Local artists are ready to light up the stage next week at the festive lights festival after a two year hiatus.
The festival which takes place on the Grand Parade and along Adderley Street, is presented by the City of Cape Town as a free open-air entertainment event.
The festival has become synonymous with the start of festive season celebrations in Cape Town.
The star-studded line-up includes Mi Casa, Emo Adams, Sasha-Lee Davids, and many more.
Performances for the festival will start at 4pm on Sunday, November 27. The official switching on of the lights is expected at 8:30 pm, with performances wrapping up at 10pm.
Cape comedian and actress Shimmy Isaacs is looking forward to the event.
“Every artist hopes that they will still be able to participate in events like these, 20 years down the line,” she said.
“My work in the industry and my brand have always been about unity and my love for this city and its people.”
Isaacs said without giving too much away about her performance, crowds can expect a lot of fun.
“With me, you never know just what I am going to do but I can guarantee that it will be funny,” she said.
“I am excited for people to be with the artists. We’ve been gone for two years and it’s wonderful to be back again,” she added.
The star, who hails from Worcester, has been in the industry for two decades and has garnered multiple awards for her work.
Isaacs fans will also know her as Petra Meintjies in the Afrikaans series Arendsvlei.
Isaacs said the switching on of the lights festival was a time to unite, celebrate and enjoy life.
“The last two years have left many of us feeling isolated, but this is different,” she said.
“It is time to be with the artists again. We can only recover amongst each other, so I am grateful that we can come out and give each other hope again.
“That’s what this event is about. We are letting people know that it’s time to be kinder to each other, share hope and continue to unite.”
J’Something of Mi Casa said the band was excited to be on stage, in a post Covid-19 environment.
“Performing holds such an incredible purpose in society. We are happy to be back on stage, giving people good energy and love and receiving it,” he said.
“We are so excited because it has been years since we performed at the festival.
“It’s such a happy time of the year, and being a part of it with Cape Town’s people is a personal highlight that never gets old.”
Mi Casa is a house music trio which consists of three members, Dr Duda (pianist and producer), J’Something (vocalist and guitarist), and Mo-T (trumpeter).
The band’s vocalist said when Mi Casa performs, they trust the moment and will rely on the crowd at the festival for their performance.
“We don’t do a lot of set-list planning and rehearsals. We will include some of the classics on the night,” he said.
Mi Casa is exited about the release of their sixth album.
He continued: “We have created a new body of work that is releasing next year, and we will be trying some of the new music at the event.”
“Approaching new music is very daunting. We hold our sound very dear to us and try to always stick to our vibe,” J’Something said.
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the return of a wonderful Cape Town tradition.
“We can celebrate as a ‘city family’ for the first time since 2019,” he said.
Hill-Lewis added: “Much has changed in all our worlds over this time, but one thing that remains is our collective enthusiasm to celebrate the good in life, and our city. I’m looking forward to sharing that with you all this year.”