Top spots to celebrate Earth Hour 2014 in South Africa

Posted on 28 March 2014

Earth Hour is a global movement uniting people to protect the planet. Apart from switching off your lights for an hour on 29 March 2014, here are some places in South Africa to go to celebrate this world-wide movement.

Earth Hour 2014

Earth Hour was founded by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney in 2007 and is now embraced by 7001 cities and 152 nations across the globe. Apart from switching off your lights for an hour between 20h30 and 21h30 on Saturday, 29 March 2014, here are some places to go to celebrate this world-wide movement.

Earth Hour events in Cape Town

Earth Hour at the V & A Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the City of Cape Town host an evening of education, awareness and entertainment with documentary screenings and a candlelight performance by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.

From 20h30 all non-essential lights at the V&A Waterfront will be turned off and the audience will enjoy a candlelight performance by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. Cape Town’s finest classical musicians will entertain the crowd with their renditions of popular classics. The evening’s entertainment will end off with a 3D projection show like no other.

The concert is free and is a great way for the family to spend a night out, but you are advised to arrive early to ensure you secure a good seat. www.waterfront.co.za

Earth Hour Night Market at Hotel Verde

Celebrate Earth Hour 400m from Cape Town International Airport at Hotel Verde, Africa’s greenest hotel. Enjoy a festive evening with a low carbon footprint along with a variety of green crafters and artisans, live, acoustic music from local bands Touchwood and Grassypark, locally sourced, fresh food and wood fired pizzas, and organic wine and beer tastings. There will be entertainment for kiddies too.

The market starts at 18h00 and entrance is free. www.hotelverde.com

Dine in the Dark’ at Grande Provence

Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate in Franschhoek invites guests to ‘Dine in the Dark’ at 19h00 in support of Earth Hour with a 5 course signature menu created by Executive Chef, Darren Badenhorst. To reiterate Earth Hour’s mission, no lights will be turned on during dinner; instead guests will be surrounded by countless candles, to create a beautifully romantic ambience as the Estate’s way of showing respect to Mother Nature.

R750 per person and booking is essential. Tel 021-876-8600, email [email protected], www.grandeprovence.co.za.

Grande Provence in Franschhoek

Picnic under the stars at Steenberg Vineyards

Join Steenberg Vineyards for a moonlit picnic in aid of the planet. Arrive at 19h30, and collect your picnic basket (which includes a 10% wine voucher), and prepare for “lights out” from 20h30 – 21h30. As the lights go out, lanterns will be lit, allowing you to enjoy your picnic beneath the stars.

Picnic hampers are available for R200.00 per person, and offer Night Picnic, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian and children’s options. Wine sales will be available on the night. Pre booking is essential.

Tel 021-713-2222, email [email protected], www.steenberg-vineyards.co.za

Picnic on Fire at the Taalmonument

The Psychedelic Theatre’s fire troupe is back yet again with another captivating fire dance picnic at the Afrikaanse Taalmonument on Paarl Mountain on Saturday 29 March – this time with their third annual show in celebration of Earth Hour. The show is held as part of the Taalmonument’s summer picnic series in aid of the “Laat ons lees!“ reading project for children.

The picnic starts at 18h00. The performance starts at 20h30 in the Garden Theatre on the lawn right next to the monument. All electrical lights will be turned off and the 60 minute performance will rely on the human body and fire, accompanied by live acoustic music.

Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic baskets or they can order one from Volksmond Coffee Shop (tel 021-863-2800). Coffee, beer, wine and light refreshments will be for sale.

Tickets are R100 for adults, R80 for students and pensioners, and R30 for children under 13 year. Tickets are sold at www.ticketweb.co.za as well as at the Taalmonument.

Earth Hour events in Johannesburg

Earth Hour Photo Workshop with the Photowalkers

Join the Joburg Photowalkers for an evening at the Nizamiye Turkish Masjid Mosque with its 232 stained glass windows. The Mosque will be turning off its lights especially for the Photowalkers during Earth Hour and Consol Solar Jars will be used to light up the exterior and interior of this magnificent building.  The photo walk starts at 17h30 and booking is essential, as are tripods.

This magical evening costs R400 per person and includes having an accredited South African Professional Photographer on hand for four hours of hands-on educational and photographic fun. Booking is essential. www.thephotowalkers.com

Yoga by candlelight at The Yoga Village

Take part in a candlelit yoga class from 20h30 to 21h30, while enjoying magnificent views over Sandton. If you’ve never done yoga before, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try – it will be pretty dark, so no one will even notice that you can’t touch your toes! And if you’re a seasoned yogi, use your practice to thank and honour the earth. R70 per person and everyone is welcome! If you have any questions or would like to chat before the class, email [email protected].

Earth Hour Yoga

Lights out for Earth Hour at Joburg Zoo

Camp out in the zoo and enjoy the night life with a guided night walk, stargazing, or just laze around the bonfire for Earth Hour 2014.

Arrive at Anglogold Ashanti Conference Centre Gate from 17h00 (last entry at 18h00).  Entry R150 per person. Booking is essential. Tel 011-646-2000 (ext 216), www.jhbzoo.org.za.

Earth Hour events in Durban

Earth Hour at the Hilton

Earth Hour will be celebrated at Hilton Durban through a variety of activities including the installation of a giant sized wall mounting, complete with a painting of the Earth where team members and guests will be invited to pledge support for the initiative to go ‘Beyond The Hour’. The initiative will be accompanied by complimentary canapés and cocktails by candlelight in the hotel’s Rivets Bar.

The hotel will join hundreds of the more than 4,000 hotels and timeshare properties that are part of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands by switching off lights, as well as organising other projects for guests in demonstration of their commitment to live sustainably and take action by caring for the planet in the year ahead.

Tel 031-336-8100, http://durban.hilton.com

Dine with the sharks at uShaka

Why not use Earth Hour as a good opportunity to connect with your other half and go on a dinner date? The Cargo Hold Restaurant at uShaka is nestled in the stern of the Phantom Ship has superb views of the ocean and shark tank. Switch off your phones and enjoy each other’s company while tucking into freshly shucked oysters, Norwegian salmon, lamb shank, fillet steak and other delights off their extensive menu. Tel 031-328-8000, www.ushakamarineworld.co.za

Cargo Hold at uShaka

And on that note, take a look at at this Earth Hour video. Hopefully it will inspire you to switch off not only your lights for Earth Hour, but also your phones, iPads and computers.






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