Pretoria to host National Arts Festival

Pretoria will host its first National Arts Festival about six weeks before the kick off of the Soccer World Cup. The multi-cultural Jacaranda National Arts Festival aims to become a highlight on the capital's calendar.

It will also serve as a scene-setter for the forerunner of 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup. Ambassador of the festival, Pedro Camara - well known as Carlos in the soapie Sewende Laan says the festival will be unique.

“We have the international arena. We have countries represented there, with the food that they make, with their cultural dances - that makes it different. We have a braai area, we have a dance floor at the main arena of our festival and we also have an old boy’s rugby tournament that brings an added element to the festival that other festivals do not have,” says Camara.

The largest arts festival in the world after the Edinburgh Festival is the national arts festival - often known as the Grahamstown Festival. It takes place every year in the small town of Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape over two weeks from June to July.

The Festival includes drama, dance, opera, music, visual art, lectures and tours. There are also exhibitions, markets and other cultural events. Many theatre companies premiere shows which then go on to tour the country.

Source: SABC News

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