Jack Daniels Boomtown 2017

For many, Winter signals the time where people would rather be indoors, snuggled up under a blanket and binge watching TV, mainly because of the cold weather, fortunately for us on the East Coast of South Africa, we need not go to such drastic measures as the weather God's have blessed us with a Winter that is far from hibernation standard. Hence making Durban the ideal party destination for everyone, and with this in mind there is no bigger party than the Vodacom Durban July, which is held annually on the first Saturday of July. Africa's biggest horse racing event just grows in statue and prestige every year, with the crowds increasing as the years go by, organisers pull out all the stops to ensure the event is not only a successful one but better than the last.

Ask anyone who attends the Vodacom Durban July which is the best and biggest marquee and they will all give you the same answer, Jack Daniels Boomtown! In its 9th year at the Races, BoomTown together with Jack Daniel's and powered by VUZU AMP promises to be the finest lifestyle marquee at Africa's biggest horse racing event. BoomTown combines the exciting sport of horseracing with an extraordinary music-line up and premium lounges with luxurious design and decor. It also features front line views of the racetrack for as close as possible racing action. The fashion, hospitality and urban lifestyle experienced at BoomTown is unrivaled and it's one of the key reasons why people keep coming back year after year. 

This years Music line-up see's the biggest and best that Mzanzi has to offer to grace the stage at BoomTown, organisers ask that you be prepared to experience the music and whisky at its finest as Mafikizolo, AKA, Cassper Nyovest, Riky Rick, Nasty C, Black Motion, Shekinah, Sketchy Bongo, DJ Fresh, DJ Shimza, Glen Lewis, DJ Capital, Du Boiz, DJ Milkshake, DJ Dimplez and DJ Vigilante and more rock the BoomTown stage!

Tickets are now on sale and available via Computicket and range from General Access, VIP, VVIP and Platinum Tower (a new brand offering). For Group Bookings, contact Glynnis at the BoomTown Events Office on: 060 00 3768 or e-mail: sales1@boomtownevents.co.za. More information on tickets, click here, prices below. 

GA 

General Access - R690  

VIP

VIP Individual Package - R2190

VIP Private Tables R3500 per person (Tables of 10 or 20)

Private Lounges R3500 per person (Minimum of 10 people) 

VVIP

VVIP Individual Package - R2950

VVIP Private Tables R3990 per person (Tables of 10 or 20)

Private Lounges R3990 per person (Minimum of 10 people)

Platinum - R6750

Gateway's Vodacom Durban July Preview Fashion Show & Concert

Durban is gearing up for one of its most anticipated events of the calendar, its probably the biggest horse racing event on the continent and grows bigger every year. In preparation for this mammoth event of fashion, beauty and horse racing, Gateway, Theatre of Shopping is hosting it's annual Durban July Preview Fashion Show & Concert. Apart from the July, this is one event you want to be at! 

Gateway, which is Durban's one stop mall for everything fashion related hosts a yearly preview fashion show which in the past has proven to be a massive success. The preview fashion show has their tenants displaying the latest trends and designs for people to purchase and look their best for the Vodacom Durban July. This years theme for the Vodacom Durban July is the The Colour of Magic and exhibitors are sure to bring out the best in colour and magic, Gateway has as well with confirmed hosts being local magician Mo Magic and Durban born beauty, Shashi Naidoo! Naidoo is no stranger to Gateway as she participated in last years Celeb Chef Showdown which was hosted at Gateway. 

Apart from the Fashion, the big draw card is definitely the after party, with some of the biggest names in SA music invited to perform. This year see's the likes of Nasty C, Aewon Wolf, Kyle Deutsch, DJ Ready D, Tresor, Timo ODV, Ryki and Sketchy Bongo. Tickets for the concert are available now at webtickets for R80 or R100 at the venue. Make sure you get yours now before they sell out. It's sure to be the party to be at before the Vodacom Durban July. 

Krispy Kreme Durban

Well if you didn't know already, Krispy Kreme has hit the East Coast of South Africa! Yes, the doors were officially open to the public this morning at 7am and judging by the mass sleep-out over night, many of the locals couldn't wait to get their hands on the sugary goodness! I was lucky enough to attend the VIP opening on Monday night where members of the media and local celebs got to experience not only the delicious selection of donuts and drinks but also go behind the scenes to see how the donuts are made!

With much fanfare, the VIP opening was all that it was hyped up to be, with local artists consisting of Kyle Deutsch, DJ Deemo and Sketchy Bongo wowing the crowds with their chart topping hits and the Fudart food truck providing mouth watering burgers to whet the appetites of the guests before the opening of the store. Guests were then led in by limited numbers so they could get the full Krispy Kreme experience. Servers greeted us with big smiles and asked us to select any 12 donuts of our choice to fill up the dozen box, the selection is phenomenal! From the original glazed to the gourmet, of which the New York Cheesecake was my favourite, everything was packed and fresh! Along with our box of 12, each guest received a dozen of original glaze to go along with it. 

Next up was choosing our beverage of choice, Krispy Kreme is renowned for their great coffee's which compliment their donuts oh so well but being Durban, I needed something to cool me down from the humidity. They have a great range of chilled drinks too, I opted for the Peanut butter & cookie milkshake which was incredible! We were then given a guided tour of the kitchen, which started off with the making of the dough for the great donuts, it then gets put into the giant donut making machine, called the 270, which can make 3274 donuts in an hour on full production! The dough makes it way through the cutters which cut and shape it, it then goes through the proving conveyor and then dropped into the hot oil river, flipped over to ensure even frying and then almost immediately gets galzed to seal in that freshness and great flavour. It is essentially ready to eat right then but they pass through a cooler which cools them down for further prep. 

For the gourmet donuts, they then get taken to different stations for the various toppings. I tried my hand and making a few and I have to say, it's a skillful art that needs lots of patience and lots of practice to perfect! Working with the delicate donuts is no easy feat as I learned the hard way with my first failed attempt but eventually I sort of got the hang of it and got a thumbs up from Kwanele my helpful supervisor. All in all it was a great experience and a fantastic way to summon the opening of a great global franchise on our door steps. I can foresee myself going back again and again for more Krispy Kremey goodness, and if you're in the Umhlanga area, be on the look out for the "Hot Now" red sign, which this is switched on, it means there is fresh donuts in production!

Pictures by Al Nicoll photography

Corona Sunsets Festival - Joburg

Following the HUGE success that was Corona Sunsets Festival in Cape Town at the end of last year, the organizers decided to take the festival up country to Johannesburg. The sounds of Deep House will be hitting the Ground at Muldersdrift on the 1st of April and no that is no April's Fool joke. Attendees can look forward to a host of artists including three international headliners! Confirmed for the Joburg leg are, Robin Schulz, Gorgon City and Lovebirds, who will be performing on two live stages. 

The Griffin Stage features the likes of Kid Fonque, Jullian Gomes, Jazzuelle, Lulo Cafe, Chris de Vos, Da Capo, Phat Jack, Ricky H and Tomorrows Will with Lovebirds headling. 

At the Crow Stage, you can catch The Milk Bar Kid, The Kiffness, Pop Art, Tresor, Kyle Deutsch, Aewon Wold, Sketchy Bongo, Strange Loving, Kentphonik, Timo ODV, Black Motion, Culoe de Song and Gorgon City and Robin Schulz bringing the Festival to an end. 

Early Bird tickets are on sale and are selling fast! So better get yours now before the next phase of ticketing kicks in. If Cape Town was anything to go by, Joburg you definitely don't want to miss out on this one! 

For more information, please see details below

Facebook: Corona Sunsets - Joburg

But Tickets: Corona Sunsets JHB

Corona SunSets Festival 2016

As far as musical festivals has to go, I can confidently say that last Friday's Corona Sunsets Festival was easily one of the best I've attended. Whilst it might not be the biggest, it did draw close to 6,000 people, couple that with the most gorgeous setting and venue for an event, add some of the best artists locally and internationally and you have yourself one hell of a show! The setting couldn't be more perfect, The Bungalow in Clifton, nestled on the coastline of the Atlantic with Lions head over looking and the 12 Apostles on the side, it really was stunning setting. The set up was just as awesome, with the SunSet projection stage having the back of Lions head behind it, dance floor prepped with beach sand, shaded areas for you to chill in and a host of bars serving ice cold Corona's or Corona inspired cocktails and food stalls for those in attendance. For those who wanted something a little extra, there was the VIP area at the Bungalow. 

There's a lot to celebrate with local SA music and that was evident from the stellar line up, with Tresor, Cara Frew, Kyle Deutsche, Sketchy Bongo, Strange Loving, Crazy Whiteboy and Kyle Watson taking charge of the stage till sunset, when the international headliners took over. First up was Sam Feldt, the Dutch DJ who was accompanied by a violinist on stage really got the crowd going with  his hits such as Runaways and Summer on You. Next up was a local lass who has been making quite a name for herself abroad, Nora En Pure her track Back to the Beach was a firm favourite with many and she even dropped her latest track 'Diving with Whales', onto the finale for the night, the much anticipated Duke Dumont, performing for the first time in the country really stole the show. It was everything we anticipated and more. The awesome projections onto the main stage were mesmerizing to say the least and the show ended with a brilliant flame and pyrotechnic exhibition but nothing to loud or big to disturb the locals. 

Honestly, this was one of the best events I've been to, quality all around, from set up to the artists and venue. If Corona SunSets comes back in 2017, you can bet your bottom dollar I'd be back there again...with more sunblock this time round though.  

Corona Sunsets Festival - Cape Town

As 2016 draws to an end, everyone will be keen on getting on with the festive season and the holidays for most of us. Much attention will be paid to the hottest parties around the country and while most focus will be on the New Years Eve Parties there is no doubt that the biggest one left for the year is the Corona SunSets Festival taking place in one of the most iconic settings in the country, which is also well known for it's epic sunsets, Camps Bay, Cape Town. Taking place on Friday the 16th of December, which is a public holiday, the Global Corona SunSets Festival see's some of the biggest names in Deep House take the stage for what is to be one of the best parties of the year. 

The line up is nothing short of amazing with international artist such as headliners Duke Dumont, Sam  Feldt and Nora En Pure, who are over due to a visit to South Africa. The rest of line up is made up of some of the biggest names in South African house music, Timo ODV, Kyle Watson, Strange Loving, Chunda Munki &; Vimo, Crazy White Boy, Goodluck, Tresor, Sketchy Bongo, Aewon Wolf, Kyle Deutsch, Shekinah, Cara Frew and dj low. This years celebrations focus on the 'mood shift' moment at sunset, ignited by melodic and deep house music a sound that defines the magic of the sunset moment. Corona SunSets is the everyday manifestation of 'This is Living' - the brand's new global marketing campaign that reminds people to go outside, enjoy life and live more moments that matter. 

"Corona believes the best version of ourselves is when we're outside, living life fully," said Thiago Zanetti, Global Vice President, Corona. "Corona is excited to celebrate SunSets for a third year, and to bring people an experience where they can reconnect with their best self, outside. Sunsets mark the transition from the busyness of everyday life to a state of renewal, and it's a moment where we'll united people worldwide in that transformation" added Zannettini.

Festival Details:

Date: Friday, 16 December 2016

Time: 12PM (Noon) - 11PM

Venue: The Corona SunSets Oval and The Bungalow, Clifton

Ticket Details:

Sunrise (Early Bird) tickets: R250  SOLD OUT

Sunshine (Phase 1) ticket: R350     SOLD OUT

Sunset (Phase 2) tickets: R450       SOLD OUT

Eclipse (Phase 3) tickets: R550*

*Prices exclude booking fee

All tickets available exclusively at coronaextra.co.za NOW!

For more information on the Corona SunSets experiences, please visit www.CoronSunSets.com