Women's Day will be celebrated in Joburg's cultural hub, Newtown, with a five-day festival of creative activities.

Brenda Fassie: iconic South African woman

NEWTOWN is going to be filled with the feisty spirit of feminine creativity during the week of 6 to 10 August.

The annual Women's Day celebrations falling on 9 August will be preceded by a five-day festival at Newtown Cultural Precinct, the result of collaborative efforts between the Johannesburg Development Agency and the Newtown Management District.

Patrons will be able to enjoy live music, dance, theatre, film, photography, street performance, storytelling, poetry, workshops, crafts, family activities as well as late-night parties at various venues located in Newtown - all of it of a female flavour.

Many of the performances will be free.

Line-up
Included in the line-up for the weekend are several live music events featuring top artists such as Lira and Zonke.

A highlight will be the performance by Standard Bank Young Artist winner Dada Masilo, in action with Lulu Mlangeni in PJ Sabbagha's Back, at the Dance Factory.

The free Women of the Sun film festival at Museum Africa, featuring movies and documentaries by female directors hailing from South Africa and other African countries, promises to be essential viewing.

And to create a festive atmosphere and draw in the crowds, open-stage street performances will take place in Newtown's public spaces over the weekend.

Kate Shand, marketing manager for the Newtown Management District, explains that this year's festival is a collective effort, with the various venues in the area taking the initiative to stage female-themed events in celebration of Women's Day.

The aim of the festival is "to highlight the valuable contribution South African women make to the country's arts and entertainment sector", says a press statement from the organisers.

Newtown hosted two hugely successful public events recently – the Slam da Trash and Snow in the City initiatives – which attracted crowds of several thousand people. The Newtown Celebrates Women's Day festival will further add to the precinct's positive image.

Newtown will also be the major host for the annual Arts Alive programme, which runs throughout the month of September.

For more information contact the Newtown Management District on 011 833 6323 or BUZ Publicity on 011 673 4995/9272.