Toto Christmas Festival returns for 6th edition

The Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, will on December 8, 2019, turn into a huge fun park for children as Vision Group hosts the sixth edition of Toto Christmas Festival.

Fresh from winning the East African Got Talent competition, youngsters Esther and Ezekiel Mutesasira will headline performance at this year's Festival with the siblings treating children to special Christmas carols.

Not to be missed as well is Uganda's young singing sensation Fresh Kid and Pastor Wilson Bugembe among the big artists lined-up, to entertain children, friends and guardians at the festival.

"It will be a blast, a family day to relax. It is a must-attend this Christmas season," Grace Nampiima, the Toto editor, said of the festival that will be a day-long affair.

This year entrance will be sh10,000 per head, Fiona Tamale the events manager at Vision Group reveals.

"For this amount, children will have free access to all the games and fun activities at the Toto Christmas Festival," Tamale said.

There will be a number of games including bouncing castles for children, swimming pools, swings, bouncy slides and rides, plus face painting.

Two million to be won

The Toto Christmas Festival is also holding a talent search to be undertaken on a school basis as it has been in the previous festivals.

Multichoice Uganda's Joan Semanda Kizza (left) and Vision Group's Fiona Tamale during the launch. Photo by Mary Kansiime

"Schools are free to bring their best performers (pupils) with talent in any field whether music, dance or any other creative arts to compete for this prize money," Nampiima encouraged

"But, you must be prepared, practice and come as early as 8:00 am on the D-Day to ensure every talented pupil competes to win sh2m in prize money," she added.

Competitors will have to be in either in nursery or primary school to be allowed to take part in the talent search at the Toto Christmas Festival this year.

Crowing Mr & Miss Toto

For the first time ever, the festival will also crown Mr. and Miss Toto, according to Nampiima.

"The winners will be awarded several prizes. It will be a great time," she said.

The Toto team will be visiting different schools to personally invite children for the festival.

"Keep your gates open and look out for our van that will be coming with many gifts for you," Nampiima said.

"If you do not see us, write and remind us to come to your school to invite you personally for the Toto Christmas Festival this year," she added.

The big family

This year the Toto Christmas Festival is being supported by MultiChoice under its GOtv and DStv flagships.

Also Crown Beverages manufacturers of Mirinda soda, the Food Hub, Bank of Africa, Indomie Instant Noodles and Britania Allied Industries Ltd, manufacturers of Splash.

The MultiChoice public relations and communications manager, Joan Ssemanda Kizza, said that their GOtv and DStv channels have a multitude of kid's content. "We happy to partner with children," she said.

Evelyn's Nakasita of Indomie Instant Noodles said their product is popular and loved by children. "We are giving back to our clients (the children) by supporting the Toto Christmas Festival this year," she said.

Indomie will provide children with free cooked noodles at the festival and will also be selling their uncooked products for parents to carry home.

Bank of Africa will be offering sh25m worth insurance to be won by parents opening Toto To Teens accounts at the festival this year.

Britania will meanwhile unveil their new drink ‘Splash Kachupa' at the festival.

"We have a lot of kid's products and we will provide them with lots of goodies at the Toto Christmas Festival this year," Nora Male the head of marketing at Britania revealed.

Gates will open as early as 7:00 am and close between 5:00-6:00 pm to ensure children safely return home.