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The Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency is pulling out all the stops to host a major community event in Central to celebrate the area's heritage.
And, renowned actor Winston Ntshona, has given the event his blessing.
"The Bird Street Bash is the first event of its kind and aims to bring together the entire Central community - both residential and business - to celebrate the suburb, the heart of heritage, and to engage the community on the infrastructural and other upgrades planned for the inner city," said Dorelle Sapere, MBDA Planning and Development Manager.
"Central is the creative, Afro-cosmopolitan, heritage centre of our city - and our planning is based on the premise that it will soon also be the tourism, leisure and entertainment heart. The Bird Street Bash is somewhat a precursor to this vision."
The MBDA has recently completed the upgrade of the Donkin Reserve, and Parliament, Govan Mbeki and Strand Streets and now turns its attention to the Bird Street and Belmont Terrace precincts which will undergo a total transformation.
The agency said the precinct upgrade was part of its phased approach to turning the inner city around and creating "activity space" that has emotional meaning for the city's residents.
"The incredible outcome of the revitalization is spinoffs in the private sector. Innovators in the city have latched on to the infrastructural upgrades and public art programmes and manifested their own expressions of change - the exact outcome wanted by the MBDA," added Sapere.
Prime examples of this are the Grand Hotel, Port Elizabeth St Georges Club and Donkin Row houses upgrades; but also less tangible outcomes, such as the growth of inner city youth projects, new coffee shops and venues and an ever-expanding arts scene.
The Agency said the Bird Street Bash community event will leverage the excitement for change and will: engage the entire community, celebrate heritage through the identification of physical and geographical elements of the area and introduce the proposed upgrade to Bird Street. Detailed focus would be on Trinder Square and its conversion to a communal area for all.
The line-up for the event is impressive, with legendary playwright, actor and Port Elizabeth performing arts stalwart Dr Winston Ntshona set to take the stage as keynote speaker at 2pm. Ntshona wrote the 1973 play, The Island with theatre icon, Athol Fugard and John Kani, colleague in the Serpent Players actor ensemble, in which he and Kani starred. Ntshona and Kani were co-winners of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for their performance in both The Island and Sizwe Banzi is Dead, which he also co-wrote.
An eclectic mix of Nelson Mandela Bay bands will entertain the masses, and include VuDu Jazz Band, The Brothers and a marimba band. Central underground hip hop guru and Algoa FM presenter Viv Bozak will host as master of ceremonies.
The Bird Street Bash takes place on Saturday, September 29 at Trinder Square between Bird Street and Western Road in Central. It is a free community event. Gates open at 10am.
