“The summer is here at Diaz Strand – are you?” This is the general sentiment that is going around the Southern Cape about the 2011/2012 festive season. If there’s a buzz, you can be sure it’s about the great entertainment and vibe at the Diaz Strand Hotel’s 10th annual Summer Sun Festival in Mossel Bay.
This summer was one for the record books with four weeks of non-stop action and energy, absolute entertainment indulgence for locals and holidaymakers alike.
But with an atmosphere that’s always electric, who would not be attracted to the jam-packed holiday programme for the outside stage of the hotel, geared to suit even the fussiest of tastes. From face painting to ventriloquists, cocktail demonstrations to tickle your taste buds to Kevin Leo getting the lowdown on cooking from celebrity chef Francois Ferreira every day in the hotel’s Convenience Market, everything under the summer sun was turned into a festival at the Diaz Strand Hotel.
Themed “Carnivale”, the festival’s highlight was celebrated on 30 December with a mini Mardi Gras where hotel guests, visitors and everyone who could channel the spirit of summer in Rio were invited to don their masks and walk (dance) with the hotel staff members around the resort, celebrating summer, extravagance and 10 years of summertime festivity. Stilt walkers, painted faces, masked merriment accompanied by a brass band, twisted balloons and a giant man-sized mask lovingly dubbed ‘Mardi’ led the procession with flair – a perfect salute to 10 years of energy and enthusiasm poured into entertaining the masses of holidaymakers who frequent the Mossel Bay area during summer holidays.
New Year’s was turned into an entire long weekend of celebration starting on the 29th with the 6th annual MK Avontoer hosting a pool party next to the Pirates Bar on the resort. On the 30th the Mardi Gras was followed by an late night party with Wild Lettuce and Roxy Louw in the house, and on the eve of the New Year, whilst the Pirates Bar and beer decks celebrated with masked revelry, the Bahia dos Vaqueros Restaurant hosted a masked ball with Marius de Bruyn.
True to form, 2012 was welcomed in style with an incredible fireworks display at the stroke of twelve for the entertainment of all who were celebrating the New Year at the Diaz Strand Hotel and surrounds, whether they were pumping to the beat with a cocktail in hand at the Pirates Bar, lazing in the company of a single malt in the Cigar Lounge or keeping company with the stars on the 12th floor in the Starlight Room where guests were treated to fireworks set to the sound of maestro tenor Kevin Leo’s lyrical prowess.
Undoubtedly, and echoing the theme song of the Summer Sun Festival (composed and recorded in 2007), “the summer is here” at the Diaz Strand Hotel. And after a summer filled with wonderful moments and spectacular celebrations, the question is whether you were. For more information about the Summer Sun Festival happenings, visit www.diazbeach.com, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.
