Easter in Joburg

We didn't spend Easter in Joburg ... but it doesn't mean it didn't happen here ... big time. There were plenty of celebrations, festivals and food events.

There were holiday weekend celebrations at the mega and mini-malls like Sandton City where there was a Bunny Garden, kiddie rides on an electric train, chocolate workshops, children's coloring competitions, and of course shopping for that perfect Easter bonnet.

Over in the CBD, the folks at Dlala Nje put on an old fashioned Easter egg hunt at Ponte City. The hunt was for the kids in the building as well as some needy ones in shelters in and around Hillbrow. All in all, they organized a good ol' fashioned Easter Sunday scramble for at least 600 kids.




Easter dining options? There were plenty.

At Piccolo Mondo in the Michelangelo Hotel you had a choice of an "Egg"stensive Easter celebration buffet lunch or the Chef's Easter special choice menu with wine pairings. Central One restaurant at the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel offered a 3 course Easter Menu with a complimentary bottle of house wine.

For a more bucolic setting for Easter, there was the Granita Restaurant at the Kievits Kroon Country Estate in Kameeldrift in the Winelands in Gauteng, Or the Maropeng Boutique Hotel in the Cradle of Mankind with many "egg"citing events for the whole family to enjoy with Easter themed activities and visits by the Easter bunny. TSG Fourways provided the perfect Easter Sunday meal at its Leaping Frog Garden Centre. The Easter Bunny was there too for an Easter egg hunt.



Then there were the festivals.

A Tuscan Easter? On the beach? You had it at the Montecasino Easter Beach Festival. That's right, the Montecasino Outdoor Piazza was transformed into a beach paradise for the weekend and was the site of their Easter festivities. Not to be outdone, Emperor's Palace had an Easter Garden and Easter egg hunt on Sunday in their earlier Roman venue (as in Jesus's time), the D'Oreale Gardens Of Vespasian.

Pop-up markets were huge too over the long holiday weekend. The Rand Show at the Joburg Expo Centre and Kamers in Bryanston to name two. They looked like fun.

Now in its 5th year, the Nissan Easter Festival once again delivered 10 days worth of celebrations with equestrian events, entertainment and fun for the whole family. Dressage and showjumping and the InterAfrica Cup.

I am mostly sorry though that we missed a chance to see and hear Joyous Celebration, South Africa`s leading gospel ensemble with traditional and contemporary spiritual hymns and original compositions. Joyous Celebration is the Multi - Platinum selling, 40 plus member ensemble featuring the cream of South Africa`s gospel talent including Mthunzi Namba, Jabu Hlongwane, Charisma and Xolani Mdlalose just to name a few, and conducted by Lindelani Mkhiz. Next year I hope (although we will probably head out again, this time to Madagascar or Mauritius or maybe the Seychelles for Easter.)

some crafts for sale at the Organic Market

Our local haunts also celebrated the Easter season in their own ways. Bryanston Organic Market offered Easter crafts and activities during their regular market hours on Holy Thursday and Saturday.

Or I could have promenaded and worn my Easter bonnet at the weekly Neighbourgoods Market on Easter Sunday itself.

Baby white lion cubs play with Easter eggs at the Lion Park

It's Africa, right? There were more than just the same old Easter bunnies and chicks hopping around. How about the Easter white lions at the Lion Park? Or the Easter rhino at the Johannesburg Zoo. Talk about a wild Easter!