New venue, more attendants at Makgadikgadi Epic
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday August 15, 2017 18:00
While the main feature of the Epic was the skydiving itself, the abundant water at Sua Pan was used for many activities such as boat cruises. The venue included a mini landmass where people were able to enjoy both land and water rides since the hovercraft is capable of travelling over land and in water without any difficulties. People were not allowed to swim, but hanging by the water and enjoying the breeze was enough to keep their day going while skydivers jumped from airplanes.
The way people were relaxed in their camp chairs beside the water was a clear indicator that many Batswana crave for beach events. With the country being landlocked there is no similar opportunities so this year’s scenery at Makgadikgadi Epic brought the ocean closer than ever.
Since the venue was held in an open space next to BOTASH Game Park, some section of attendees were enjoying the entertainment from various local DJs. Many people’s feet were dusty due to the type of soil in the area, but they were not bothered as they enjoyed the numerous activities. The surroundings were also open and allowed for more activities such as horse riding, quad bikes and bicycle tours.
BTO marketing manager, Jillian Blackbeard told Showbiz in an interview that the fourth edition of Makgadikgadi Epic this year has grown tremendously in terms of spectators. During the day of the event on Saturday, she said they had recorded more than 3,000 at the gate and expected 3,000 more the same day. “We had 70 professional sky divers from 12 countries,” she said.
Blackbeard said they were happy with the attendance this year because people participated in adventure tourism, including water sports. “Maybe we will keep it here this year because this water is amazing,” she said.