On Sunday August 20, 2017, Blankets and Wine Kampala returned for its 18th edition at its relatively new home at the Lugogo Cricket Oval. Being the good Ugandans we are, we thronged the venue in large numbers; our picnic baskets (for some ice coolers) in tow and blankets (mats for some) tucked between our elbows and armpits.
However, there was a welcome sight at the venue. There was a beach! Yes, you read it right. A beach right in the heart of Kampala. We didn’t have to endure a hectic three hour, jam packed journey to Entebbe to feel sand on our feet. Uganda Waragi Coconut was the brain behind this brilliant, soothing and refreshing idea.
Complete with beach sand, chairs and umbrellas, it was undoubtedly the star attraction at Blankets and Wine. Revelers could be seen scooping some sand to confirm if it was indeed that from the lake, others tried their hands out at building what we now presume were sand castles, while others just wanted to scribble God knows what in there.
In addition, there was a beach bar mixing two unique cocktails; One in a melon and Tropic like its hot! And the ushers? Need we talk about them? Fine. Here is a sneak peak. They were dressed in beach wear. Yap, we aren’t making this up.
As they delivered cocktails to customers, some fellows employed observation tactics only seen in Sci-Fi movies. We are still baffled at how their neck twisting antics were deployed with such ease. All we can say is that Uganda Waragi really gave every exhibitor at this edition of Blankets and Wine a run for their, ahem tents. That beach set up was the issh.
Roy Tumwizere, the Uganda Waragi Brand Manager explained that the Coconut variant is all about giving consumers an experience like no other.
“Our ambition is to deliver an experience that our consumers will live to remember. We wanted our consumers to enjoy good music, chill out and feel the sand on their feet, in a beach setting,” he said.
There goes a saying that, ‘If you cannot come to the beach, the beach will come to you.’ Yeah, you are right, we just made that up, but you get the idea, right? It was amazing to enjoy the cocktails, sand and the sun.
There were lots of interesting games and activities such as high jump, ball games, hoola hoops, among others at the beach.
We can’t wait to see what next comes from Uganda Waragi Coconut’s activities. As for now, we can’t say thank you enough for enabling us hit two birds with one stone; beach, Blankets and Wine and cocktails. Who would have thought?
