Christmas is only a short three weeks away and if you are not sure how to keep yourself entertained until then, don’t worry, here is the Gig Guide to help you find things to do with your time.
Beach Festival at Silverstar Casino
Take some time out of the buzz of the busy city and get down to Silverstar Casino on 11 to 20 December for a fun day at the beach. Silverstar Square has been transformed into a tropical beach playground with children’s activities by day and a beach paradise for adults by night. Daytime kiddies activities will include castle building, a tug-of-war, hula-hoop and ice-cream eating competitions. There will also be an inflatable water-slide, face painting and beach volleyball. In the evenings there will be a beach bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies with Calypso bands and limbo competitions. Entrance is free.
Garden of Light at Emperors Palace
5 000 metres of fairy lights and more than 200 light displays will create a delightful wonderland and evening of fun and entertainment for the entire family. From 10 December to 3 January Emperors Palace’s five star D’Oreale Grande Hotel gardens will be lighten up and create a place of magic every night from 7pm to 10pm. This year the Garden of Lights will also host Happyland which is a funfair filled with rotating cars and other fun rides and activities for children. There will also be a Ferris wheel at the entrance to ensure you get a beautiful view of the garden. The entrance will be free of charge.
Maja Maljevic art exhibition at Arts on Main
Contemporary art fanatics can be sure they will love this astonishing exhibition by Serbian born Maja Maljevic which will take place at Arts on Main from 11 to 20 December. The exhibition will be available to check out free of charge on Mondays to Fridays at 9am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. The artist’s paintings, drawings and other hybrid combinations of mono-type printmaking, unfailingly delight in inventiveness. The artist has surely tested the boundaries of contemporary art with her way of experiencing with line, form, colour and shape.
ABBA live at Roodepoort Theatre
Grab your platforms and sequins from 11 to 27 December and let this fun, fast-paced and hugely interactive tribute stage show take you back to a time when glitz, glamour and ABBA ruled. If you are into the ’70s and ’80s you definitely do not want to miss this magnificent and exciting show at the Roodepoort Theatre of musical memories, costumes, flares, boots and disco balls. Showtime Australia has promised to presents the very best of ABBA with songs such as Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Fernando, Mama Mia, I Do I Do I Do and many more. The show will cost R200 and start at different times depending on the day. Tickets can be bought on the Roodepoort Theatre website.
Songs from Jazz Town at the Market Theatre
Jazz lovers can be sure they will be well entertained from 11 to 20 December by the return of Songs From Jazztown – a musical evening celebrating great jazz artists from the past. The production has previously received fantastic reception by tapping into the old sounds that were smashing hits in the ’50s with a new modern twist. The show will include new artists with amazing voices and a distinctly hip-hop slant to the evolution of popular music. Ticket cost R140 per person and can be bought on the Market Theatre website.
Just Carry on William Brown at Montecasino
Make your way down to the Pieter Toerien Studio Theatre at Montecasino from 11 December to 17 January if you want to have a good laugh. The naughtiest boy on the planet William Brown (created by comedian Kenneth Williams in the ’80s) and his gang will once again make their appearance on stage and drive elderly aunts, simpering sisters, testy teachers furious farmers and other residents of their village – including the monstrous, lisping Violet Elizabeth Bott, crazy. Tickets cost R130 to a R165 and bookings at Computicket website.
Jozi Summer Shine at Mark’s Park
Come on and experience Jozi at its finest and freshest at the Jozi Summer Shine Festival at Mark’s Park on 13 December.This exciting Afropolitan event brings you top-end whiskey and wine, street food, three internationals and four local musical acts, two stages, the beautiful Johannesburg summertime atmosphere and gorgeous green surrounds. Jozi Summer Shine will also join forces with Kaya FM’s Dance Ritual to bring you the ultimate musical experience with artists Musiq Soulchild, Louie Vega, Tortured Soal, The Soil, Tresor, Majozi and many more. For more information read here.
Uhuru and Khuli Chana live at The Sands
Mzanzi Magic in association with Carling Blue Label beer will host a smashing music show to serve as a celebration of SAB’s new premium beer at the popular Sandton hotspot, The Sands. On 16 December Uhuru and Khuli Chana will mash up some house and hip-hop as the headline act. Other stellar performances on the day will include Monique Bingham with a 10-piece band, DJs: Major League, Shimza and various others. Gates will open at 12pm and tickets will cost a R150 on the day or R100 if bought early at Computicket.
