Every year for 15 days Grahamstown’s population almost doubles, as over 50 000 people flock to the city for a feast of arts, crafts and sheer entertainment. Every hall or large room becomes a theatre, parks and sport fields become flea markets, normally quiet streets have to be managed by an army of temporary traffic wardens, and every available bed in the city is booked.
The festival offers more than 500 shows from opera, cabaret, drama and jazz to stand-up comics and folk music.
While many come to take in the arts, others simply want to be here for the spectacle or to market products ranging from tie-dyed T-shirts and woven rugs to handmade jewellery and customised telephones. The festival operates out of the 1820 Settlers National Monument and is organised by the Grahamstown Foundation.
Visit the official website of the National Arts Festival www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
