GEM Fest: PM Kvirikashvili pledges top musicians, quality show and venue

Do you have plans from August 10-14?

If not, Georgia's Prime Minister has made an offer that's sure to excite people of all ages, and everyone is welcome to attend.

PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili travelled to Black Sea resort town Anaklia yesterday to make sure preparations were on track for this year's GEM Fest.

GEM Fest will take place from August 10-14. It is the country's largest electronic music festival and one of the biggest music occasions in the Caucasus.

Photo by PM's press office.

"Serious work has been done. We are expecting up to 40,000 guests this year. The infrastructure is in fact ready already,” Kvirikashvili said.

"I urge everyone to come here and see this. We have installed the best sound system. The sound will be really cool,” he added.

The PM then stressed that the lineup of DJs and performers were "very interesting” this year, and he was particularly thrilled that a well-knonw Abkhazian DJ would also perform, which he believed was "symbolic”.

Kvirikashvili visited hotels that were being built or renewed in Anaklia and nearby resorts specially for GEM Fest. He promised in the years to come the festival would be extended so the locals can reap the benefits of income injected into the region by revellers.

Photo by PM's press office.

Over five days and four nights 40,000 music enthusiasts from Georgia and abroad are expected to spend their days and nights enjoying the tunes of top artists Grammy Award-winning German DJ Paul van Dyk, producer and live performer Paul Kalkbrenner and Icelandic electronic band GusGus.

About 40 percent of tickets sold had been purchased by music fans from other countries in the South Caucasus, Baltic States, Western Europe and other regions while the remaining 60 percent had been sold to people within Georgia.

There are four ways to get to Anaklia: car, bus, train or plane.

The distance to Anaklia from:

• Tbilisi – 350 km;
• Batumi - 140 km;
• Kutaisi – 95 km;
• Zugdidi – 27 km;
• Baku - 950 km;
• Yerevan - 570 km;
• Moscow - 1900 km;
• Istanbul -1400 km.