Legendary South African artists Jimmy Dludlu, Lira, Freshlyground and DJ Ready D will be performing at this year’s Festive Lights Event on the Grand Parade on December 2.
Also on the bill are other top Cape Town artists Zayn Adam, Emo Adams, Mynie Grove, Coda, Alistair Izobel and the Freeflight Dancers for this, Cape Town’s biggest public event in which the festive lights are officially switched on, setting the mood for the summer season ahead.
Mozambican-born Jimmy Dludlu is Cape Town’s foremost resident jazz maestro while Lira continues to be the country’s top RB/Afro-soul artist. Now together for a decade, Freshlyground, meanwhile, will debut their new album, “Take Me To The Dance” while DJ Ready D will present a full set into the night.
With the theme ‘Our City, Our People’, this year’s event will be the city’s largest public open-air event to date and will start at 15:00 with performances by emerging artists. The main bill will start at 16:00 with the official switch on of the Festive Lights by Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia De Lille at 20:00 in a dazzling display of fireworks and lasers before commencing the street parade.
The parade will include participants in spectacular costumes, dancing to music provided by 14 brass and community bands as well as three military bands. Red Zebra will perform on top of one of the magnificent floats along with dancers, giant puppets, stilt walkers, carnival characters and giant wheels that will conclude with a special Santa Clause celebration.
The main stage action will take a break during the passing of the street parade, to be followed by a party set to be mixed performed by DJ Ready D.
On the day Table Mountain will be officially inducted into the New 7 Natural Wonders of Nature with a special tribute float and performance while Cape Town’s late music icons, from Brenda Fassie to Taliep Pietersen, will also be celebrated with special audio visual clips.
“The Festive Lights Switch-On event is very close to the hearts of all Capetonians and every year we aim to provide the best stage performances possible. We think this year ‘s line-up will take it to the next level,” says Mayor, Alderman Patricia de Lille.
Along with the big stage, spectacular performances, pyrotechnics, tributes to Cape Town’s icons and mass parade, this year’s event will also celebrate Cape Town’s diversity.
The streets leading off Darling Street will be closed from 10:00 on Sunday, 2 December until midnight. No parking will be permitted in Darling Street and Adderley Street from noon until midnight.
The procession will move from the City Hall, up Darling Street, turning right into Adderley Street and move down to the fountain traffic circle and disperse in Lower Heerengracht.
Three large LED screens in Adderley Street will enable spectators to follow all the action on stage, with additional screens on stage to track the festive parade. The show will be complemented by a dazzling laser light display, which will be bounced off mirrors and buildings along the street.
Festival goers who would like to make use of the MyCiTi bus to get home after the event should note that there will be an extended service on 2 December. The last bus will depart from the Civic Centre Station for Table View at 23:00. All passengers need to have a myconnect card with sufficient funds to travel to make use of this late night service.
The Adderley Street festive lights will stay up until the end of January 2013.
The City has also installed festive lights/Christmas trees in Athlone, Atlantis, Bellville South, Bonteheuwel, Brooklyn, Crawford, Delft, Fish Hoek, Garden Village, Grassy Park, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Heathfield, Heideveld, Hout Bay, Langa, Lavender Hill, Lwandle, Maitland, Macassar, Manenberg, Valhalla Park, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Nomzamo, Philippi, the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Sea Point, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Somerset West, Strand and Sybrand Park.
For regular updates follow @CityofCT. Tweeters are encouraged to use the hash-tag #CTfestivelights.
