GQEBERHA – The third edition of the Gqeberha Legends Festival – Heritage Alive has successfully concluded following an exceptional evening of music, culture and celebration at Boardwalk International Convention Centre (ICC) on Saturday, 19 September.

Presented during Heritage Month, the festival once again demonstrated the depth of musical talent within Gqeberha while creating a platform for local artists to share their stories, sounds and cultural heritage with audiences in a premium live-event environment.

This year’s festival carried the theme “Heritage Alive”, with the overarching message “Our City – Our Culture – Our Roots”, celebrating Gqeberha’s rich cultural identity through music.

Ten local artists take centre stage

The 2026 edition featured 10 headline artists and acts from Gqeberha, bringing together established and emerging musical voices for an evening dedicated to the city’s rich musical heritage.

The headline programme featured:

• AFTER 7, led by Dennis Spence
• Andy Ndlazilwana
• Blaze Jazz Band, led by Mziwanele Maqhosha
• Chapter Three
• Creshwell October
• Kerry Hiles & Kristo Zondagh
• Micayla Lee
• Neliswa Chitha
• Tash Mahal – Thandeka Marwanqa
• Austin Hendricks

The evening was hosted by MC Bradley Goldman, who guided audiences through the programme and helped create a vibrant atmosphere throughout the festival.

The programme reflected the organisers’ commitment to creating a platform where Gqeberha artists are not simply participants, but are placed at the centre of the city’s cultural story.

‘It was not a walk in the park’

Reflecting on the successful conclusion of the festival, festival director Creshwell October said the achievement was the result of months of preparation, determination and commitment.

“The event was not a walk in the park. It took immense planning and preparation, and there were often late nights working around the clock to make sure that every aspect of the festival came together. Seeing the audience, artists, partners and stakeholders come together at the Boardwalk ICC made all of that hard work worthwhile.”

October said the decision to host the festival at Boardwalk ICC elevated the overall experience and allowed the festival to present itself within a premium professional environment.

“Having our event at a premium venue such as the Boardwalk ICC has made this festival the best we have had so far. It gave our artists a professional platform and allowed us to create the kind of cultural experience that we envisioned for Gqeberha.”

Gqeberha Legends Festival is here to stay

As the festival enters its next chapter, the organisers say the long-term vision remains firmly rooted in Gqeberha.

October said, “Gqeberha Legends Festival is here to stay. Our vision is to promote local talent and continue to position Gqeberha as a cultural destination. We want to build something that belongs to this city and that creates opportunities for our artists, creative practitioners, young people and local businesses.”

The festival is intended to become an annual fixture on Gqeberha’s cultural calendar, contributing to the city’s creative economy while creating opportunities for local artists to perform before wider audiences.

Keeping our stories alive through music

The theme “Heritage Alive” was particularly significant during September, South Africa’s Heritage Month.

For Gqeberha Legends Festival, heritage is not viewed solely as something preserved in the past. It is also expressed through contemporary artists, musicians, composers, performers and audiences who continue to shape the cultural identity of the city.

Through music, the festival created a space for audiences to celebrate “Our City – Our Culture – Our Roots”, while demonstrating that Gqeberha’s musical heritage continues to evolve.

The festival provided an opportunity to showcase local musicians at a level that reflects the quality and diversity of talent available within the city.

NAC support and the Pay It Forward programme

The festival proudly acknowledges the support of the National Arts Council (NAC), whose contribution played an important role in making the 2026 edition possible.

The organisers expressed their sincere appreciation to the NAC for its support and contribution towards the successful delivery of the festival.

The festival also incorporated the NAC Pay It Forward programme, extending the impact of the festival beyond the stage and into the community.

Through Pay It Forward, the festival embraced the principle that investment in the arts should create a wider social and cultural benefit. The initiative provided an opportunity for the festival to support a beneficiary within the community while reinforcing the importance of giving back through the arts.

This component of the festival aligns with the broader objectives of using cultural investment to create meaningful opportunities, encourage community participation and contribute towards sustainable development within the creative sector.

A festival made possible through partnership

The success of the 2026 edition would not have been possible without the support and commitment of its sponsors, partners and service providers.

Gqeberha Legends Festival – Heritage Alive 2026 proudly acknowledges official sponsor National Arts Council (NAC), Sun International – The Boardwalk, Phuma Kapa TV, Red Hot Printers, Your Private Chauffeur Shuttle Services and MojoFoundation.

The organisers extend their appreciation to all sponsors, partners, artists, technical teams, production personnel, hospitality teams, media partners, transport providers, volunteers and service providers who contributed to the festival.

Special appreciation is extended to Sun International – The Boardwalk for providing the festival with a premium venue at Boardwalk ICC, allowing Gqeberha’s artists to perform within a professional, high-quality live entertainment environment.

The organisers also acknowledge Your Private Chauffeur Shuttle Services for supporting the festival’s transport and hospitality logistics and helping ensure that the movement of artists and festival personnel was professionally managed.

Building Gqeberha as a cultural destination

For the organisers, the success of the third edition is not simply measured by one evening.

The broader ambition is to contribute to the development of Gqeberha as a city where culture, music, heritage and creative enterprise can thrive.

Gqeberha Legends Festival aims to create a platform where local artists can perform, audiences can experience quality live entertainment, businesses can participate in the cultural economy and visitors can experience another dimension of the city’s identity.

The festival’s continued development supports the organisers’ vision of creating an annual cultural event that can contribute to cultural tourism, local economic participation and the promotion of Gqeberha’s creative talent.

A third edition that raises the bar

The 2026 edition represented an important milestone for the Gqeberha Legends Festival.

Now in its third edition, the festival continues to evolve from a local cultural initiative into a platform with a growing vision for Gqeberha’s arts, entertainment and cultural landscape.

Hosting the festival at the Boardwalk ICC provided the event with an environment that matched the organisers’ ambitions for the festival and created a premium experience for artists, audiences, partners and stakeholders.

For the organisers, the festival’s success demonstrates what can be achieved when local talent, cultural organisations, businesses, sponsors and community stakeholders work together around a shared vision.

Looking ahead

Following the successful conclusion of its third edition, the organisers are already looking towards the future of the Gqeberha Legends Festival.

The ambition remains clear: to grow the festival responsibly, strengthen partnerships, increase opportunities for local artists and establish the event as a recognised fixture on Gqeberha’s annual cultural calendar.

The message from the organisers is simple: Gqeberha has a story to tell. Gqeberha has talent to celebrate. And Gqeberha’s heritage is alive.

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