LOADS of waterside action awaits Nelson Mandela Bay residents at this year’s PEople’s Port Festival to be hosted by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) at the Port Elizabeth harbour on Saturday and Sunday, December 1 and 2.
Port Elizabeth Port Manager, Rajesh Dana, said, “The media and local influencers were an integral part of the success of last year’s festival, which saw 90 000 visitors coming out to enjoy all the fun, edutainment and entertainment of the first PEople’s Port Festival in more than a decade.
“This year we plan to be bigger and better, and we are looking to partner with our media and blogger friends yet again to make this a reality.”
With a diverse programme of activities, demonstrations and entertainment, visitors to the festival will be able to explore the inner-workings of this busy port, the magic of the ocean, watersports and the lifestyle the port offers. Activities will be underpinned by the 2018 festival theme which celebrates the centenary of Madiba.
“We will pay homage to Nelson Mandela as a son of the Eastern Cape and reflect his vision of a rainbow nation,” said Dana.
The Port of PE has two new tugs named in tribute to Mandela – namely tug ‘Mvezo’ named after the small Eastern Cape village where he was born, and ‘Qunu’ named after the village where he grew up.
Entrance to the PEople’s Port Festival will be via Baakens Street and the Campanile entrance.
There will be free parking with hop-on-hop-off buses.
Gates open from 10:00 to 22:00 on Saturday and 10:00 to 16:00 on Sunday.
Festival entry and most of the activities are free, with only a few requiring a nominal ticket purchase directly from these vendors. The festival area will be a pedestrian only zone.
There will be food and drinks on sale, including Baakens food trucks, stalls and a beer tent.
Exciting line-up
Confirmed activities include:
- Port edutainment/waterside activities
- Ports and ocean economy displays
- Ship tours of the iconic SA Agulhas
- The South African Navy will host tours, a dive tank, diving displays and more.
- NSRI displays
- Yacht sail past
- Watersport displays e.g. rubber duck races
- Port Bus Tours
- Ferry rides – tickets to be purchased
- Port operations displays
- Tug boat ballet displays
- Careers exhibition
Bayworld Oceanarium, will have an exciting interactive area for the whole family including virtual reality shark cage diving, a three-metre-long robotic shark, a prehistoric shark jaw and a Baby Shark dance area.
The Marina Sea Salt will showcase SA’s famous salt artist, Percy Maimela.
The Lifestyle demo stage will showcase local chefs including Benny Masekwameng and Lee Duru, and will also have a demo stage.
The Kiddies’ Zone features predominantly free activities including inflatables, crafts, graffiti, Gravity trampolines, climbing wall, mechanical bull and family entertainment stage.
Activities with a small fee include amusement park rides, paintball and pedal go karts.
The PEople’s Motor Show is a new attraction for motorheads, which will feature:
- A Spit and Polish Car Show
- Modified production vehicles, including Show and Shine competition and displays
- Auto-Care sound competition
- Motorcycle pavilion
Live Entertainment
On the evening of Saturday, December 1, Heavy-K, takes centre stage, along with Bucie, DJ Superman and Putco. Earlier in the day the main stage will feature King Jade & Babe Joe, Claire Venn, Clique Claq and Amanda Faku.
Saturday’s lineup also includes a Disney sing-along, the PE se Klopse minstrels, Mo Barnard, Rakshanda Belly Dancers, Black Masters Pantsula, Qhono Africa, Geetanjay Indian Dance, Brendon Peel magician/mentalist, Stef the Hypnotist, Ifani, NMU Choir, fire performers, NMU Ocean Dance and a spectacular laser show.
On Sunday, December 2, Afro-pop sensation Vusi Nova will take the stage at 15:15 to headline a lineup that also includes jazz singer Ntlantla Swana, the Lithitha marimba band, The Sunshine Factory and a cappella performers Dolce.
Another Sunday highlight is NMU’s eighth annual Isisusa concert to be hosted by the Department of Arts, Culture and Heritage between 14:00 and 15:00. It will feature headline act Titi Luzipho accompanied by the Isisusa Big Band conducted by Gareth Williams.
Competitions
The festival has competitions lined up, which include the Port2Port Paddle Race on Saturday, December 1. This will be a race between paddlers and one of the harbour tugs, traversing a route between the Ports of PE and Ngqura. More info is available on www.zsports.co.za.
For serious anglers there is a fishing competition on Saturday, December 1, with R22 000 in prizes up for grabs, while for those who fish for fun, including kids, there is a social/charity fishing event on Sunday.
Both angling events take place at the Charl Malan Quay.
Avid gamers can win a Playstation in a competition running throughout the weekend.
Other spot prizes are up for grabs including yacht cruises and tugboat rides.
