According to the event director, Thapelo 'Fish' Pabalinga, the show will not go on because they were told the National stadium was not available.
He explained that the stadium was the only venue that could commensurate with the size of the crowd that always attends the festival. Pabalinga expressed a displeasure at the unavailability of the venue saying the creative value chain would suffer.
He explained that when hosting the event, they deliberately book Air Botswana flights and book accommodation for international artists. He added that transport businesses also benefit from the event as they take people to and from the venue. He added that even small businesses for ordinary Batswana benefit from the event by selling food stuffs and beverages.
However, he said other GIMC events like fitness and aerobics, Jazz, poetry, comedy, champagne picnic and Clap and Tap will take place. "GIMC is an event that started in September 2014. We held the event every year offering the same quality except in 2020 because of COVID-19. We are happy that in three weeks the event will be back," he said.
He explained that the first event will be on August 25, which is the fitness challenge at Sky View at CBD from 6pm till 10pm. He said they will have instructors from South Africa and Botswana.
On August 26, there would be a GIMC Jazz festival at Molapo Showcase. There will be five artists performing at the event namely Zonke and Vusi Nova from South Africa, Nono Siile, two local jazz legends Banjo Mosele and Soccer Moruakgomo from Botswana. The host of the event will be Leungo Pitse. He said the following day there will be a Champagne Picnic at Wagga Gardens where the theme is vivid spring, urging revellers to come dressed in colourful fashionable outfits.
On August 31, there will be a comedy night at Maitisong Theatre. From SA, comedians that will be cracking the audiences' ribs are Tips Shampoo, Cesta Missing and from Botswana there will be Thapelo Malane and others. The following day, there will be Clap and Tap featuring Lentswe la Motheo from South Africa. They will be joined by local groups, Ditsala Moreneng and St John Metsimotlhabe at Molapo Showcase from 8pm. Pabalinga also revealed that there will also be a poetry night but said the venue and performers will be announced at a later stage.
