Mossel Bay will host some of the country’s favourite artists next weekend when it presents its Dias Festival 2012 (2-5 February) - and the good news is that entry to almost all of the Festival concerts will be free of charge for locals and visitors alike.

The main focus of this extravaganza - the Festival Arena (which will be situated on the seafront at Santos Caravan Park) - will host Emo Adams (Friday 3 February), Arno Jordaan and Fredi Nest (Saturday), and the South African Police Services Band (Sunday).

“The stars will be supported by a number of local performers,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm. “Gift Gwe, a runner-up in the 2005 South African Idols competition, the dance group The Chronics, who won Mossel the Bay’s Got Talent competition last year, and dancers from Angeline’s Dance Academy will appear before the Emo Adams concert, while Supersterre’s Marcha Lombard, and 2006 Afrikaans Idols finalist Alzonia Titus will perform in the run up to the Fredi Nest and Arno Jordaan concert.

“Then on the Saturday, the PetroSA choir will appear at the Santos Arena, while the SA Police Band will play in the festival street parade, and also at a concert in the Harry Giddey Park - where they’ll appear with local groups like the Mossel Bay Community Brass Band, the Great Brak River’s Boys Brigade and Star of Bethlehem Community Brass Band, the Guiding Stars Community Brass Band, the Crusaders Community Brass Band, and the Combined Brigade Band of the Seventh Day Adventists, All Saints Church, and others.”

She said that A Mossel Bay’s Got Talent Show will take place at the Santos Arena on Saturday, and that lovers of serious music should make a special point of attending the Police Band’s Sunday performance (also in the Festival Arena), when the programme will feature favourites from the classical music canon.

“Entrance to all of these concerts will be free of charge, thanks to sponsorship from the ATKV, Mossel Bay Municipality, and Mossel Bay Tourism,” said Ms. Holm.

“The only concert for which there’ll be a modest entry fee will be the Dias Festival Music Concert, which will take place in the Maritime Museum of the Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex on Thursday the 2nd, and for which tickets are available from the cashiers at the Mossel Bay Municipality.”

Ms. Holm said that the Museum will be celebrating its birthday (it was opened in 1988) at 10:00 a.m. on Friday the 3rd of February - which is also the anniversary of Dias’ arrival in Mossel Bay in 1488.

“The Festival Programme is available on line at www.visitmosselbay.co.za/festivals, and there’s something for everyone, with everything from squash to sailing, a naval gun run, touch rugby, diving, a surf ski competition, sky diving, an aerobatics display and fly-past, and, of course, a series of incredibly exciting skate boarding events.

“Every section of the community has been catered for - and even our furry friends will be able to take part: there’s a sponsored fun walk for dogs on Saturday morning (from the Hartenbos river mouth to Diaz Beach, with water points along the way), with entry fees - in aid of SPCA - pegged at R5.00 per paw.

“And then later that afternoon, a doggy fashion parade at the Festival Arena will include human fashions that will be shown off by local models.”

Ms. Holm said that number of accommodation providers are offering special deals on accommodation for the Festival period.

“They’re all listed on the web site - under Dias Festival on the page www.visitmosselbay.co.za/festivals - and we’ve also been posting them to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/visitmosselbay,” she said.

By Martin Hatchuel Mossel Bay Tourism