Street festival
Eat, drink, and dance
From a night-time food market to crazy bingo nights, Nicole McComb of Skinny G productions is preparing to get East Londoners out and about once again.
Closing a section of Beach Road in Nahoon on Saturday afternoon, McComb’s next big gig will see the area come alive for a bizarre street festival.
“I’ve had the privilege of travelling a lot and I just fell in love with street culture,” she said.
“I want to get the community to come together and enjoy a mutual space.
“We don’t really bump into each other anymore. We’re all busy driving from home to work and back again and then we have a braai on weekends with our same six friends.
“I want people to connect again,” said McComb, 26, who grew up in East London and matriculated at Hudson Park High.
McComb, who studied fine art in Stellenbosch, said she enjoyed creating beautiful zones for people to meet up in.
“I think my inspiration for this event is the Portabello Market in London,” she said.
“They have a huge food festival and market every Sunday.
“There is already a walking or street culture there and I want us to experience a bit of that too here in East London.
“Also, I just really love to party and I think we could all use a bit more fun in our lives.”
Her event will see the section of Beach Road, from Exclusively Frozen to The Milk Shed, close down as restaurants, shops, and 40 craft and food stalls festoon the street with their products and services.
“The restaurants are going to move some of their furniture onto the street and everything will spill over outdoors and all the shops will be staying open until 5.30pm,” McComb said.
“I hope that towards the end of the evening everyone will linger in the bars and just keep the night going.”
Magicians, live music, kiddies’ activities and even a live graffiti artist will add colour and excitement to the festival.
“There’s going to be a small stage so we’ve got two singers and a live band performing.
“We’ve also managed to get permission to use one firm’s wall to create a mural and since its World Ocean Day on June 9, our graffiti artist is going to create something to commemorate that,” said McComb.
While there would be security and paramedics present on the day, and there was a decent amount of parking space, she encouraged Nahoon residents to walk or share lifts.
Jason McDowell, ward councillor for ward 18, which includes Nahoon, said: “It’s great to see something like this and I really wish Nicole well.
“It’s something so different for East London.
“Hopefully it can be something that is done regularly.”
Angela Heathcote, owner of Angela’s Coffee Shop on Beach Road, said: “It’s a really good idea and is something this town needs. I think it will do well.”
McComb said she was grateful to all the business owners, residents and municipality for agreeing to her “ridiculous idea” and hoped it would succeed.
“It’s been a tough two months of planning and getting everyone on board but I’ve met so many cool people and I couldn’t have done this without them,” said McComb, who also thanked her mom, Louise, for her support.
Tickets for the festival can be purchased at R50 at most of the shops, bars and restaurants on Beach Road.