What’s on in Durban this festive season?

There are loads of fun activities, theatre shows and events to keep family and friends entertained over the Christmas holidays and into the New Year.

Market Day
Be sure not to miss the Shongweni Farmers & Craft Market Christmas Extravaganza on Saturdays  21, Sunday, 22 and Saturday, 28 December  from 6.30am to 1pm and 8am to 1pm on public holidays. You’ll find authentic, artisanal food and drink options, fresh organic produce, homemade deli edibles, unique handmade crafts and incredible live performances from KZN’s most talented artists. Treat yourself and your families with stunning locally handmade Christmas decor items and gifts. Entry is free. Details:  info@shongwenimarket.co.za

Globe Trotting Suzy
The kids will simply love the fun puppet pantomime, Globe Trotting Suzy at the Rhumbelow Theatre in Umbilo from 9 to 21 December at 11am. A show by Miriam (Auntie Mim) and John Erasmus, it centres around Suzy who travels around the world to see what children in other countries celebrate. There will be fun songs and lots of entertainment along the way. It’s the perfect holiday delight for children aged four and older. The show runs for 55 minutes and juices and snacks will be on sale. Tickets are R75 each. Details: Book through Computicket or e-mail Roland at roland@stansell.co.za or call him on 082 499 8636

Family exercise fun
Every Saturday at 8am Suncoast hosts the North Beach Park Run, a timed 5km run to get people active and enjoying the place they find themselves in. An average of 1000 runners converge at the Pirates Lifesaving Club, Battery Beach and post ParkRun many stay to enjoy a breakfast or coffee afterwards. All ParkRun participants enjoy free parking in the Suncoast car park. Entry is free. Details: You can register at www.parkrun.co.za

Alice in Wonderland
KickstArt family end-of-year 2019 pantomime is a spectacular new production based on the classic book by Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which comes to the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from 29 November until 5 January. Written and directed by Steven Stead, and designed by Greg King, the pantomime offers a glorious array of zany, topsy-turvy characters, including colourful puppets as well as magical scenery, vibrant costumes, topical jokes and toe-tapping songs, and stars Georgina Mabbett as Alice, Liesl Coppin as the Queen of Hearts, Belinda Henwood as the White Queen, and Mthokozisi Zulu as the White Rabbit. Tickets are priced from R150 to R250 for adults and R120 to R200 for children, students and pensioners. Details: Book through Computicket.

Trail of Lights
The Durban Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights has become a regular on the city’s festive season calendar, offering a magical night out for families, couples and groups and the chance to give back to several noteworthy charities. The event will run until 30 December excluding Christmas Day. Visitors can look forward to nightly entertainment, kid’s holiday activities run by selected charities, new displays, a food garden and a longer trail. New to the event is the Festive Market showcasing local and authentic gifting and décor.  Tickets are R65 each. There will be limited tickets for R80 each at the door. VIP Preview Evening tickets for 12 December are R100 each. Children under one: free entry. Details: www.webtickets.co.za

Reunion party
The Station celebrates its 25-year reunion in collaboration with S43 at That Brewing Company at 43 Station Drive, Morningside. Original owner and DJ, Richard Every, will be in town all the way from Chicago, for one night, with support from DJ Kevin Louw. A re-imagined version of the old videodrome will be in action, and as is customary with S43, great food and drink specials will be the order of the day. The night kicks off at 8pm, and, it’s free. Details: Visit www.station43.co.za, e-mail info@thatbrewingco.co.za or call 031 303 2747.

See in the New Year
Celebrate a special New Year’s Eve with the cast of Beat It at The Rhumbelow Theatre at Tina’s Hotel, 14 Beryldene Road, Kloof. It’s a fun-filled evening of music and entertainment with Barry Thomson and Friends and a repertoire that includes hit songs from Barry`s and The Reals most popular tribute shows, including Woodstock, Traveling Wilburys, Eagles, Neil Diamond, Rock Guitar Legends, Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, Bad Company and British Invasion. The show starts at 9pm and will be extended to welcome in 2020 at midnight. Tickets are priced from R150 to R350. Details: Visit www.tinashotel.co.za e-mail info@tinashotel.co.za or call 031 764 7843

Abba tribute
Direct from Australia, the world’s premier live ABBA tribute hits Durban’s iZulu Theatre at Sibaya from 10 to 12 January. This full-scale concert production features more than two hours of fun, energetic musical performances with a live backing band, replica costumes, theatrical lighting and effects and all the dancing an ABBA fan can handle. Starring detailed performances from internationally acclaimed impersonators ABBAsolutely fABBAulous, The ABBA Show gives fans a chance to re-live the ABBA concert experience, celebrate the music of ABBA and dance the night away! Show times: Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are R250. Details: Visit www.suninternational.com e-mail sibayainfo@za.suninternational.com or call 031 580 5555.