Ziyaduma! It’s about you! The City of Joburg Countdown to 2016!
21 December 2015
The City of Johannesburg's preparations for the New Year Eve countdown and Joburg Carnival are at an advanced stage. The festivities include four stages, three venues and one goal - a sensational toast to the New Year celebrations with music and dance as well as safe and professional fireworks display.
Say goodbye to 2015 in style whether you are in the Joburg CBD or Soweto. The City of Joburg is making this year’s festivities all about you with some of the world’s greatest and diverse musical acts on Thursday, 31 December 2015.
Joburg’s rich diversity of cultures will also again be on display on New Year’s Eve when the annual Carnival winds its way through the streets in a kaleidoscope of colours and sounds.
The festival will be preceded by the Joburg Carnival through the streets of the CBD. The carnival has become a tradition that celebrates the City’s reputation as a melting-pot of different cultural traditions. It will set off at 12h00 from Hillbrow to allow the residents to take part. The procession moves from Hillbrow, through the streets of Braamfontein, across the Mandela Bridge and into Newtown. Here, at the Mary Fitzgerald Square, the various artists will entertain the crowd and join them to party into the early hours of 2016.
The New Year's Eve concert this year will feature some of the most respected local and international acts firing up the stages. The event calls for Joburgers to take pride in their world-class African city and come together to celebrate its pulsating energy and diversity.
The concert will feature four stages with Djs and Live Bands at Mary Fitzgerald Square, Newtown Park and Soweto Theatre. Various genres of music including jazz, afropop, afrobeat, hip hop, reggae, kwaito, kwasa and house will represent the eclectic rhythms and cosmopolitan mix of the people of Joburg that makes the City unique.
Live performances on the night will feature Lira Tortured Soul (USA), Mafikizolo, Black Coffee, Kwesta, Femi Koya (Nigeria), The Muffinz, The General (Zimbabwe), Arthur Mafokate, Busiswa, featuring a star studded DJ line-up Black Coffee, DJ Cleo, DJ Zinhle, DJ Shimza, Twins on Deck, Victor Masondo directing the countdown house band bringing you the hits of the decades and many more.
The African continent and its SADC region will be sufficiently represented and celebrated, reflecting the rich urban culture and sheer greatness of Jozi's people. The New Year’s Eve concert will certainly celebrate the social cohesion and oneness of Johannesburg residents.
Families and concertgoers are welcome to come and enjoy a range of activities for children and adults to cap off the year with a magnificent and safe firework display managed by professional pyrotechnic personnel.
The City urges concertgoers, the people of Johannesburg as well as the rest of the country – to enjoy the New Year celebrations in a spirit of peace and safety, not to consume too much alcohol and to drive safely on our roads during this festive season.
Bottled beverages, alcohol, fireworks and weapons will not be allowed into the venue. There will be a strong presence of the law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order and Emergency Management Services will be present to attend to all emergencies on the night.
The City of Johannesburg’s New Year's Eve is part of improving the quality of lives of its citizens, and ensuring a safe and happy new year.
The Joburg New Year's Eve Party will take place at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Newtown Park in Newtown and Soweto Theatre in Jabulani, Soweto on Thursday, 31 January 2015, starting from 14h00. Entrance is free.