPHOP AND URBAN MUSIC: Juma Nature & Wanaume, Wazenji Kijiwe, Klear Kut, Stara Thomas, Solo Thang, BTB, DJ Saleh

TAARAB & KIDUMBAK: Nadi Ikhwan Safaa (Malindi Taarab), Culture Musical Club, Segere Original, Sosoliso Kidumbak, Zein l'Abdin Trio, DCMA Student Group

NGOMA & TRADITIONAL MUSIC: Bi Kidude, Chibite Group, Beni ya Kilua, Black Roots, Jagwa Music (Mchiriku), Hiyari ya Moyowo (Kirumbizi), Imani Ngoma, Matimba Arts, Ngoma ya Kibati, Kidutani & Jang'ombe Nursery Schools

RELIGIOUS SUFI MUSIC: Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni

THEATRE, COMEDY, ACROBATICS: Jambo Brothers, Halikuniki Comedy Group

FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:
El Tanbura Group (Egypt), Seiyun Popular Arts (Yemen), Imena (Rwanda), Ndeef Leng (Senegal), Pamuzinda (Zimbabwe)

(final festival programme pending 100% confirmations will be published end of January)

Guest of Honour for 2005 Festival is Bi Kidude, Zanzibar's 93-year old cultural ambassador, traditional healer and bare-foot diva of taarab and unyago ngoma, who has been traveling the world to sing, drum and entertain since the 1920s.

TICKET INFO:

Free admission to all before 8pm daily (standing room only)
After 8pm, residents 500/-TSh (US$0.50) (standing room only)
After 8pm, non-residents 1,000/- TSh (US $1) (standing room only)
VIP Daily Pass 5,000/- (US $5) (with seating)
VIP All Festival Pass (4 Days) 10,000/- (US $10) (with seating)

On Stone Town Zanzibar: "The pace of life is gentle, time itself seems flexible, and a combination of the surroundings and a very low level of trading hassle from genuinely friendly locals turn it into the most relaxing, stress-reducing place I've ever encountered. Turn off your mobile phone: this town should be available on the National Health".
Ian Anderson, fROOTS Magazine

Welcome to Zanzibar for the friendliest music festival on Planet Earth!

10 - 13 February, 2005 - Sauti za Busara Festival #2
09 - 12 February, 2006 - Sauti za Busara Festival #3

Hotels are filling up fast for this period so be sure to book quickly if you need accommodation in Stone Town within walking distance of the Festival. For assistance with hotel bookings, local travel and tours contact zenjtours@zanlink.com (cc to busara@zanlink.com)

For more information contact:
Busara Promotions, PO Box 3635, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Tel: (+255) 24 223 2423 or (+255) (4) 747 428478
Fax: +44 870 132 1190
Email: busara@zanlink.com