Vodacom Winter Festival empowering Newcastle communities

South Africa's largest four day festival, the Vodacom Winter Festival, will be returning to Newcastle between 27 - 30 April 2011. Since becoming title sponsors in 2002, Vodacom, together with event organizers, the Newcastle Sakekamer, have been able to donate more than R1 million towards welfare projects, organisations and school feeding projects in the surrounding communities. This year's event is as big and exciting as ever, with over 350 exhibitors confirmed, over 45 000 expected to attend, as well a jam-packed entertainment programme.

Alberts Breed, Vodacom KZN's Managing Executive, said that "community empowerment is most definitely one of Vodacom's core drivers. Together with the hardworking Newcastle Sakekamer, Vodacom is immensely proud to have been able to donate more than R1 million towards welfare projects, organisations and school feeding projects within Newcastle and the surrounding communities, since joining the Vodacom Winter Festival as the title sponsor in 2002. As an event it boasts impressive longevity, charity and huge popularity, and Vodacom is looking forward to growing this event even further over the coming years".

The expected 45 000-strong crowd who are expected to descend upon the Newcastle Show Grounds for the 22nd edition of the Vodacom Winter Festival will be treated to a jam-packed entertainment programme aimed at catering for all the cultural groups in KwaZulu Natal, Free State and Mpumalanga. Visitors to South Africa's biggest four day festival can enjoy performances from Cordelia, Eclipse, Joe F, L'vovo Derrango, eight-man Cappella Group Navi Redd, Nicolus Louw, Romanz, Snotkop, Watershed and a Bangra.

Fireworks for Africa, the company who were responsible for the spectacular FIFA World Cup 2010 fireworks displays at the FIFA World Cup 2010 Opening and Closing Ceremonies, will be putting on a dazzling display, as will balancing maestro Len Ashton. Ashton can balance anything on his chin, including kayaks, wheelbarrows, chairs, tables, children, and even crocodiles! The athletes from WWP Wrestling will also be performing. Local television programme Fiesta will also be in attendance, so make sure you are spotted by their cameras if you want to be on TV!

Johan Pieters, Vodacom Winter Festival Committee Member said that "this event continues to grow, and we are enormously thankful to Vodacom for the support that they give us. Having reached the milestone of donating over R1 million to community empowerment projects, we are even more motivated to continue working hard to ensure that this event is a success".