The schweetest, kiffest, and most LEKKER celebration Cape Town has ever seen is just a month away!
As part of the preparations, designers, artists, performers, and artisans welcomed media, guests, and sponsors to the Cape Town Carnival Workshop yesterday, giving them a taste of the magic that will dazzle fans, families, and friends on Saturday, 16 March.
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Come see the spectacular inspirational new offerings that the team has spent the last year developing and perfecting. Among these are the stunning Technicolour Savannah, Umkhuseli (the Ant), and the colourful, entertaining Schweet float. The popular 7m Dream Doll float has been reimagined as the Zwakala float, which is sure to impress the audience.
Cape Town Carnival Board Chair Prof Rachel Jafta welcomed guests to the workshop, emphasising that the event was more than just a spectacle, as it also created ongoing job opportunities: ‘From one float in 2010, to the variety you see in the workshop today, the Cape Town Carnival has come a long way. The event has many layers and requires a lot of work, and today we have pulled back the curtain so you can see what goes on behind the scenes.’
While the floats are always breathtakingly beautiful, each outfit worn by the performers is a work of art, lovingly and painstakingly designed, manufactured, and altered to perfection by the costume department’s dedicated team.
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Seamstress ‘Aunty’ Jenette Lawrence described how the creative environment created an inspiring workplace: ‘When I was 15, I started working in a factory. I later worked in the movie industry and, more recently, in the Cape Town Carnival costume department. I enjoy every aspect of working here. I enjoy seeing how the floats and costumes all come together. Everyone who works here does it with love.’
Working in the fabrication department has allowed Lebohang Litsili to develop new skills. ‘I attended the Cape Town Carnival in 2012 and have never looked back. The construction department creates the structure of the float, which then comes here, and we get to bring the design to life, which I really enjoy.
Skills transfer is a critical component of the Cape Town Carnival’s mandate, and no one personifies this more than Maluva Gandiwa, the head of the Cape Town Carnival’s construction department.
Goniwe began working at the Cape Town Carnival as a cleaner in 2012 and now owns his own steel fabrication business in addition to his carnival duties.
‘My team is now the biggest that it ever has been,’ he said. ‘I learned my skills from here, and because my life was changed, I now want to change other lives. So I’ve also started teaching school kids welding skills and my main goal is to open up a welding school.’
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With exactly one month to go ‘til Carnival fever sweeps Cape Town, it’s time for people to start making their plans and securing their spots for the best viewing opportunities. If you’re still not convinced on why you should be there, Cape Town Carnival Trustee and international celebrity Jo-Ann Strauss says, ‘It’s just lekker. It is a fantastic theme this year, and we must celebrate what makes us uniquely Capetonian, so let us have some fun. There’s enough sadness in the world and the Cape Town Carnival is such a wonderful chance for us to all unite, be together and realise the potential of the city’s creativity.’
To provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, Cape Town Carnival is launching a social media campaign called #followyourheART, which focuses on 13 of the participating community groups. The campaign emphasises their passion and dedication, as well as the life-changing experience that participating in the event can provide.
Admission to the event is free, but tickets are available for seats in strategically placed stands along the parade route. Tickets for the Cape Town Carnival are available on Quicket. For more information see capetowncarnival.com.
Also read:
Excitement is mounting as Cape Town Carnival returns to city
Picture: Supplied
