EAST LONDON. A beachfront festival from December 16-19 will set the pace for holiday-makers in the run-up to the millennium. It provides entertainment for the whole family and includes music, theatre, water sports, funfair rides and stalls.
See the New Year in with the festive music of Irish duo The Blarney Brothers at the 2000 Phambili Bash near the astroturf fields in Bunkers Hill. To book phone Gavin or Tracey on 083 657-4110.
Large bonfires and fireworks will light up several beach parties at Red
Bishop, Gonubie Beach and a double display at the Esplanade.
A New Orleans jazz festival at Buffalo Park also offers a night of great
entertainment. Tel: 722-6015.
The Signal Arms offers a party with live bands, an ox spit and a train trip
to the breakwater to watch a sunrise fireworks display and back for
breakfast. Tickets cost R200 and include a T-shirt. Tel: 743-6882
KNYSNA. Two upmarket events have been organised for the millennium in this scenic Garden Route town. Firstly, a sophisticated affair for the 30-year up age group at Leisure Isle. The theme, Remember Tomorrow, is a celebration of the last 1000 years and peeks into the future. Guests will dress in keeping with the theme and the huge marquee will also be decorated accordingly. A huge screen will show live crossings via BBC and CNN to various countries around the world as each sees in the New Year. Music will be provided by Cape Town DJ Adrian Lazarus who will take a nostalgic trip into the past and set the pace for the music of the future. A champagne breakfast awaits New Year’s revellers on the first morning of the new millennium. Tickets are R750 for adults and R250 for children.
The second is a gala dinner-dance for the more mature New Year revellers in a marquee in front of the Brenton-on-Sea Hotel, situated on Knysna’s only beach. Tickets are R500. Enquiries for both events to Nicky
on 082 411-6158.
PLETTENBERG BAY. The Celebrations 2000 Christian musical celebration offers a spiritual crossover into the new millennium at Central Beach. The event features professional Christian musos and dancers including Eminent Child, Naked Lyric, Tree, MIC and JC Culture, plus 3D backdrops and a fireworks display. Two wide screens will show clips of celebrity personalities, millennium highlights and shots of live bands. Tel: Johan Krause on 083-654-4339 or visit the website on www.plettenbergbay.org.
Dance your way into the New Year at the Robberg Music Festival which runs from December 16 to January 3 in the Robberg Quarry. The festival features a huge open-air disco with a selection of live DJs and guest bands. Tel: 082-961-5151 or check out www.plettbay.co.za/musifest.
PORT ELIZABETH
BEACHFRONT:
Setting a festive mood for the New Year will be a Millenium Countdown carnival running from December 16 to 21. Three action arenas and stages will be set up at Kings Beach, Hobie Beach and Wells Estate with live bands, water sports and various other family-orientated activites. See in the New Year in in true African style as the rhythm of traditional African drummers pulsates around huge bonfires on the three beaches. For the young and young at heart, a carnival has been arranged at the grass
area at Kings Beach with 25 young artists displaying a variety of skills
opening the night’s festivities. A huge fireworks display, usually the highlight at the Opening of the Season, will mark the new millennium at midnight.
Music, food and drink stalls, and various other acts will entertain the
jovial crowds.
A similar event has been arranged at Well’s Estate where DJs will keep the music flowing and revellers partying throughout the night.
Various competitions and a fireworks display will also be included.
Further information from Carrol Bouah on 082 968-5756.
FEATHER MARKET CENTRE: A funky party for all age groups has been organised at the centre where party-goers will be treated to an indoor pyrotechnics display, live dancers, a fashion show, a recital on the newly inaugurated organ, a possible satellite link-up, and sound and lighting valued at more than R1m.
Aimed at all ages, it offers a dance floor for youngsters downstairs and a dinner plus separate dance floor upstairs for more mature revellers.
Tickets range from between R150 and R200. Proceeds will go to the PE
Hyperbaric Unit.
GREAT CENTENARY HALL: If a more relaxed evening is your style then the Millenium Jazz Party might
be the thing for you.
It all takes place at the Great Centenary Hall, New Brighton, with popular
PE band Maiden Voyage joining an impressive line-up including Moses
Molelekwa, McCoy Mrubata and Paul Hanmer, all from Johannesburg, and the
well known Feya Faku quintet from Durban.
Tickets are priced at R100, but only a limited number are available to the general public. Tel: Liz on 399-2752.
HARBOUR SPORTS CAFE: Calling all space cadets to party with the aliens at the Out of This World millennium bash.
Be sure to dress up as weirdly as possible for the alien fancy dress party
which offers slime shooters and the best music of the century, along with soundtrack snippets of great events of the century, with popular Radio Algoa DJ Lance du Plessis.
Tickets cost R150 and can be booked on 581-2245.
HUMEWOOD BEACH: Party down at a millennium beach bash under the stars – and it’s all for a good cause too.
DJs will spin the tunes at Humewood beach, and under the bridge near
Happy Valley, while negotiations for some top live PE bands are still
underway.
It also offers two big screens with live satellite crossings to parties
around the world and boasts great sound and lighting effects.
Part of the profits will be donated to the PE Hyperbaric Unit. Tickets
available at Computicket. Tel: 363-0576
INDIGOS AND TOBY JOE’S: Two of the hottest venues at Brookes Hill have joined together to offer revellers a three-in-one New Year’s bash to remember, the “Time-Warp Tunnel 2000”. While Tobies houses a Latin American style Rio Carnival party, Indigos goes Mexican and parties Cancun style. The two venues will be joined by a massive party tunnel with plenty of party lights and music to match. The new year will be celebrated at midnight in both venues, in Rio (Tobies) at 1am and Cancun (Indigos) at 2am. Tickets available at Computicket for R150 or at the door for R200. Tel: 582-4137. Website: www.indigos.co.za.
PEARSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL: An upmarket black-tie ball taking place at the Pearson High School hall offers a sophisticated night of fun with style. The hall will be decorated in the millennium colours of black and silver and
couples can dance until the wee hours of the morning.
It includes a three course dinner with tickets priced at R300 a person.
Bookings at Computicket or Ronelle Beetge on 083-675-1992.
ST MARKS CHURCH: A six-day Christian millennium celebration will take place at the church in Cape Road from December 26 to January 2.
It includes a large open-air amphitheatre with live gospel artists and
country music, a volleyball championship played on real beach sand, game
shows, stalls, a mini-golf range and a Christian drama celebration.
A special service will be held on New Year’s Eve where a millennium flame will be brought in by marathon runners and lit, accompanied by song and praise.
Information can be obtained on 360-6060
ST FRANCIS BAY. A number of live bands and DJs will set this pretty coastal holiday resort rocking into the new millennium with the Goodbye 1999 celebrations. The party at Port St Francis starts on December 22 with a line up of bands including Jeffreys Bay band Alternative Addiction, popular PE band Eminent
Child (on the 28th), the festive Blarney Brothers (30th), Larry Amos and a possible La Bamba band.
A mixed bag of DJs will host each evening, including 5FM DJs on
the 26th when the 5FM Night Fever roadshow comes to town.
New Year’s celebrations will run from 6pm to 6am and include big screen
crossings to CNN plus a connection to various radio stations across the
country.
Tel: (0423) 94-0076.