City all set for glitz parties galore

Nicolette Dirk

THE streets of Cape Town will come alive tonight as New Year’s Eve celebrations kick into high gear – with free concerts, exclusive parties and traditional parades on offer.

One of this year’s biggest parties is at the V&A Waterfront’s Quay area. Five bands will entertain the expected 150 000-strong crowd, with Mia Casa one of the bands ushering visitors into the new year as a display of fireworks ignites the sky.

The free party kicks off at 6.30pm, but partygoers are advised to arrive by 5pm to get parking.

If you’re looking for a beach vibe to bring in the new year, look no further than the Fire and Ice Hotel. Church Street will be cordoned off from 5pm for its annual beach party.

For R200 you will get access to the street area and the satellite bar. The R400 tickets will get you into the VIP section, where you will have access to the hotel foyer and bar. But for R1 500 you can enjoy New Year’s Eve at the hotel’s private pool with complimentary champagne and snacks.

For those in the mood for an exclusive beach party, Shimmy Beach Club has a touch of glitz.

London dance group The Girly Show will put on a display of sparkling choreography and costumes. UK DJs Ella and Kayper, along with resident DJ Gareth Kenward, will provide the entertainment throughout the night. Tickets cost R850 for general access and R2 800 will get you VIP access. Premier tickets, including a full buffet, will set you back R5 500.

Coco, one of Cape Town’s trendy spots, will herald in the new year with a champagne explosion. Hip-hop muso Khuli Chana will be performing live, along with a DJ line-up that includes DJ Snypes, Sam World, LSD-J and MC Kapital K. Doors open at 9pm and you pay R300 if on the guest list.

Those in the mood for a quirky New Year’s party should head to Vaudeville (also known as Side Show) for a Time Traveller’s Ball. Visitors are encouraged to dress up as a time traveller from a different time period surrounded by a burlesque setting. Two dancefloors, local DJs and the sound of New York-based Thornto will be on hand to entertain revellers. Pre-sold tickets at Webtickets cost R250 and you will pay R300 at the door.

For those who want to avoid the noise and spend a quite time celebrating, there is the New Year’s Eve Table Mountain cable car experience. The final car will take you up the mountain to enjoy the view for the last hours of 2014.

Tickets are available at webtickets.co.za or at the cableway ticket office. But bear in mind that the final trip down will be at 9pm and return tickets will range from R110 to R225 a person.

The Cape Malay Choirs or nagtroepe will also bring their usual colour and song to the streets of Cape Town from 10pm.

The parade starts at Keizersgracht Street and moves to Darling Street. The nagtroepe will then dance down Adderley and Wale streets, cross Buitengracht and turn into Rode Street. The parade will end at the corner of Castle and Rose streets in the Bo-Kaap.

nicolette.dirk@inl.co.za