Cape Town - A remodelled and improved Community Chest Carnival will be back next month with a new lifestyle concept after it was cancelled last year.
Jo Pereira, head of corporate investor relations at Community Chest, said the event was cancelled last year for the first time in 65 years because it was not profitable.
“It wasn’t a lack of funding, but it wasn’t run profitably. At the end of the day it is for charity, so we remodelled it to the taste of every person.”
Last year, chief executive Lorenzo Davids said the decision to pull the plug weeks before the event was “tragic and devastating”.
At the time he said there had been dwindling support from corporates and individual donors over the past five years, to the point where donations had dropped by 70 percent.
On Tuesday, Pereira said there had been a huge amount of support from investors and communities.
“The support has been great and there are tons of sponsors from vendors to be part of the carnival.
“It is South Africa’s biggest charity event with a new organic lifestyle concept. Historically it draws a crowd of 100 000 people over four days.”
The new concept will include a skateboard park, space for exhibitors, Lego, massive chessboards, scrabble and graffiti.
“In terms of live entertainment, there will be artists, hip hop and a variety of shows to display South Africa’s talent.”
She added that the carnival, in its traditional home of Maynardville Park in Wynberg, will showcase talent that Cape Town has to offer.
The tickets for the first two days - February 25 and 26 - are R30 for adults, R10 for children aged 6-18 and R5 for pensioners.
The tickets for February 27 and 28 are R30 for everyone.
Cape Argus