national Arts Festival Banner

Thursday, March 14, 2019

FRANCOFÊTE 2019


March is the month of Francophone, and in celebration of all things French, the Alliance Française de Durban invite everyone to come and enjoy a free day of cultural festivities on Human Rights Day, Thursday March 21, 2019, in their Sutton Crescent, Morningside premises.

Francofête de Durban shares a significant date with Human Rights Day where over the last eight years, the Alliance Française welcomes locals to a day filled with music, dance, food, art and craft. This year is no different, the grounds of the cultural organisation alongside Sutton Park in Durban’s Windermere has a fun-filled line up that starts at 10h00 and finishes at 18h00.

The morning is orientated more for family fun, with children’s theatre by Assitej SA, a dance performance by Vusi Makanya and the KwaMashu School of Dance along with kid’s activities taking place until 13h00.

Kicking off the musical programme on the stage is reknowned performer, René Tshiakanyi, who will be sharing the stage with the gorgeous Zimbabwean Tsitsi Sachikonye blending original sounds of cello, percussion and guitar.

A Swiss-French combo, Pêcheurs de Rêves (Fishermen of Dreams) combines the vocal talents of Laurent Brunetti with the piano skills of Mario Pacchioli. The vibrant, fun duo describes their whimsical music as ‘scattered memories of our sleepy childhood.’

Congolese singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, Gloire Mapenzi and his “Black City Band’ are the penultimate performance. Finishing off the day on a high note is the high energy Sun Xa Experiment. This seven-piece Avant Garde out of the box band.

The eMCee for the day is the inspired spoken word hip hop, poet Iain EWOK Robinson. During the course of the day, artists Nivesh Rawatlal from Rolling Stone Design, and his crew will be growing their works of street-art around the grounds.

Director for the Alliance Française, Vincent Frontczyk said, “Our Francofête celebrates diversity and tolerance on the occasion of Human Rights Day and Francophone week, bringing together all walks of life in Durban, transcending through all cultures, generations, home languages and communities. We look forward to a festive day of social cohesion in English, isiZulu, French and so many other languages in our colourful city.”

Visitors feeling peckish can refuel at either the Alliance Café or one of the two food trucks that will be on site.

Alliance Française would like to thank the Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa, Assitej SA, Black Coffee, Stratogo, the French Embassy in SA, The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, eThekwini Municipality and the Alliance Café.

Francofête de Durban runs from 10h00 to 18h00 on March 21, 2019. Admission is free. The Alliance Française is situated at 22 Sutton Crescent, Morningside. For more information phone 031 312 9582 or visit http://www.alliance.org.za/durban or like Alliance Française de Durban on Facebook