The 43rd edition of the great Grahamstown festival is in full swing
WITH thousands having braved the bitter cold and looming threats of water and power outages, the 43rd edition of the National Arts Festival has hit Grahamstown, and in a big way.
The festival spectacular which lures arts lovers with the promise of “11 days of amazing” is in its third day today, and the town is transformed as it always is at this time of year, with each year only getting better.
Getting to the town is a treat. After flying to the Eastern Cape, you drive from Port Elizabeth to Grahamstown, a one- to two-hour drive. After leaving the vicinity of the Windy City it’s just you and the open roads on which you’re flanked by lush greenery and vast open spaces.
There’s a river and rocky, mountainous areas sprinkled along the route which make the travel experience even more scenic.
By the time you spot the 1820 Settlers Monument, you know you’ve arrived in Grahamstown.
And if, due to fatigue or excitement you miss the imposing structure that’s placed on a hill overlooking the town, then the red banners and street pole posters will let know you’ve arrived in the melting pot of culture.
Your accommodation is something you must have sorted by latest mid-June because things get booked out very quickly. You’ll find it all here: back packers, BnBs, guest houses and even hotels. The University Currently Known As Rhodes, also transforms some of its residences into hotels for the duration of the festival .
The streets of the town are a sight to behold for festival visitors, with each area being known for a specific reason. On a walk up High Street, the town’s miniature central business district, it’s not unusual to find a pop up stage at the entrances of one of the restaurants, with musicians busking or simply waiting in song for their transport or members of their collective.
The townspeople are also much friendlier to festival goers, and security personnel are everywhere. Brush up on yourXhosa and be on your best behaviour and you won’t go wrong.
And if you fear sticking out, fear not. There are people in attendance from literally everywhere.
Like Bonginkosi Shangase, a playwright and director from Durban, who regards the festival as the perfect networking opportunity.
“This is my third time at the festival. I’m here because most of the time, such things don’t happen where I’m from. This is where artists and producers come together, from all parts of the world, and we can share ideas but also market our art,” Shangase said.
The square at the top of high street is also transformed into a market square where you’ll find everything from food to second hand clothing and gadgets and gizmos.
Or if you want a more streamlined market, then the Village Green market is your friend, where there are more than 200 stalls with a variety of arts and crafts, available for your convenience.
The festival itself contains a large variety of arts to enjoy. Theatre in all its forms: drama, romance, comedy, musicals all presented in high-quality productions. With music you’re also sorted with several acclaimed musicians such as The Soil, Neo Muyanga, Judith Sephuma to name a few, making a stop.
Around festival time, business is good. According to the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) the festival is a vibrant contributor to the province’s tourism landscape.
The agency’s Nopasika Mxunyelwa, chief marketing officer of ECPTA, says the festival contributes more than R90 million to the town’s GDP.
“This colourful art and cultural event is a vibrant player in the tourism sector of the Eastern Cape province. In 2016 there were 700 productions and 2 500 performers which attracted an audience of just over 240 000. The festival is a crown jewel of the Eastern Cape and due to the large numbers that the festival attracts in terms of national and international visitors, this event contributes in excess of R90.69m to the GDP of Grahamstown and more to the broader province. And this contribution has proven to be sustainable for 42 years,” Mxunyelwa said.
“Every year Grahamstown’s population doubles, as people flock to the city and every hall or large room becomes a theatre, parks and sport fields become flea markets, quiet streets have to be managed by an army of temporary traffic wardens, and every available bed in the city is booked”, she added.
With its variety of content whether controversial or not, #NAF17 is officially in full swing.