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Easter weekend is four days of fun. Spend time with the family at the Rand Show, Montecasino, the Footloose Trout Farm – there are plenty of options.
WITH the long Easter weekend just a day away, there is still some time to plan your activities – and there is a host of activities on offer in Joburg. Try the Montecasino, Rand Show or Footloose Trout Farm, which caters for the whole family.
 Learn and have fun at the Bird gardensThe Easter Bunny will be at Montecasino – on 6 to 8 April from 10am to 4pm – to hand out chocolate Easter eggs. There will also be magicians, face painters and stilt walkers to add to the fun, carnival atmosphere. The Montecasino Outdoor Piazza will also be converted into a kiddie’s entertainment area.
Montecasino’s Bird Gardens will be the main hub for the Easter weekend celebrations, with Flight of Fantasy bird shows at 11am, 1pm and 3pm each day.
On Easter Sunday, 8 April, at 11.45am and again at 1.45pm, children are invited to the bird gardens for an Easter egg treasure hunt. Entry into the treasure hunt is limited, so visitors are encouraged to get there early.
For the older crowd, Montecasino will be giving away Easter eggs in the form of slots and tables spot prizes on the casino floor from 6 to 8 April.
Rand Show
But if a casino is not your choice for the weekend, try the Rand Show. It’s back again – from 6 to 15 April – offering everything from music, rides and cooking demonstrations, to displays and competitions at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec. Nasrec is in Joburg’s southwest.
For car sound and performance enthusiasts, there will also be a competition over Easter weekend, from 6 to 9 April. Competition categories range from the quality of sound systems to modifications to body or engine. There will be an installer challenge, static display, sound quality format and dyno challenge, as well as a show and shine competition.
Apart from all the usual activities and exhibitions at the Rand Show, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) returns to show off its boats, tanks, helicopters and other military equipment. The SANDF made a come-back to the popular show in 2011 after years of absence.
According to Xolani Mabanga, the army spokesperson, the SANDF is delighted at the opportunity to once again showcase and share its technology with all South Africans.
Festival of Motoring
A key highlight for the show this year is an exhibition of unusual cars, muscle cars, hot rods and racing cars. Called Festival of Motoring, it is expected to be three times the size of last year’s display.
 There is plenrty of fun for children at the Rand ShowMeg Houghton, the manager of SA Show Service, the managers of the Rand Show, says Festival of Motoring will feature a motoring stage over both weekends of the show. It will be hosted by well-known motoring media personalities Stuart Johnston and Hendrik Verwoerd.
For the children, the Rand Show will offer plenty of entertainment including pony rides, a Kid’s Theatre, a snake and bird show, and a Fun Fair. They will be introduced to juggling, and will be able to learn how to walk a wire, ride a unicycle, perform balancing acts and walk on stilts at a circus workshop.
Ronald McDonald, the McDonald’s mascot, will also make an appearance to teach children to give back to the community. Houghton says it’s going to be a fun-filled performance with magic, laughter and crowd participation.
Tickets for the Rand Show are available at Computicket or at the gate. They cost R80 for an adult, R40 for pensioners over 60, R20 for children of six to 12 years, and free for those under six. Gates open each day at 9am and close at 6pm, although the show will remain open until 8pm.
Footloose Trout Farm
For more tranquil activities over Easter weekend, visit Footloose Trout Farm in Fourways, in northern Joburg.
The estate has 13 dams, well stocked with trout, bass, barbel and carp, making this an ideal weekend outing for fishermen, whether it be fly fishing or conventional fishing. Trout can be bought at R90 per kilo, but bass, carp and barbel are catch and release only. There is a fully equipped abattoir facility with staff on hand to gut, clean and vacuum pack your catch.
Entrance for adults is R55 and for children it is R45. Children under the age of three go in for free. The farm’s operating hours are from Tuesday to Fridays, 7.30am to 5pm, and on weekends and public holidays from 7.30am to 6pm.
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