Overall Season: Saturday 10 – Friday 23 December
The seventh uMhlanga Summer Festival gets underway with the season gaining momentum shortly after the KZN schools close for the year.
The first event of the season on the uMhlanga main beach takes place on 10 and 11 December and is the annual Lizzard Surf Championship supported by Hurricane Surf. The surfing competition will certainly shred waves on the main beach with top local and national surfers on the cards to participate.
The Beach Festival starts on 12 December and continues until 23 December where people are encouraged to participate and join in the fun and games on the magnificent uMhlanga Millennium Stage with daily activities planned around the main beach as well as on the stage
The second event is the Mr and Miss uMhlanga Beauty Pageant hosted by Just Juice where this year’s finalist will be crowned on Friday 16 December on the Millennium Stage. No stranger to the ramp, pageant co-ordinator, Kevin Ellis is renown in Durban for his gorgeous clothing designs. Previous winners include Kayla Booth now an international model and dancer, and, Ashley Eddy who went on to win the Mr uShaka. The event is open to 100 participants and hopeful contestants are invited to enter. Entry forms are available on www.umhlangafestivals.co.za or at the uMhlanga Tourism office or you can pick a form up from the Just Juice promoters on the beach.
The third event is the Carols by Candlelight evening at Granada Square on Thursday 15 December. The event takes place under the stars in the courtyard square of the hottest spot on the uMhlanga strip. The evening is hosted by the charming Katy Moore with the gorgeous vocalist Haylea Hounsom performing as the soloist.. Getting the festive cheer rolling, sing along to the ol’ favourites like Away in a Manger; Joy to the World; Silent Night; Once in Royal David’s City and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. As part of the show, this year includes a number of young performers who will be singing and dancing including a special entertaining reindeer number which promises to delight the crowds.
Father Christmas will be arriving in style riding on the back of a shiny Harley Davidson. Carollers are invited to bring an unwrapped toy that will be gifted to an under privilege child coordinated by Rotary Umhlanga.
The growing sport of trail running starts as the sun rises on Sunday 18 December when hundreds of runners and walkers will take to the trails to participate in the December uMhlanga Tourism Trail Run and Walk in conjunction with Riverside Trails. Three routes will challenge runners of varying fitness, with the longest tackling single tracks, hills and rivers over a distance of 18km or the shorter 12 km, then for the less experienced gentler 5km distance inviting novices and the younger folk to get out and be active.
Prizes are up for grabs. The entry fees are R140 for 18km, R120 for 12km and R70 for the 5km for all online entries. Online entries close on Thursday 15 December. Late entries on the day are R20 extra for all distances. Parking is available along Lagoon Drive. For more info visit www.umhlangatrailrun.co.za or to enter, go to www.roag.co.za
For more info please visit www.umhlangatourism.co.za or like the uMhlanga Tourism Facebook page.
