Easter came early for Lagosians this year with the declaration of Thursday, March 29 as work-free day by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to honour President Muhammadu Buhari who is on a two-day visit to the state.
What that means is that the Holy Thursday has been added as bonus to the usual Good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays.
Lagos, the fifth largest economy in Africa, is in no short supply of fun activities this period.
With art, culture and tourism a driving economic force in the state, several fun programmes have received the blessing of the Ambode-led administration to make the state the number one destination in West Africa this Easter season.
One place to be on Thursday is Othello’s Restaurant and Lounge on Musa Yar’Adua Street, Victoria Island for the Holiday Hangout.
With dinner starting at 7pm and the Sharp Band playing jazz music from 9pm to 10:30pm, the event promises to set the tone for the long Easter break.
Massimo Bar at the poolside of Airport Hotel, Ikeja will continue its weekly Thursday tradition of live music.
Playing from 7:30pm will be Soul Winner and His Golden Crew.
Thursday is also the kick-off of Easter Vaganza at Freedom Park on Lagos Island. The five-day event will feature yoga, frejon festival, treasure hunt, talent show, bouncing castle, bazaar and much more.
Legendary storyteller, Jimi Solanke, and Afrobeat musician, Dede Mabiaku, are two of the artistes on parade.
Others include Aduke, Tosin Aribisala from the US and the Freedom 5.
Easter Vaganza runs till Easter Monday.
Fela and the Kalakuta Queens produced and directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters returns to Terra Kulture, Victoria Island for the Easter after a successful Christmas run.
The musical about Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and the 27 women he married on the same day will be presented every day from Good Friday to Easter Monday and every weekend in April.
Art Meets Music, a disco event will hold at Proof Hotel and Lounge in Oniru on Friday night.
It promises to be an amazing night of endless fun with top DJs playing throwback hip-hop, R&B and Nigerian pop music from the 90s and 2000s.
There will be an open mic battle with the audience as judges and prizes from sponsors.
Dress code is something white or neon colours.
Gidi Fest 2018, featuring 2face Idibia, Wizkid and Adekunle Gold, will hold on Good Friday at Hard Rock Café, Beach Front, Landmark Village, Victoria Island.
Maleek Berry, Mayorkun, YCee, Brymo, Ric Hasani and a host of other artistes will also be on parade.
It is a daylight beach experience beginning at 12noon.
Seun Kuti and the Egypt 80 Band will be performing at the Afrika Shrine on Saturday beginning from 10pm.
Easter Sunday will witness Jazz Connect at the Prest Jazz Club, Easter Nature Daycation at the Lekki Conservation Centre and Lagos Boat Regatta.
Described as a night of undiluted and sublime jazz, Jazz Connect with Ini Dminstrel will feature Yinka Davies Tosin Aribisala, Wura Samba, SO-IN Afro Jazz Quartet, Nene Uko, Amaka, Sweet Sound and more.
Venue is Prest Jazz Club on Admiralty Road, by Forte Oil, Lekki Phase 1 and time is 6:30pm.
Lovers of nature will want to experience the Easter Nature Daycation at Lekki Conservation Centre.
A package put together by Enjoy Lagos Tours includes entrance and access to canopy walkway, barbeque, picnic, lunch, drinks, games, music, networking and goodie bags.
Sunday’s headline event is the Lagos Boat Regatta at the Lagoon Waterfront, Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi.
The ceremonial regatta is one of the major festivals listed in the 2018 Calendar of Arts and Culture Events by Lagos State earlier released in the year.
Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde, said the boat regatta is open to the public as a cultural and entertainment funfair meant to showcase part of the state’s rich aquatic cultural asset, being a festival that is common to the traditional coastline communities.
According to Mr Ayorinde, the water regatta will also serve as family recreation show for the benefits of Lagosians and tourists on Easter Sunday.
Activities scheduled to spice the cultural festival include, performances by entertainment boats, traditional boat regatta parade, cultural display by various riverine communities, water safety tips as well as other side attractions.
Participating water communities will also compete to win prizes on open water swimming, canoe race competition and outstanding regatta boats.
Private boat owners and other stakeholders involved in marine leisure and hospitality ventures will also feature on the sidelines at the event.
“The boat regatta is a traditional tourism feature of Lagos State and this year’s outing, in line with the vision of Governor Ambode, will further showcase the tourism values and beauty of Lagos waterways and market its potentials to local and foreign tourists as well as investors,” Ayorinde said.
