The Ebubeleni Music Festival has grown substantially since its inception seven years ago.
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will once again host the Ebubeleni Music Festival in 2018 from Friday 28 December to Sunday 30 December.
Revellers can look forward to a fun-filled and exciting weekend experience showcasing music and comedy as the beautiful Indian Ocean provides the backdrop.
Over 50 artists are billed for 2018, including chart topping acts and exciting emerging performers. This year the festival has been expanded to a three–day Arts, Culture, Music and Comedy Extravaganza.
The programme of the festival has been expanded for the first time to encourage the visitors to Port Elizabeth to extend their stay and plan their festive season holiday in the Bay.
Kicking off the Ebubeleni Programme on a high note is the Ebubeleni Urban Festival – Hip-Hop vs Gqom on Friday 28 December. The Hip-Hop roster will also feature: Nasty C; A Reece; Emtee; Sjava & Nadia Nakai on Gqom is Durban King of Gqom, DJ. Tira; Dladla Mshunqisi; Moonchild Sanelly; Tipcee and DJ Bongs.
House Music Vocalist Lady Zamar will grace and be a cherry on top at this event.
Gates at this event open at 2pm and the concert will start at 4pm.
On Saturday 29 December Ebubeleni Comedy will take place at the Boardwalk ICC at 6:00pm. Laugh your lungs out with Joey Rasdien, Funny-man Mpho Popps and actor-comedian Celeste Ntuli.
At the main festival on Sunday 30 December at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, you can expect to see powerful singer and producer Zonke Dikana; the country’s Living Legend, Tata Jonas Gwangwa; Afro-ballads singer Ringo Madlingozi; top of the charts Afro-Pop singers – Vusi Nova and Nathi; former idols finalist Amanda Black; latest Gqom Sensation duo, the Distruction Boyz; the ever hot and energetic Busiswa ; our very own PE born Heavy K and Naak Musiq and last but not least “Amablesser” Hitmaker, Mlindo.
Ebubeleni Festival also serves as an important platform to showcase the Bay artists to the rest of the Country.
“Over the 6 years of Ebubeleni’s existence, the festival can pride itself for contributing immensely to the efforts of boosting the local economic and tourism development of the City. Tourism has seen an increase in visitor numbers in the Bay during festive season especially around the festival dates, and that is a testament to our efforts” said Marc Mahambehlala, Project Manager of Ebubeleni.
“Ebubeleni means a friendly place and PE is known as a welcoming friendly city because of the hospitality of its people towards strangers, hence the name “Ebubeleni”. The Bay has reclaimed its Friendly City status because of this event,” said Marc.“We are committed to local economic development through job creation and the use of SMME’s”
As for the community involvement, the festival employs youth who mostly have the requisite qualifications to work for an Events Management company but lack the necessary experience (PR, Graphic Designers, Administration etc.) and their duties include working as interns during the preparations of the event. Communities and youngsters from the area where the event is held are employed to work as car guards, marshalls, tickets shredders etc. Vendors who have health certificates and are listed on the municipal accredited vendors, are also given an opportunity to sell at the event. Other service providers from the community include security, cleaners, caterers etc. Preference is given to the community where the event takes place although we still employ other people from other locations in Nelson Mandela Bay.For environmental sustainability the organisers contract local cleaning companies that recycle paper, plastic and cans.
Last year ticket sales showed purchases in all nine provinces. The biggest sales came from the Eastern Cape with sales coming from all towns & cities in the province. It is evident that the event is not just a flagship event of Nelson Mandela Bay, but is now the flagship event of the Eastern Cape. The event is produced and themed as an outdoor music festival with a picnic feel that provides entertainment for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape at large.
Tickets for Urban Festival (Hip-Hop vs Gqom) on Friday 28 December are General Access R200, Golden Circle R250 and R800 for VIP; Tickets for Comedy on Saturday 29 December cost R180 and the tickets for the Main Music Festival on Sunday 30 December cost R265 for General, R320 for Golden Circle and R850 for VIP. Cooler Box Tickets are R80.
If you want to park your car inside the stadium precinct you can buy a Parking ticket for R50. There will be plenty of secured parking space outside the stadium, which will be free and guarded by the festival Car Guards.
Strictly no tickets will be sold at the gate but only at Computicket. People are urged to come early to secure their picnic spots. Fans are also requested to buy tickets from Computicket to avoid scams and fraudulent tickets, thus giving them peace of mind to be a part of this exciting Ebubeleni Experience.
The 7th Ebubeleni Music Festival is supported by the National Department of Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Nelson Mzansi Magic Music, Umhlobo Wenne FM, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Inkqubela FM and Bay TV.
For more information, please contact Mahambehlala Communications info@mahambehlalacomms.co.za or tel 041-582-2553.
