Cape Town South Africa

Here’s another possibility on how to fill up your weekend: The 10th annual Cape Town Festival is taking place this weekend (20 – 22 March).

The festival, which was initiated in 1999 as part of the One City Many Cultures project by the festival’s chairperson, Ryland Fisher when he was editor of the Cape Times, will be taking place at the Company’s Gardens.

Ryland promises that the team behind the Festival has come up with “a truly remarkable line-up of unifying events” for this year. The concert also promises to feature a line up of some of South Africa’s best artists.

Communities are also encouraged to partake in a Unity Parade and Community Vibrations Day, both set for Sunday 22 March, at which top performers from various communities will strut their stuff.

To learn more about the performers and the festival, visit their website at www.capetownfestival.co.za.

(Updated to say: The website appears to have exceeded its bandwidth. Hopefully it will be sorted out today!)

Do you have a thing for foreign flicks? Can Cinema Nouveau not reel in the new offerings fast enough for you?

If you are indeed the sort who likes nothing better than to get swept up and be transported to faraway places via the silver screen, then the 2009 Cape Winelands Film Festival will be right up your alley.

Even better news is that the festival has moved from the Oude Libertas in Stellenbosch to right here in Cape Town!

From 20 – 29 March, local film lovers will have the opportunity to see 130 features, documentaries and short films from more than 35 countries. Fare from places like Brazil, Mexico, the US, Canada, Egypt, Iran, Israel, the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal, Chile, Cuba, Italy, France, Thailand, Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Russia, Serbia and Rwanda will be shown.

But some local film will also enjoy a place on the screen. Several South African features, shorts and documentaries will be shown.

The festival will also have premieres of various production, including White Wedding, a comedy by Jann Turner, as well as Tornado and the Kalahari Horse Whisperer, a new feature by local legend Regardt van den Bergh.

To book, call the Labia on 021-424-5927.  

And in this case we are not referring to supermodel Heidi Klum’s crooning hubby, but to the semi-aquatic marine mammal of the same name.

Forget about swimming with dolphins – that trend is SO last summer. If you’re in the Cape Peninsula this coming weekend, 14 and 15 March, you shouldn’t pass up the unique opportunity to snorkel and splash around with the local seals!

This once-a-year discount days event, presented by CapeTownMagazine.com and Scuba Shack, has to be one of the coolest things to do in Cape Town – and not just because the swim will provide a welcome respite from the sizzling summer weather!

For the special discount day bargain price of R399 – instead of the usual R455 – snorkelers will depart from the harbour in Hout Bay – at Mariner’s Wharf, behind the NSRI building –  at various times. According to the magazine, the experience takes an awesome two hours, which provides ample play time with those most charming of sea creatures!

As if the once-yearly discount day price isn’t great enough news: If you book for eight people, you can snorkel with the seals for free!

Now if an offer like that doesn’t seal the deal… try and resist by looking into a pair of seal eyes!

To Book: Phone Scuba Shack in Cape Town on +27(0)83 277 1843 (or visit them at 289 Long Street Cape Town) and ask for the CapeTownMagazine.com’s Annual Snorkeling Discount Days special to reserve your spot.

It’s March, the heat is still on, the year is on fire and so, unfortunately, are many areas here in the Western Cape.

Ash Wednesday, which heralds the advent of Lent on the Christian calendar, occurred last Wednesday already, but this past Wednesday our neighbouring town of Stellenbosch was swathed in smoke and soot yet again due to a series of raging wildfires.

Luckily Stellenbosch (and Cape Town, since Stellenbosch is such a stone’s throw from us) residents will be able to take a respite from the heat and smoke at the 10th annual Woordfees taking place from today (6 March) until next Sunday, the 15th.

The festival annually celebrates the Afrikaans language through a series of plays, musical performances, story-telling, dancing, and literature.

This year some of South Africa’s most celebrated artists, musicians and literati will once again descend upon the college town to delight audiences from all walks of life – even Souties too!

Some of the big musical names who will grace the festival include Koos Kombuis, Valiant Swart, Anton Goosen, Lize Beekman, the Orange Stilettos, Danie Niehaus, and Gert Vlok Nel who will all perform at the town’s trendy Dorp Street Theatre.

For more information and for a full programme of the event, visit: www.woordfees.co.za