AS festivals make a comeback in 2022, the Alliance Française is inviting locals to dance in the streets again.
The popular annual Alliance Francaise Street Music Festival will return on Saturday, September 3, and shine the spotlight on the streets of Richmond Hill.
The festival is based on the Fête de la Musique, which is a worldwide event that was created in France to promote local music and the creative arts.
Alliance Francaise director, Guillaume Favier Nirere, is excited to experience the unique vibe in Nelson Mandela Bay and says, “The event celebrates the cultural vibrancy of the traditional Fête de la Musique, with the specific aim to combine a contemporary French tradition with the renowned South African diversity. It allows musicians and members of the public to interact on a social level.
“It is also an opportunity for the families of Nelson Mandela Bay to discover new artists and various other creative stalls and have a fun day together.”
The organisers have taken bold new steps to add exciting elements to the existing activities at the festival.
The event will still feature the previous outdoor offerings and has added new crowd pleasers to the pedestrianised streets.
As in the biggest years of the festival there will be a main stage with local artists and bands, food trucks, craft stands, and drinks brands featuring their products. 2022 will see the introduction of busker mini stages, school choirs, more creative art features and special offers from the restaurants in the area.
Attendees might also want to try their hand at Pétanque and a few other French games.
All of this will be mixed into the essence of the street music festival, which will remain a French affair.
The organisers have also included a new feature with the introduction of Diversity Lane.
The aim of this innovation is to create an initiative that drives the creation of a unique creative theming for music, cooking and the creative arts in Nelson Mandela Bay.
These are aimed at differentiating the metro tourism offerings from those in the rest of the country. Mayoral Committee Member for sports, recreation, arts and culture, Councillor Bassie Kamana, feels that the Alliance Francaise festival theme of diversity continues to demonstrate the passion that France has for creating sustainable opportunities for local community entrepreneurs.
“As the leaders of the metro, we are so pleased that the Alliance Francaise has accepted the challenge to ensure that the festival makes an impact on the small businesses from the broader Nelson Mandela Bay communities.
“It is even more pleasing that these initiatives aim to build the skills of SMME’s and promise to give better year-round opportunities by creating offerings that will be unique to Nelson Mandela Bay,” Kamana said.
The Diversity Lane elements will include community chefs, crafters, buskers and artists.
The Alliance Francaise says that it wants people to remember how happy the festival made them in the past and to come back for the best 12 hours of their year.
It is an opportunity to celebrate music and creativity at a single party and to enjoy being ‘normal’ again.
“We once again anticipate a wonderful partnership this year between the Alliance Francaise as the event owner, SRAC as our head sponsor and advisor, and Magnetic Storm our event organiser.
“The result will be an authentic event that will grow into a national favourite.”
The festival will happen in Stanley and Mackay Streets from 10:00 to 22:00 on September 3.
The organisers have engaged an experienced event security force to guard against any fun spoilers at the festival.
- For more information, contact Bev van Eck on email bev@thetourismcoach.com.
