The Afrocentric-themed cultural festival will feature maskandi performances from award-winning Shwi no Mthekala and Nomdakazana, as well as afro soul performances from Port Elizabeth’s very own Ami Faku, Lady Zamar and gospel sensation Rebecca Malope.
“Last year we noticed that people were starting to grasp our main concept, which is to celebrate arts and culture — and for us this is only the beginning,” Mtyhobile said.
The cultural festival has attracted more than 7,000 people, and event organisers say they are hoping to lure in more in 2019 with Mafikizolo being their main act.
“We will also have popular culture performers such as Sjava, Dladla Mshunqu and Thebe,” Mtyhobile said.
Uitenhage picnic organiser Zolani Willie said these events were not just for people from Uitenhage but for South Africans broadly.
“The events have attracted national attention, with people travelling from other provinces to attend the events.”
Willie said the annual Uitenhage picnic, that started as a friends’ get-together in 2012, had grown to be a benchmark for events in Uitenhage.
The annual event drew more than 5,000 people in 2018.
“When the project started it was just for fun, you know for the sake of having an event in Uitenhage; starting with a small tent and a mobile speaker,” Willies said.
After receiving positive feedback from friends, he went on to push the event to what it is today.
The 2019 line-up includes singing sensation Simmy, amapiano duo “Scorpion kings” Kabza de Small and DJ Maphorisa, DJ Sumbody, Metro FM’s Lerato Kganyago ‘LKG’, American artist Harrison Crump and others.
Willie said that with all festivities, safety and security was an important factor and he was now finalising police control for the event.
Other events on the city’s Summer Nathi programme include a Christmas Picnic in the Park at Happy Valley on December 22, the Ebubeleni Urban Festival at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium from December 27-29 and two New Year’s Eve events — at Hobie Beach and Wells Estate — on December 31.
All musical roads lead to Uitenhage
Image: SUPPLIED
Uitenhage will be the place to party this weekend, with a host of national artists set to perform in the garden town.
The eMandulo Cultural and Music Festival will take place on Saturday and one of the most popular events on the December calendar for Uitenhage — the annual picnic — is to be held at Willow Dam on Monday.
Headlining the events are artists such as Simmy, Scorpion kings Kabza de Small and DJ Maphorisa, Mafikizolo, Sjava and Shwi no Mthekala.
The eMandulo Cultural and Music Festival, which was launched in 2015, is aimed at celebrating and promoting indigenous music, cultural dances, drama and theatre.
Event organiser Mvuzo Mtyhobile said this was a space where traditional music such as maskandi came to life.
“There are festivals that are specific for other genres, but culture is something that is close to our hearts and eMandulo Cultural and Music Festival is a platform where the youth can enjoy maskandi, mbaqanga together with afro pop and gospel,” Mtyhobile said, adding that people had to start practising and loving their culture.
Image: Supplied
The Afrocentric-themed cultural festival will feature maskandi performances from award-winning Shwi no Mthekala and Nomdakazana, as well as afro soul performances from Port Elizabeth’s very own Ami Faku, Lady Zamar and gospel sensation Rebecca Malope.
“Last year we noticed that people were starting to grasp our main concept, which is to celebrate arts and culture — and for us this is only the beginning,” Mtyhobile said.
The cultural festival has attracted more than 7,000 people, and event organisers say they are hoping to lure in more in 2019 with Mafikizolo being their main act.
“We will also have popular culture performers such as Sjava, Dladla Mshunqu and Thebe,” Mtyhobile said.
Uitenhage picnic organiser Zolani Willie said these events were not just for people from Uitenhage but for South Africans broadly.
“The events have attracted national attention, with people travelling from other provinces to attend the events.”
Willie said the annual Uitenhage picnic, that started as a friends’ get-together in 2012, had grown to be a benchmark for events in Uitenhage.
The annual event drew more than 5,000 people in 2018.
“When the project started it was just for fun, you know for the sake of having an event in Uitenhage; starting with a small tent and a mobile speaker,” Willies said.
After receiving positive feedback from friends, he went on to push the event to what it is today.
The 2019 line-up includes singing sensation Simmy, amapiano duo “Scorpion kings” Kabza de Small and DJ Maphorisa, DJ Sumbody, Metro FM’s Lerato Kganyago ‘LKG’, American artist Harrison Crump and others.
Willie said that with all festivities, safety and security was an important factor and he was now finalising police control for the event.
Other events on the city’s Summer Nathi programme include a Christmas Picnic in the Park at Happy Valley on December 22, the Ebubeleni Urban Festival at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium from December 27-29 and two New Year’s Eve events — at Hobie Beach and Wells Estate — on December 31.
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