Ebubeleni Music Festival is fast in its growth since its inception seven years ago. One quickly remembers the event from rainy Adcock Stadium in 2014 to dusty Scribante Racetrack in 2016 to the refreshing Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in 2017 and now again in 2018. Revellers can look forward to a fun-filled exciting weekend experience with music and comedy.
OVER fifty artists billed for the 2018 edition with top-of-the-charts along with exciting emerging performing acts will light up the 7th annual Ebubeleni Festival with spirited performances from Friday 28 December to Sunday 30 December in Nelson Mandela Bay.
This year the festival has been expanded to a three day Arts, Culture, Music and Comedy Extravaganza. The growth of the programme of events is to encourage visitors to the city to stay longer and plan their festive season holiday in the Bay.
The five-tier State of the Art Stadium, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hosted the festival for the first time last year and proved to be a suitable venue for this picnic themed event. Kicking off the Ebubeleni Programme on a high note that is sure to be packed with youthful energy is the Ebubeleni Urban Festival – Hip-Hop vs Gqom on Friday 28 December at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Super cool presentations at the Hip-Hop gig will be, Nasty C, A Reece, Emtee, Sjava and Nadia Nakai on Gqom is Durban King of Gqom, DJ Tira, Dladla Mshunqisi, Moonchild Sanelly, Tipcee and DJ Bongs. House Music Vocalist Lady Zamar will grace and be a cherry on top at this event. The Bay’s talented artists will share the stage with these icons. Gates at this event open at 2pm and the concert will start at 4pm. Ebubeleni Comedy on Saturday 29 December at the Boardwalk ICC will leave many in stitches taking load of worries off many shoulders. The Comedy show starts at 6pm. Laugh your lungs out with Joey Rasdien, Funny- man Mpho Popps and actor-cum-comedian Celeste Ntuli.
At the main festival on Sunday 30 December at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, is the vocally powerful singer and producer Zonke Dikana, the country’s Living Legend, Tata Jonas Gwangwa, Afro-ballads singer Ringo Madlingozi, top of the charts Afro-Pop singers – Vusi Nova and Nathi, former idols finalist Amanda Black, latest Gqom Sensation duo, the Distruction Boyz, the ever hot and energetic Busiswa, PE born Heavy K, Naak Musiq and last but not least “Amablesser” Hitmaker, Mlindo The Vocalist will be blessing your soul with good music. Ebubeleni Festival also serves as an important platform to showcase the Bay artists to the rest of the Country.
“Over the 6 years of Ebubeleni’s existence, the festival can pride itself for contributing immensely to efforts of boosting local economic and tourism development of the City and is one of the few platforms for local artists from the Eastern Cape as well as artists from other provinces to showcase their talents. Tourism has seen an increase in visitor numbers in the Bay during festive season especially around the festival dates” said Marc Mahambehlala, Project Manager of Ebubeleni.
“Ebubeleni means a friendly place and PE is known as a welcoming friendly city because of the hospitality of its people towards strangers hence the name “Ebubeleni”. The Bay has reclaimed its Friendly-City status because of this event, said Marc. “We are committed to local economic development through job creation and the use of SMME’s e.g. Accommodation, Tour Operators, Caterers and other event Service
Providers(Technical, Security etc.) concluded Marc.
As for the community involvement, the festival employs youth mostly who have different qualifications to work for an Events Management company but lack experience (PR, Graphic Designers, Administration etc) duties include working as interns during preparations of the event. We also involve communities and youngsters from the area where the event is held to work as car guards, marshals, tickets shredders, help with putting up signage and branding etc. Vendors who have health certificates and are listed on the municipal accredited vendors, are also given an opportunity to sell at the event. Other service providers from the community include security, cleaners, caterers etc. Preference is given to the community where the event takes place although we still employ other people from other locations in Nelson Mandela Bay. For environmental sustainability the organisers contract local cleaning companies that recycle paper, plastic and cans.
Last year ticket sales showed purchases in all nine provinces. The biggest sales came from the Eastern Cape with sales from all Towns & Cities in the province. It is evident that the event is not just a Flagship event of Nelson Mandela Bay but is now a flagship event of the Eastern Cape. The event is produced and themed as an outdoor music festival with a picnic feel that provides entertainment for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape at large.
Tickets for Urban Festival (Hip-Hop vs Gqom) on Friday 28 December are – for General Access R200, Golden Circle R250 and R800 for VIP; Comedy on Saturday 29 December R180 and Main Music Festival on Sunday 30 December R265 for General R320 for Golden Circle and R850 for VIP. Cooler Box Tickets are R80. If you want to park your car inside the stadium precinct you can buy a Parking ticket for R50. All tickets are available from Computicket, giving you an opportunity to Early Bird Specials which will last until 31 October, thereafter tickets will cost normal prices. There will be plenty secured parking space outside the stadium which will be Free and guarded by the festival Car Guards. Strictly no tickets will be sold at the gate. People are urged to come early to secure their picnic spots. Fans are also requested to buy tickets from Computicket to avoid scams and fraudulent tickets thus giving them sense of pride to be part of this exciting Ebubeleni Experience.
The 7th Ebubeleni Music Festival is brought to you and supported by, the National Department of Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Mzansi Magic Music, Umhlobo Wenene FM, MBDA, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, African Bank, Inkqubela Fm and Bay TV.
Stand a chance to win a double ticket
To be in the running for one of two double tickets for Ebubeleni, send an email with Ebubeleni Tickets in the subject line. Address it to community@grocotts.co.za and in the body of the email put your name, surname, contact number and the answer to this question.
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