Switching on of the Festive Lights 2011
CAPE TOWN SUMMER SEASON IS HERE
Live music, fireworks, giant puppets, fire trucks, marching bands, radio and television personalities, soccer stars, My City busses, City services vehicles and over 80,000 people all in one place, this was the scene when City of Cape Town hosted the annual Switch On of Festive Lights event on Sunday 4 December 2011.
As the sun rose over the City centre on the day, hundreds of members of the City’s services department, traffic officials and event production teams worked tirelessly to put the finishing touches in preparation for one of the oldest traditions in the City, that of kicking of the festive season. 
The Cape Town Station Forecourt and Adderley Street was filled with a festive and family atmosphere as young and old enjoyed performances by local and national artists Hip Hop Pantsula, Jozi, Ruffest, Heavenly Quartez, Heal the Hood Hip-Hop Showcase, Larry Joe, Die Campbells, Lady Liscious (ex La Vuvuzela) and the Festive Lights Showcase – an ensemble led by Camillo Lombard and featuring leading Cape Town musicians and vocalists including Karen Kortje, Alistair Izobell and Loukmaan Adams.
New to this year’s Switch on celebrations was the introduction of “live television” on Adderley Street. This saw an interactive four hour show where celebrity reporters interacted through live camera crossings with audience members during the event. This was relayed on LED screens and speakers placed along the street ensuring that all are included in the day’s celebrations.
The evening saw City of Cape Town Executive Mayor Alderman Patricia de Lille joined on stage for the switch on moment by a number of celebrities including radio personalities Soli Philander, Guy MacDonald, Irma G as well as television personalities Christo Davids, Elana Afrika and Chantal Stanfield. 
Addressing those gathered, the Executive Mayor called on residents and visitors to work with the City to ensure a restive and safe festive season.
“Let us all take time this festive season to rest, but most importantly take advantage of the time at home to spend with our families. While we enjoy ourselves this festive season, let us also make sure that we keep our children safe. Thank you to all those who have worked so hard, particularly the City’s service departments, to make sure that this event is a success but also for ensuring that as a City we are ready for the festive season”.
With a countdown led by Soli Philander together with the audience, the big moment arrived when with the waving of an illuminated wand, the Executive Mayor set off a burst of fireworks and festive explosion as Adderley Street irradiated with some of the best lights instillations ever seen in the over 40 year history of the lights.
According to City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Marketing, Councillor Grant Pascoe, this event was the start of a series of events supported by the City over the festive season.
“The level and type of events we host as a City speaks to our pride in being Africa’s Grandest City, events we are proud to be behind including amongst others the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/2012 Cape Town Stop Over, Kirstenbosch Concerts, Minstrel Carnival, J&B Met, Suidoosterfees, CT Carnival, Cape Argus Pick and Pay Cycle Tour, ABSA Cape Epic and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.”
The Switch On of the Festive Lights also saw audience members win a number of prizes through an on-site SMS and Facebook competition. The following have each won a family trip to Table Mountain courtesy of the City of Cape Town: Helio Lobo, Nombasa Feti, Thabisa Kunyani and Laeqah van Reenen while the following have each won an HTC ChaCha cellphone compliments of HTC: Jonathan May, Kamal Achmed, Hendrina Snyders, Nombuliso Brookwe and Marcel Claasen.
