The Abantu Book Festival which is following on from its amazing debut year has announced the line-up for its second edition, which takes place on 7-10 December 2017.
The Abantu Book Festival hit the South African literary scene with a bang when it ran from December 06 – 10, 2016 in Soweto, Johannesburg. The festival founded by author Thando Mgqolozana with his team set up an event that produced many memories that will be embraced by both the artists and the audience for many many years.
The second run of the festival is set to happen in the second week of December and will be hosted as in the last year at the Eyethu Lifestyle by day and the Soweto Theatre by night. Yep. It’s a festival that has a work-by-day space and a let-your-hair-down-evenings-that-are-almost-like-a-religious-experience-by-night space. (I apologise for gushing but when folks start singing the South African national anthem without the Afrikaner part like they did that shit will fry your brain).
So who will you be joining at the brain frying festival? Some of the best poets, novelists, playwrights, biographers, literary scholars, activists and thinkers will feature on the festival program. Some of the more well-known names attending are Zakes Mda, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Zubeida Jaffer, Gcina Mhlophe, Grace Musila, Kopano Matlwa, Ayobami Adebayo, Keorapelse Kgositsile, Mandia Langa, Shubnum Khan, Sisonke Msimang, Zethu Matebeni, Redi Tlhabi, Lebo Mashile and Pumla Dineo Gqola.
So if you happen to be in Johannesburg in December this year, I couldn’t recommend that you go to this festival more. If you went last year, you don’t have to be prompted but if you missed it, I’m looking at you Freddy Tshikala, then you don’t want to miss it.
You can follow the events in the festival at their social media channels of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also have a taste of what was on their YouTube channel.
See you in December Joburg.
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