Headline acts for Cape Town Festival

In line with our country's hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, this year's Cape Town Festival, which was born out of the “One City, Many Cultures” campaign, is reaching across to our neighbours in the African continent. Acclaimed Angolan R&B singer Anselmo Ralph has now confirmed his presence as the headline act during the Main Festival, set to take place at the Company's Garden in Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town. He performs on Sunday, 21 March.

The Cape Town Festival sets out to present a diverse arts, culture and heritage event that caters for all cultural groups and ages, Mother City residents and visitors alike. As usual, all events linked to the Cape Town Festival will be absolutely free.

Debate precedes

The Main Festival is preceded by the “‘One City, Many Cultures Debate” on Wednesday, 17 March, which is preceded by a screening of the documentary Rainbow Nation 2010. Rainbow Nation 2010, for its part, forms part of the One City, Many Cultures Film Festival, which is being run in partnership with the Cape Winelands Film Festival.

The “One City, Many Cultures Debate” will have audience members sharing their fears, hopes and expectations following the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with panellists former University of Cape Town vice-chancellor and World Bank deputy president Dr Mamphele Ramphele and Cape Town Partnership CEO Andrew Boraine, together with a third speaker who is currently being sourced.

Home-grown community talents

Once again, energetic types should definitely put on their favourite party gear then make their way over to the community festivals, where some home-grown community talents are bound to be unearthed. These take place at Atlantis (Saturday, 27 February, 9am to 5pm), Hanover Park at the Mount View High School (Saturday, 6 March, 9am to 5pm), and at Langa (Saturday, 13 March, 9am to 5pm).

"This year's festival will be bigger and better than ever before", says Cape Town Festival executive chairperson Ryland Fisher. "Our aim is to present a celebration that would make the people of Cape Town proud and showcase our beautiful city to the world. By inviting this popular artist from another African country, we want to showcase Cape Town as a proudly African city."

As usual, the Main Festival venue is the Company's Garden in Queen Victoria Road in Cape Town's city centre. The Main Festival concerts will again be accompanied by a food, arts and craft market.

Community Vibrations Concert

Cape Town Festival 2010 culminates in the appearance of Anselmo Ralph on Human Rights Day, Sunday, 21 March, which is also when the Community Vibrations Concert is also set to feature centre stage. Community artists from the three community festivals that will have been held in Atlantis, Hanover Park and Langa will once again strut their stuff.

As for Friday, Saturday and Sunday's programme, Friday is all about a range of musical styles, while Saturday's programme is more youth oriented. Sunday primarily serves as a showcasing of jazz music.

Local artists

Among those local artists who have agreed in principal to perform at the Main Festival are: reggae masters The Rudimentals; Zaki Ibrahim; Under Control (French - 2009 World Beatbox Champions); Napalma; and Kings of Vegas as well as Good Luck.

In recognition of the diverse audiences that Cape Town Festival serves, the following high-profile individuals assist in the leadership and governance of the Cape Town Festival:

• Patron: National Minister in the Department of Arts & Culture Lulu Xingwana
  
• Patron: Western Cape Premier Helen Zille
  
• Patron: Executive Mayor of Cape Town Dan Plato
  
• Executive chairperson: Ryland Fisher, founder
  
• Deputy chairperson: Crain Soudien, deputy vice-chancellor University of Cape Town
  
• Member: Lawrence Mitchell, CEO Cape Film Commission
  
• Member: Nombulelo Mkefa, director: tourism, City of Cape Town
  
• Member: Ian Bouwer, Woolworths
  
• Member: Zinzisa Mgolodela, Woolworths
  
• Member: Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, CEO Cape Town Tourism
  
• Member: Deon Cloete, GM Airports Company of South Africa's Cape Town branch
  
• Member: Peter Theunissen, CEO Cape Music Industry Commission

For further information, go to the Cape Town Festival website www.capetownfestival.co.za. The festival offices can be contacted on +27 (0)21 465 9042 or e-mail .