The Cape Town Festival will celebrate its 15th birthday this year with a Community Vibrations Festival on Human Rights Day, Friday 21 March, dedicated to the legacy of the late President Nelson Mandela and marking our country’s 20 Years of Freedom and Democracy.
The Festival will again be held in the Company’s Gardens and will be hosted in conjunction with Iziko Museum, which will open its doors free to the public on Human Rights Day.
Community Vibrations showcases some of the best performers from community festivals hosted by the Cape Town Festival over the past while, in areas such as Hout Bay, Delft and Atlantis.
“Over the years, we have held community festival all over Cape Town and the Western Cape and we never stop being amazed at the talent that we unearth at these events. Community Vibrations gives us an opportunity to showcase some of these amazing talents in front of a large and demographically-diverse audience, which fits in with our vision of ‘One City, Many Cultures’,” said Festival chairman Ryland Fisher.
Fisher initiated One City, Many Cultures as an editorial project when he was editor of the Cape Times in 1999. Its intention was and remains to promote greater tolerance and understanding among the diverse cultures in Cape Town.
“Nelson Mandela, then the President of South Africa, officially launched the One City, Many Cultures project. It is only fitting that we pay tribute to him in the first festival after his passing and in this year when we celebrate a milestone for our democracy,” Fisher said.
At Community Vibrations Day on 21 March, the community artists will be backed up by popular headline acts such as jazz band N2, The Black Ties (with Chad Saaiman, Keeno Lee and Lloyd Jansen), 11-year-old drumming sensation Danno Petersen, hip hop artist Youngsta, reggae band The Country Conquerers, a capella band Music Sensation and gospel band Rebirth. There will be a special performance by the Cape Cultural Collective and the Rosa Choir with the day being hosted by comedian and musician Ashley Pienaar.
Apart from the musical performances, the Festival will once again showcase a range of culinary treats for sale from vendors who are sourced from all over the Western Cape. There will also be crafts on sale. There will also be a range of children’s activities.
Special films focusing on Nelson Mandela and 20 Years of Democracy will be shown at the TH Barry Lecture Theatre inside the Iziko Museum and artists will be depicting Nelson Mandela and 20 Years of Democracy in the amphitheatre in front of Iziko Museum.
As usual, all Cape Town Festival activities are free.
INFO: visit capetownfestival. Follow on Twitter (@capetownfest).
