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A blanket of snow will cover Johannesburg, with ice skating, skiing and snowball fights. And it's all for a good cause.
Lael Bethlehem, CEO of the JDA with Kevin Utian, MD of Nando's South Africa at the media launch
THE forecast is for snow, which is expected to blanket Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, on Sunday, 22 June.
The square will be a winter wonderland from 10am to 6pm on the day, and while the weather bureau is oblivious of its anticipated arrival, Johannesburg has urged its citizens to shrug off their jackets and blankets, bask in the sun and play.
Snow in the City Family Fun Day is being hosted under the auspices of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), on behalf of the City and iconic food company, Nando's.
"For Nando's this is natural, because we will bring our peri-peri to make the snow palpable," noted Kevin Utian, the managing director of Nando's South Africa, adding that although it would be freezing, people should brave the wintry weather and "come out to play".
Utian was speaking at a media launch of the event, held on a rainy Wednesday, 4 June at the JDA offices at the Bus Factory in Newtown.
Snow in the City is the first such family fun day in the city's cultural precinct, which is southwest of the central business district. Ice-skating, slope skiing, and snowball fighting are among some of the activities billed for the event.
According to the JDA, a skate park will be erected on the Nelson Mandela Bridge, where an assortment of skateboarding activities for experienced and aspirant skateboarders will take place.
People are encouraged to "dust off their skateboards and flock to this unique lifetime experience".
"[This] is a challenge to families living in Gauteng suburbs to come into this internationally renowned city and to enjoy it," reads a press statement.
Inner city playground
Lael Bethlehem, the chief executive officer of the JDA, said that some Joburgers had the impression that the inner city no longer had anything to offer. This event was designed to lure more people back into the inner city, were they could witness futuristic developments on the go.
Lael Bethlehem, CEO of the JDA said the event is designed to lure more people back into the inner
"We want to bring people back to the city and show them all the amazing work that has been done to rejuvenate it," she said. Not only was the Johannesburg CBD rapidly becoming a bustling world-class city, it was looking better than ever.
"We want to create a platform for people to come and enjoy opportunities that are available to them, and highlight the inner-city regeneration. Nando's' involvement, as a favourite South African food brand that operates six restaurants within the city, was only natural," Bethlehem said.
The notion of having an ice rink, snow and a ski slope on Mary Fitzgerald Square in the middle of Joburg's dry winter seemed a little eccentric, Utian noted. However, when the opportunity to stage such an event arose, "we seized [it]".
"Nando's has a reputation for doing things differently and going against the grain; we wanted to do something that had never been done before," he explained.
It is the JDA's mandate to bring about economic growth through the development and promotion of efficient business environments in the city. "We want to bring Joburgers into the inner city to witness the snow as well as other developments," Bethlehem confirmed. "People must come to enjoy the snow and have fun, and see what is happening in the CBD."
Good cause
In addition to its fun side, the event would also serve "a great cause". Tickets bought for Snow in the City will entitle attendees to a free blanket, which they can use while at the event, or donate to Operation Snowball - or both.
Operation Snowball is an annual charity campaign that provides destitute people with basic clothing items and blankets "to get through the cold winter months".
Tickets for the show are priced at R15 per person and can be bought at any Computicket box office or at the gate on the day. Ample parking space will be made available at various venues in Newtown; motorists will have to follow visible signage.
For more information on the event telephone the organisers on 011 325 6006 or Computicket on 083 915 8000 or visit the Computicket website.
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