BY NELIWE NGUBANE (INTERN)
MANZINI – Eswatini Beverages successfully brought the city of Manzini to life over the weekend as the second edition of the Corona Sunsets Session transformed Ocean Cuisine into a vibrant hub of Afro-house music, fashion, nightlife and premium lifestyle culture ahead of the upcoming MTN Bushfire Festival.
Unlike the calm countryside atmosphere experienced during the first edition in Malkerns, the Manzini session delivered a fast-paced urban energy as crowds from both Mbabane and Manzini filled the venue for a night dominated by music, dancing and social culture.
From the moment guests entered the venue, Ocean Cuisine had been completely transformed into a full Corona-inspired experience. The venue was decorated in Corona’s signature gold, blue and white colours, while the lighting, décor and reserved seating areas reflected the brand’s premium lifestyle identity.
As the evening progressed, bottles of Corona became a common sight across nearly every table as guests settled into the atmosphere. One of the standout attractions of the night was the Corona cocktail stall, which quickly became one of the busiest sections at the venue. Guests continuously purchased specially crafted cocktails made using Corona beer, creating an experience that also catered for non-beer drinkers.
Adding to the excitement was the Corona Bushfire ticket draw campaign, where guests who purchased either a six-pack or a 24-case of Corona stood a chance to win exclusive Corona merchandise alongside two tickets to the upcoming MTN Bushfire Festival.
The Eswatini Beverages team was also seen interacting and enjoying the atmosphere alongside guests as the session steadily gained momentum throughout the night.
Musically, the event unfolded as a carefully curated Afro-house journey. The Bishops, Cnatra and Brothers on Cue opened the session with soulful Afro-house selections that perfectly complemented the relaxed sunset atmosphere while guests enjoyed conversations, food and drinks.
As the venue continued filling up, Twenty 11 took over the decks with a fiery one-hour Afro-house set that immediately elevated the energy inside Ocean Cuisine. By then, more guests had gathered near the dancefloor as the atmosphere became increasingly electric.
At around 8PM, Sbu De Drum intensified the mood even further with a high-energy performance as the venue reached full capacity. Guests danced across different sections of the venue while others captured moments on their phones.
The biggest highlight of the evening arrived shortly after 9PM when South African Afro-house heavyweight Darque officially stepped onto the decks as the headline act. Known for his signature blend of deep Afro-house and Afro-tech sounds built around hypnotic synths, soulful grooves and African rhythms, Darque immediately sent the crowd into celebration mode.
Fans rushed closer to the DJ booth with phones raised high as he delivered a powerful one-hour set packed with deep Afro-house sounds and Afro-tech elements that perfectly matched the Corona Sunsets atmosphere, keeping the crowd dancing throughout his performance.
Following Darque’s explosive set, Obsession maintained the momentum with an Afro-house performance infused with touches of 3-step, taking the already energized crowd to another level.
The night later introduced a completely different musical direction when Ocean Cuisine resident DJ, DJ Black, unexpectedly stepped onto the decks despite not being part of the official Corona Sunsets lineup. His 45-minute Amapiano set brought another wave of excitement as guests responded with energetic dance moves and loud singalongs.
Closing the evening was Fantacy, who made a final appearance after the official Corona Sunsets programme had ended at 11PM, giving guests one last dance session before the night wrapped up.
Despite maintaining the premium identity associated with the Corona Sunsets brand, the Manzini edition successfully captured the lively spirit of the city by blending music, fashion, food and nightlife culture into one unforgettable experience.
With excitement already building around the next edition, rumours are now circulating that the third Corona Sunsets Session could potentially head to Mbabane at Solanis as Eswatini Beverages continues building momentum toward the upcoming MTN Bushfire Festival.
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