Something has shifted in the rhythm of Bulawayo Saturdays. The Hillside Dams craft market, the Old Bulawayo farmers’ market, the smaller Selborne Park flea — they are all noticeably busier than they were three years ago. Families arrive early. Coffees are bought. Vegetables are weighed in actual paper bags.
Vendors say the change began in 2023 and accelerated through 2025. “It used to just be tourists and a few expats,” said Hillside vendor Sarah Mlilo. “Now it is grandmothers from Pumula bringing their grandchildren. It feels like the city is back.”
The markets have also become a soft incubator for small food businesses. Three of the city’s most-talked-about new restaurants started life as Saturday market stalls.
Whether the revival lasts is anyone’s guess. For now, the rhythm holds. And in Bulawayo, rhythm is everything.
on May 13, 2026
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