Summer is here and the 2014 Gauteng Carnival is sure ready to roll-out a colourful carpet to welcome spring. This year’s Carnival on Saturday, 6 September moves to Botanical Gardens in Emmarentia, west of Johannesburg.
Over 20 000 participants are expected to take part in the 6.7 km main parade of mesmerising designs; acrobats; enthralling dance, sounds, costumes and floats measuring up to 5 meters in height. The main parade starts at 11h00 from the University of Johannesburg’s Sports Complex in Bunting road, winding through Melville into the Gardens.
As part of the arts in schools programme initiated as a legacy project for Carnival, the main parade will be preceded by a 4 km schools parade with over 6 500 learners starting at the Milpark Primary School at 10h00.
The Gauteng Carnival project won a gold award at the International Livable Communities Awards in December 2013 for its impact on job creation, skills transfer and social cohesion.
“Since its establishment the carnival has been about the promotion of the arts, promotion of social cohesion, creation of job opportunities and imparting of skills where thousands of jobs have been created”, says Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Ms Molebatsi Bopape.
Over the years thousands of jobs have been created and for this year only over 1 200 (jobs) have been created in areas including seam-stressing, sound production, welding, choreography, designing, painting and more.
“Since April work has continued in earnest at different venues across the province with choreographers taking their troupes through their paces, seamstresses busy with costumes and designers and welders busy with the floats”, added MEC Bopape.
Happening as part of the September heritage month activities, the carnival paves way for a vibrant spring and early festive season. Gauteng is at the heart of a country full of diversity, hope and triumph and this year’s carnival presents itself as a platform to tell the story of the journey of South Africa over the last 20 years.
It is unlike any other cultural or artistic medium, as it is a free entry event in which everyone can participates.
As the norm, invitation has been extend to the international participation of SADC countries including the Republic of Botswana, Kingdom of Swaziland and Republic of Namibia.
The public is invited to line up the streets and attend the music from 14h00 at the Botanical gardens with various artists including Casper Nyovest and the Muses.
For more on the Gauteng Carnival visit:
- www.Gautengcarnival.co.za
- Twitter: @gautengcarnival
- Facebook: Gautengcarnival
For inquiries contact:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Cell: 083 507 8068
E-mail: Nomazwe.ntlokwana@gauteng.gov.za
