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A heady mix of ever-evolving Afropolitan ways of life roars into life next weekend. NONZWAKAZI CEKETE shares what's in store.

AN online dictionary describes lifestyle as a way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.

And the Lifestyle SA Festival will be celebrating these attitudes and values with thousands of Gautengers when the festival opens its doors at Gallagher Estate in Midrand next weekend. Your Distinctly African newspaper, City Press, is a media partner at this event celebrating all things lifestyle.

City Press brand manager, Siphokazi Mabo, says the festival is just the kind of event that will take the paper’s lifestyle section from print to reality.

“We are proud to be associated with such an event that celebrates black achievements and creates a platform where the much-talked about, fast-growing black middle class can attain holistic personal growth, as well as sustain financial success.”

To show how proud your Sunday read is, the paper will be hosting visitors in its own special lounge. The City Press lounge will host a MixMasters cocktail-making workshop, where mixologist Ben Ndumndum will give guests interactive lessons on how to make cocktails to please even the pickiest palate. This will just be the beginning of the fun-filled weekend.

Our gaming corner will attract friends and family for fun bonding sessions. Here guests will enjoy gaming exercises and brain teasers through the Nintendo Wii and recently launched Wii Fit. The Wii console comes with a collection of five sports – tennis, bowling, boxing, golf and baseball – so everyone can practise their swing in the reality-like games.

To add even more entertainment, City Press has invited an anonymous slam poet to a session of poetic justice. But what is entertainment without a touch of good old education? That is the part where celebrity award-winning musicians Jimmy Dludlu and Ringo Madlingozi will share sentiments on how artists build brands.

This premier social event is for anyone with an appetite for an Afropolitan lifestyle. It is the brainchild of three young ambitious entrepreneurs Shiru Githiomi, Zukisa Hani and Zuki Mzozoyana.

The Lifestyle SA Festival started in Cape Town last year and attracted more than 6 000 people a day.

It was such a huge success, the ladies decided to expand it to Johannesburg.

It is the same success that has attracted premium brands such as City Press, Lexus, Johnnie Walker, SABC television and Metro FM to be partners in this event.

Metro FM station manager Matona Sakupwanya says: “We are proud of who we are as Africans, and of how our Afropolitan lifestyle is an eclectic and ever-evolving mix of Western and indigenous influences.”

The festival will incorporate a high- energy lifestyle experience that includes lively panel discussions hosted by personal branding philosopher, Timothy Maurice Webster, entrepreneur and Apprentice SA runner-up Richard Ndlela, internationally acclaimed motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo and property expert Neal Peterson. The list is endless.

In the Engendering Wealthy Minds programme, an array of serious but entertaining money games and wealth-related conversations will take place on the main stage, which will be hosted by Old Mutual, FNB and Bond Choice.

Since it is a forum celebrating local talent in music, fashion and the arts, the festival’s entertainment line-up will include local heavyweights like Ringo, Siphokazi, HHP and Thandiswa Mazwai.

Jazz lovers will also enjoy soulful evenings with Dludlu, Lira and Metro FM DJs.

Comedians Loyiso Gala, Trevor Noah and rising star Tumi Morake will provide some light relief with their brand of comedy.

Cutting-edge local fashion with an emphasis on celebrating curves will see collections from Bongiwe Walaza, Mzansi Designers, Ottimo designs and Vukani Fashions dazzling the ramps.

Entry fee to the festival is R150 for one day, while a weekend pass will cost R250. Tickets are available at Computicket and at the door.

Your chance to win

City Press is giving away 10 double tickets for the Saturday May 17 event of the Lifestyle SA Festival and another 10 double tickets for the Sunday event. Two lucky readers will also win double tickets to the gala dinner to be held on Friday.

To win SMS CP/Lifestyle/Your town to 33818.

SMSes cost R1.50 and free minutes do not apply.

The competition closes on Tuesday at 17h00 and is limited to Gauteng readers only.

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