By Juliet Ebirim

The memories of the sixth edition of the biggest food and music festival in Port Harcourt, ‘Bolè Festival’ which held recently, is still vivid in the minds of residents and visitors of the vibrant city.

Attracting thousands of people to the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Bolé Festival 2022 themed ‘Level up’, celebrated the iconic Port Harcourt street food, its rich culture and variety of popular foods with Southern heritage. The festival attracted food enthusiasts and chefs, both local and international, from around the world. 

Founded in 2016, the festival is driven by a passion to promote a southern heritage and lifestyle. Bolé Festival grew from 300 attendees in 2016 to a record-breaking attendance of more than 25,000 people in 2021. Despite the rainy weather, the 2022 edition had over 28,000 attendees and more than 100 vendors across Nigeria. It was a classic case of “We Pin!” – a popular Port Harcourt slang which means “we are immovable!”

Speaking on this year’s edition, the founder and creative director Nonso Iwuh said, “This is our biggest edition so far. I am astounded by the evolution of the Bolè Festival over the years, and I am grateful to my team of brilliant, dedicated young minds who never fail to deliver. Our Bolè BFFs (attendees and well-wishers) are our greatest motivation. This year’s festival theme “Level Up,” symbolizes how we elevated our standards, resilience and festival experience despite the pandemic’s setbacks”.

Besides the food fair and games at the festival, attendees enjoyed captivating musical performances by Ruger, Cavemen, and a variety of Port Harcourt’s best performances. Other celebrities and influencers who performed included Nedu Wazobia, Nas Boi and Mr Funny, among others.