Fun fare at three festivals
DURBAN is set for three big festivals celebrating the arts – the first two this weekend, with the South African Women’s Arts Festival at the Playhouse and the 10th Kuswag Karnaval in Amanzimtoti.
The family-friendly Kuswag Karnaval, on Friday and Saturday, hosted on the fields of Kuswag School, will offer varied music, fun activities and great food, says Melanie de Witt, chairwoman of the organising committee.
Funds raised from the carnival will be used for a facelift for the school swimming pool.
The event will feature a craft market, flea market, tea garden and beer marquee, and Chetty’s Fun Fair will offer 23 rides. There will also be exhibitors focusing on home improvements, travel, outdoor, sports and leisure equipment and accessories, motoring, health, beauty, fashion and jewellery.
Friday’s fun will start at noon with a reptile show, followed by a marshmalloweating contest, a horse show, team competitions involving tug-of-war and egg-and-spoon races, and other country fair contests. Those with catwalk ambitions are encouraged to enter the Mr and Mrs Carnival contest at 6pm.
This will be followed by an under-18s high school foam party featuring Durban’s Veranda Panda and popular band Wolwedans, while adults will be entertained in the beer marquee by Durban singing trio The Gee Jays.
Saturday’s fun starts at 9am with Barney and Friends, Mickey and Minnie, Minions and various Disney princesses meeting children. Also on offer are colouring-in competitions, face painting and crafts.
The local fire brigade will provide an informative, foamfilled demonstration on fire prevention and control, while those with hidden skills will be invited to enter an open-mic talent show.
Saturday will end with entertainment by the Double Beat Drum School, America Talent Project winners as well as South African bands Tremour Suite, Remedy Project and Wolwedans, with singer-songwriter and guitarist Gerhard Steyn headlining the event.
Weekend package tickets are available until Thursday from Kuswag School at R100 per adult, R50 per child, and R120 for under-18s attending the carnival and Veranda Panda Foam Party on Friday.
Tickets at the gate will cost R60 (R30 a child and R100 for under-18s attending the party). There will be no charge for under-2s, and free parking will be available. For more information, phone 084 411 7806.
Among highlights of the South African Women’s Arts Festival, already featured extensively in the Goodlife, will be Girls Nite Out Comedy, at the Playhouse Opera at 8pm on Saturday.
This event will see comedy from Mel Jones, Lindzy Msimang, Nina Hastie, Annalakshmi and Shimmy Isaacs, directed by Monwabisi Grootboom.
Booking is at Computicket and tickets cost R130 and R150 each. Festival-goers can enjoy poetry and music from Afrosoul and Skywanda before the show, and have fun at the Festival After-Party with DJ Happy Gal.
Day-long
The third festival to look forward to is the day-long Festival in the Hills, in Hillcrest, from 9am to 4.30pm on Saturday, August 27.
The celebrated Drakensberg Boys’ Choir will be a headliner at this year’s event which, presented by The Rotary Club of Kloof, will be hosted by Curro Hillcrest Christian Academy.
The day offers a diverse programme of performances, workshops and free activities. School groups from across KwaZulu-Natal will attend and the event is open to the public.
Entrance to the festival is free, but bookings for workshops and performances must be done by calling Computicket at 0861 915 8000 before the event.
“Following on from the success of last year’s Festival in The Hills, we are set to present every bit as great a programme this year for primary school children and their families. It will be of the highest artistic standard, providing an educational, stimulating and inspiring day of activities that are also highly entertaining,” says festival director Judith Hawthorn.
The main event of the festival will be Big, Bright Beautiful World, in the City Hill Auditorium, at 2pm, featuring primary school choirs – children from 16 schools.
Conducted by Bernard Kruger, the massed children’s choir will perform alongside the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir.
Tickets cost R130 for adults, R100 for senior citizens and R80 for pupils.
Also of note is a 9.45pm performance, in the Media Hall, of the delightful play Sweetie Darling, scripted by Clinton Marius and starring Bongani Mbatha. This awardwinning romantic comedy is about a man going all-out to prove himself. Tickets cost R60 each.
Planet Storio, written and performed by Gcina Mhlophe, will be staged on the Media Hall at 11.45am. Tickets cost R60.
Workshops aimed at children aged 6 to13 will see professional experts in various creative fields offering the opportunity to explore creativity in a variety of activities.
Places are limited, so early booking is essential. Classes include vocal technique, a musical theatre dance class, simple mask-making, beat boxing, special effects stage make-up, mosaics, stagefighting, a TV/film acting class, a modelling class and lots of craft classes. Ticket prices range from R40 to R150.
All participating schools will take part in a colourful parade on to the school field between 9am and 9.30am. They will be joined by a marching band.
A craft market and food stalls will be available, and a variety of free activities and events will be staged on the field and around the school grounds all day.
A highlight will be a performance by Durban guitarist Seb Goldwain, and various school groups.
For any further information visit www. festivalinthehills.co.za.