HUGELY POPULAR MR PRICE PRO BALLITO BEACH FESTIVAL GEARS UP FOR RETURN TO KWADUKUZA
2013/06/27
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It’s almost time for the hugely popular and highly anticipated Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival to return to the shores of Ballito. The festival, which is now in its fifth year and which will run from July 1 - 7, has earned a reputation as the biggest and best surfing and lifestyle event on the continent. This year, it is set to put on a bigger show than ever before, with many new and exciting additions to the programme. The festival runs in conjunction with the Africa’s only ASP PRIME rated surfing competition, the Mr Price Pro Ballito. The event attracts the very best of surfing talent from eighteen countries around the world to compete for the R2.5 million cash prize, including South Africa’s very own local hero and one-time world number two, Jordy Smith.
The Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival promises to be an extravaganza for the senses, with non-stop entertainment throughout the course of the week. During the day time, Willard Beach will host an exciting Beach Mania programme, which encourages guests to make the very most of the festival’s beachfront location. There will be beach volleyball and soccer pitches marked out, and the KwaDukuza LED Sports Unit will be hosting soccer leagues in collaboration with the RedCap Foundation, with the idea of integrating young people from all social levels. The beach will also be the scene for the extreme sport demonstrations that are a hugely popular legacy from previous years’ festivals. This year, they will include displays of BMX, skateboarding, wakeskate and from the highly esteemed Sabotage Elite parkour group.
The extreme sport section of the festival will culminate with BMX, skateboard and parkour competitions over the weekend, which will give guests the chance to witness the very best athletes from each of these thrilling disciplines. The beach will also be home to a myriad of other entertainment, including daily fashion shows, dance displays, children’s activities, food courts and retail stalls.
“There is no better place to be this winter than soaking up the sun and festivities at the Mr Price Pro Ballito Lifestyle Festival, we have an abundance of activities for young and old to enjoy, whether it is experiencing fine Alfresco food and wine at our inaugural Coastal Living Bru or celebrating top South African Artists at our free Music Concerts on the beach, from dawn to dusk there is plenty of action abound, so come along and join us.” said KwaDukuza municipality events co-ordinator, Collette Bundy.
Without a doubt, one of the greatest highlights of this year’s festival will be its newest addition, the Coastal Living Bru exhibition. The exhibition has been designed to showcase to the world the uniquely wonderful lifestyle and culture of the North Coast, and will centre around local talent of all varieties. Its impressive programme includes the showcasing of the Miss Ballito beauty pageant entrants, which serves as a qualifying round for Miss South Africa, and the “So You Think You Can Cook Ballito Style?” cookery competition. The competition will see cook-offs between teams of one amateur and one professional local chef for impressive cash and media prizes. Pro surfers Matt Bromley and Steven Sawyer will be taking part to raise money for the festival’s chosen charity, the RedCap Foundation.
The excitement of the Coastal Living Bru exhibition includes a fine wine auction, gourmet stalls showcasing the fares of local artisan producers and restaurants, and an event dedicated to the history of South African surfboard shapers. The shaping event celebrates the rich culture behind the art, and will include in its displays famous boards such as the one first ridden by Jordy Smith. The main event takes place on the evening of July 3 with legends Mike Larmont, Graham Smith and Spider Murphy at the La Montagne Hotel.
Finally, after all of the daytime entertainment, the famous free Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival concerts will make sure the party continues into the night. On July 4-6, Salt Rock Beach will provide the venue for the concerts whose high-calibre acts include Shadow Club, Gangs of Ballet, Pascal & Pearce and iScream & The Chocolate Stix. The first night’s headliners, Big Nuz and Mafikizolo are sure to get the crowds on their feet. Friday’s headliner Prime Circle, have a hugely successful rock career spanning eleven years, and will arrive to the set fresh from a European tour with 3 Doors Down. Dino Bravo will more than ably fill the spot as the festival’s closing act with his platinum selling Latin-inspired beats.
With all of these incredible attractions to choose from, the Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival looks set to be the best one yet. Its chosen charity is the RedCap Foundation, which carries out invaluable work with South Africa’s youth, ranging from newborn babies to young adults up to the age of twenty-five. They focus specifically on improving the nation’s education system and tackling unemployment among young people. Their aim is to engage, enable and inspire the children who will grow up to become the orchestrators of social change and of a positive future for South Africa.
For more information on timings and lineups, please visit http://www.mrpricepro.com/ , like ‘Mr Price Pro Ballito’ on Facebook, or follow @MrPricePro or tag #MrPricePro on Twitter.
High resolution images available on request
BMX demonstrations will be taking place at the Mr Price Pro Balltio Beach Festival, July 1-7 with a competition being held on 6 & 7 July. Pictured: Darren Oatley. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
Spider Murphy (Durban North) will be in attendance on the evening of July 3 at the ‘Shaping Through The Ages’ Event. Spider will be interviewed about his career highlights and experiences shaping for world champions and title contenders. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
Extreme sport Parkour will return to the Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival this year at Willard’s Beach. Pictured: Mark Modimola. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
Renalda Hoffman, Miss Ballito 2012, is looking forward to the exciting new feature at the Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival, the Food & Wine exhibition called “Coastal Living Bru” (July 2-4). There will be a showcase of the entrants for the Miss Ballito 2013 making it an ideal opportunity for family and friends to participate in the voting for their favourite to secure a place in the Miss Ballito competition later in the year. (Image credit: Disanette Jordaan)
The Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival Free Music Concerts will take place at Salt Rock on 4th-6th July boasting spectacular line-ups featuring the best of South African musical talent. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
Extreme sports demonstrations return to the festival this year, with Monster activations, BMX, breakdance, skateboarding and Parkour showcases set to wow the crowds. Pictured: Thalente Biyela. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
Matt Bromley is amped to be involved and cook up some epic meals in the "So You Think You Can Cook - Ballito Style?" competition at the Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival 2013 Coastal Living Bru exhibition which takes place from July 2-4. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
The Coastal Living Bru exhibition (July 2-4) will also host a cooking competition specifically for children, the winning child earns the title of Coastal Living Fine Young Cooks Chef Award 2013, as well as other exciting prizes. Pictured: Abigail van der Linde and Thailen van Allemann. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)
This year festival-goers can look forward to beach mania which includes a soccer league. Pictured: Sizwe Zulu. (Image credit: Ryan Janssens)