The Crest Fest Children’s Arts Festival, held at Curro Hillcrest Christian Academy, has combined with Kloof Rotary’s Festival in the Hills for the new-look Festival in the Hills, hosted by Curro HCA. It will take place at Curro HCA and in the City Hill Auditorium in Hillcrest on Saturday, August 29 from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.“Combining these two events promises something greater than the sum of its parts,” says Festival in the Hills creative director, Judith Hawthorn. “We are confident that we have an Arts Festival for primary school children and their families that will be of the highest artistic standard, providing an educational, stimulating and inspiring day of activities that are also highly entertaining, using some of the best arts practitioners in South Africa, based right here in Durban.

“The day offers a full programme of performances, workshops and free activities. We expect over 1 000 children to attend and whilst school groups from all across KwaZulu-Natal have been invited to participate, the event is open to the public, with booking at Computicket.”

THE PROGRAMME
Big Broadway, Small Stars – City Hill Auditorium, 2.30 pm: This collaboration brings Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert, two of South Africa’s funniest people together with a massed choir of primary school children, conducted by Bernard Kruger, Kearsney College’s award-winning conductor.

Aaron and Lisa serve up liberal loads of laughter as their off-the-wall stage persona’s spring to life. Enjoy fresh encounters with a host of old cronies and crocks as the irrepressible McIlroy & Bobbert bring you up to date with their incomparable gallery of loons.

Find out what those zany Syringensons, Bruce and Charmaine have been up to since they last hit town. Catch Veejay red-handed as he slips past you with his latest ‘quick one’. Watch with baited breath as Nigel Bjorn van Rensburg goes for the gap – and ricochets from one crisis to the next!

Expect gorgeous Broadway songs, accompanied by a top band, with a bit of insanity on the side, hilarity in the middle and crazy comedy on top! Entry: Adults R120, pensioners R100, scholars R50.

Carvin H Goldstone in Coloured President – Media Hall, 10.30 am: Durban’s most successful comedian, Carvin H Goldstone, is back in town and coming to a stage near you with a new side-splitting one man comedy show titled Coloured President.

Traditionally a family comic, this show will also enter political comedy arena with views on South African and world politics and of course what South Africa would be like if it had a Coloured President. Tickets are R50.

Workshops for children (aimed at nine to 13 year olds): Professional experts in various creative fields will offer the opportunity for children to explore their creativity in a variety of activities. Places are limited so early booking is essential.

Classes include vocal technique, vocal improvisation, soap-crafting, a Musical Theatre dance class, simple mask-making, theatre improvisation, beat boxing, shadow puppetry, poetry, stage make-up, mosaics and other crafts, drum-making, radio presenting, stage-fighting and a contemporary dance master class. Tickets from R50.

Other attractions include an opening parade, craft market and food stalls.

“Music, pomp, colour, excitement will be to the fore as all participating schools parade onto the school field for the official opening of the Festival between 8.30 am and 9 am. Accompanied by a marching band, and ending off with a dazzling fireworks display, we literally start the day with a bang!,” says Hawthorn.

Open stage: A variety of free activities and events will happen on the field and around the school grounds all day! Children can crump their way into a hip hop class, limber up in a Latin dance class and might even wander onto the set of a movie. Various school groups will also be performing during the morning.

At 11.30 am The Great Big, Enormous Turnip with Bryan Hiles and Clare Mortimer will provide fun for two to 92-year-olds. Based on an old Russian folk tale, a little old man (grumpy old geezer!) and a little old woman (nagging old bat!) hate the sight of each other. Then one day the little old man grows the biggest turnip in the world and the two set about trying to pull it out of the ground. Hilarity ensues as they, with the help of the audience, learn to work together.

Last, but not least, the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra presents What does music mean, narrated by Graeme Wicks – a free performance on the Open Stage from 12.30 pm to 1.15 pm.