Everton Mlalazi says the free festival is about “making the gospel accessible” and celebrating local talent.

On 25 May 2026, Hartsfield Rugby Grounds on Thornton Avenue will open its gates for what organisers are calling more than a concert.

The Ekhaya Worship Festival is set to bring 10,000 people together for a free, gospel-centered experience that blends worship, outreach, and community upliftment. Hosted by internationally acclaimed gospel musician Everton Mlalazi, the event is designed to make world-class worship accessible to everyone, especially those who have never had the chance to attend a major gospel gathering.

Mlalazi, a devout Seventh-Day Adventist whose ministry has taken him to stages across Africa and beyond, says the festival is a personal homecoming.

“This year, I have decided to celebrate my birthday by embarking on this noble cause, bringing the gospel back home through the Ekhaya Worship Festival,” he said in a press statement.

“My vision is to make world-class worship accessible, inclusive, and impactful especially for those who could not afford major concerts.”

He explained in a press statement received by My Kasi Magazine, that the idea was born out of his own upbringing in Bulawayo, where attending large gospel events often felt like a distant dream.

Despite now sharing international stages with leading gospel artists, he never lost sight of the calling that began at home.

“Coming from a background where attending major gospel events was often a dream beyond reach, I never lost sight of my calling to serve God through music,” Mlalazi said.

The word Ekhaya means home, and that is exactly what the festival aims to be a place where worship and outreach converge.

Rooted in a blibical christian script,Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,” the festival’s core mission is to evangelise, disciple, and uplift through the power of gospel music.
The goal is to create a space where people encounter Jesus Christ, where the lost are called to salvation and believers are revived in their faith.

For Mlalazi, music is a vehicle that touches hearts in a way few other things can, and Ekhaya is intended to serve as a missional platform for the gospel.

What makes this edition unique is the intentional spotlight on Zimbabwean and regional talent.

The lineup brings together established voices and rising worship leaders, with a strong emphasis on Bulawayo-based artists. The featured artists for 2026 include Dumi Mkokstad, Zaza Mokhethi, Oncemore Six, Takesure Zamar, Canaan Nyathi, Reality Z, Blessing Jeduthun, Zimpraise, Vocal Ex, Lorraine Maplanka, Mai Mwamuka, Family Voices, Dunamis Men, Pastor Barak Family, Tehilah Testament, Harvest House Music, Conquerors, and many more said the decision to platform local talent was deliberate.

“As I bring the international stage home, Ekhaya shines a light on Bulawayo-based gospel artists, giving them the opportunity to minister to wider audiences. It is a celebration of local anointing, gifting, and purpose raising the next generation of worship leaders.”

The festival’s mission extends beyond the stage. In line with Christ’s example of compassion, Ekhaya will extend love to the less privileged through practical outreach. Each year the festival will support a local children’s home, turning worship into action.

“Inspired by Christ’s example of compassion, the festival extends love to the less privileged, including supporting a local children’s home each year,” Mlalazi explained.

“Everton envisions this as a platform for practical gospel living—where worship moves beyond the stage into real lives.”

Alongside the worship experience, there will be a Business Expo and Health Outreach, creating space for ministry, entrepreneurship, and community health to intersect.

Ekhaya is also being positioned as a collaborative evangelical movement. By inviting corporate, ministry, and NGO partners, the festival aims to become a platform where different sectors can come together to spread the message of Christ, elevate communities, and demonstrate the love of Jesus in action.

Partnerships are crucial because the event is free for all attendees. Mlalazi and the team are calling on organizations to stand with them in this God-given vision. Support will help keep the event free, strengthen evangelism and discipleship efforts, and resource outreach projects such as the children’s home support.

The spiritual and social impact goals are clear. The team wants to see many brought to the knowledge and saving grace of Jesus Christ, encourage spiritual growth through worship and the Word, and use national and international platforms to broadcast the gospel through media evangelism.

Equally important is the commitment to empowering artists, mentoring them and exposing them to opportunities where they can minister effectively.
Mlalazi believes the festival is about building something that outlasts a single day. It is about creating a culture where worship is accessible, local talent is celebrated, and the community feels seen and supported.

Entry to the Ekhaya Worship Festival is free, and doors at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds will open at 9 AM and run till late. Free tickets are available on Tikiti at http://www.tikiti.co.zw. The venue can seat up to 10,000 people, and the organisers expect a full house of worshippers, families, and visitors from across Zimbabwe and beyond.