Our guide to best parties
Nontando Mposo rounds up the best things to do on New Year’s Eve
THERE is no shortage of festive events taking place in Cape Town. From live music events to dining at rooftop restaurants, there is plenty to do this summer. Party for free at the V&A Waterfront, which is raising the bar on its annual New Year’s Eve celebrations with the introduction of different outdoor entertainment zones and various carnival-like performances to keep visitors entertained throughout Thursday evening.
Entertainment zones include the Amphitheatre and children’s playground, the NSRI tree, the Alfred Mall, Pier Head, Nobel Square and the Clock Tower.
From 5pm onwards, the various zones will come alive with activities from buskers to Zip Zap Circus performances, roaming musicians, singers and bands, dance performances, floats and characters from the Cape Town Carnival, and much more. Among others, musicians Dave Ferguson and Chad Saaiman will perform on the Amphitheatre stage, Jimmy Nevis at the Pier Head and Jeremy Oliver at Nobel Square, all from 11pm.
The approximately 80 restaurant tenants and caterers operating from food trucks will also be available to cater for all late-night tastes.
For those looking to ring in the new year with a bit of extravagance and flair, African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa is offering a New Year’s Eve Dinner at the Towers Restaurant, from 7.30pm.
The price per head is R695. This includes a welcome drink and a five-course meal. For bookings, call 021 525 3888 or e-mail events@crystaltowershotel.com. Booking and prepayment essential. Vegetarian options available.
The seventh annual New Year’s Eve party at the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice Cape Town just got a lot more festive. At 8pm, New Church Street will be transformed into a Carnival Fiesta with a continuous flow of House and Hip Hop beats, mixed with old-time favourites, ensuring that everyone dances till the early hours of the new year. With DJs such as SPECHtacular & Naves from Metro FM and Dino Michael from Good Hope FM plus Choice, DJ Loyd (Good Hope FM) and many others.
VVIPs will enjoy exclusive treatment with a bottle of Champagne, vodka or whisky with cocktail snacks, and a view of it all from the first-floor pool lounge and deck with their own dance floor and DJ line-up.
Or, if you choose to be a VIP, relax inside the hotel bar lounge and outdoor cocktail terrace, where you can comfortably enjoy the night sipping Champagne.
VVIP tickets cost R1 750, VIP tickets R400, and general admission to the street area, with full bar services, R200.
Book at http://proteahotelfireicect. nutickets.co.za/nye, or e-mail nye@ theinspirationroom.co.za. Tickets are on sale on the night at door prices.
See 2016 in at The Cape Town Comedy Club, which is now open seven days a week until January 17.
Join them for their NYE party at R350 a person. This includes a show featuring five comedians and a Champagne cocktail on arrival.
Book at Computicket or Shoprite Checkers stores. Tickets will be sold telephonically on the day. Call 021 418 8880 or 079 495 3989, subject to availability. The show starts at 8.30pm and the doors open at 6pm. E-mail: info@capetowncomedy.com or see www.capetowncomedy.com.
Ibiza’s most extravagant affair returns to Grand Africa in Granger Bay for a wild New Year’s Eve. Limited tickets costing R750 are available through AfterHours.NuTickets.co.za/PachaNYE2015. For dinner tickets and VIP table bookings, e-mail beach@grandafrica.co.za or call 021 425 0551. The party comes alive at 9.30pm and will continue until 4am.
Shimmy Beach Club will be hosting a New Year’s Eve party. Patrons can expect world-class style, glamour, music and entertainment. Tickets are available at www.shimmybeachclub.co.za/tickets, call 021 200 7778 or e-mail at tickets@ shimmybeachclub.co.za.
Ticket prices: General access at R900a person. General access plus – R975 a person. Premier at R6 000 a person.
Contact Shimmy Beach Club directly to book Premier tickets.
Bentleys Oyster Bar & Bistro and its new adjacent venue, The Shebeen Shack in Dreyer Street, Claremont, in conjunction with World Entertainment Cape Town, will roll out the red carpet for singer Wendy Oldfield this New Year’s Eve. She will be performing original tracks off her new album and her classic hit Acid Rain, and is writing a new song for the VIP charity event in support of the rhinos.
She will be followed by Nomadic Orchestra and DJ Vaness Holliday to ring in the new year. VIP Bentley tickets at R595 include full Champagne and oysters, plus food platters. Pre-book at venue at R550 per head, limited to 150 tickets only. General tickets are R250 each. See Computicket or call 021 671 3948.
La Petite Ferme Restaurant in Franschhoek is hosting a soirée of delicious dining and dance. Guests will enjoy a festive six-course dinner, accompanied by a four-piece band comprising piano, drums, bass and lead, with Danielle Bitton on vocals. Tickets are R1 200 a person. Bookings in advance are essential and subject to availability. Call 021 876 3016 or e-mail reception@lapetiteferme.co.za for any other enquiries or to reserve your table.
It’s going to rain at Artscape on New Year’s Eve: with rave reviews across the board, the smash hit musical Singin’ in the Rain will be taking audiences into the new year.
The show is packed full of the charm, romance, comedy and tinsel town glamour of one of the world’s best-loved films, and features thrilling tap dancing sequences, big, colourful musical numbers and all the well-known songs from the glorious MGM
score, including Good Morning, Make ’em Laugh, Moses Supposes and the classic song Singin’ in the Rain, where it “rains” (and recycles) over 12 000 litres of water onstage per performance.
The New Year’s Eve show starts at 9pm and will be followed by celebrations in the Artscape foyer. Tickets start at R200 a person. General tickets start at R100 and are available via Computicket at 0861 915 8000 or the Artscape box office at 021 421 7695.
Block bookings of 20 or more qualify for a discount. E-mail tracy@theatreonthebay.co.za.