Preparations for the seventh edition of the Gauteng Pale Ya Rona (our story) Carnival are well underway with production for the floats and costumes under construction at different base camps around the province.The main base camp is in Cleveland and satellite in the Vaal in Sedibeng.
The three day colourful extravaganza to be held from 2 to 4 September will take place in Soweto in Mofolo to welcome spring and introduce the entertainment season towards the festive period.
Following the biting winter season,the blaze of colour, thundering music and exquisite dance moves will surelywarm the hearts of participants and public alike.
According to MEC for Sport Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile the Pale Ya Rona Carnival will be one of the major attractions for the province. “It is Gauteng’s aspiration that the Pale Ya Rona Carnival shall keep growing and eventually will attain its pride of place as an internationally acclaimed cultural and tourism attraction as envisaged in the coming years”, says the MEC as he reflected on the Carnival.
On the evening of 2 September is the official opening ceremony to unveil the costumes and the large floats towering over five meters which will be seen for the first time. The mesmerising designs are a product of over five months work by a team of dedicated crafters, artists, painters and seamstresses which includes more women, youth and is racially integrated thereby strengthening the element of social cohesion.
On 3 September is the 3,5 kilometres children’s carnival featuring school children from 60 schools around Gauteng.
For this year the school children do not only come to parade but they have also produced the costumes they’ll be wearing for the parade.
“We believe this will go a long way in developing the interest of the learners within the arts and craft industry and thereby bring growth and sustainability of the industry by introducing new talent” says MEC Maile.
Following the children’s parade is a battle of the DJs to select the best (developing) Gauteng DJ from the 14 that would have been selected from the Carnival DJ audition process to select the best Gauteng DJ who is still developing. .
The Carnival curtain will close with the main carnival on Sunday, 4 September as the Gauteng Department of Arts and Culture puts brings a show stopper display. This will feature troupes from the different regions of Gauteng and from other provinces including KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, North West and Free State. Also expected are troupes from South African Development Community (SADC) countries including Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Led by a float which has been built into a truck the parade will bring the area to a standstill as over 15 000 participants take to the streets to ensure that Mofolo and Orlando West and the surrounding areas are the most colourful and loudest in the whole of Soweto. Behind will be 14 DJs in 14 trucks, stilt walkers, giant puppets, brass bands, drum majorettes and more.
For media inquiries contact:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Cell: 083 507 8068
Tel: 011 355 2578
E-mail: nomazwe.ntlokwana@gauteng.gov.za
