Be part of the world wide celebration of Earth Hour on Saturday 27th March 2010 at the Village Green in Stanford! After the success of Stanford’s 2009 Earth Hour,  it was decided to enhance this event and create a fund-raising opportunity in support of Overberg Conservation Foundation.

With the Cape Town Jazz Fest taking  place 3 days after Earth Hour, the timing was perfect to organise a Mini Jazz Festival in our own village.  The Stanford restaurants will function as Jazz Venues for that evening, and the purchase of a ticket for R60 will gain entrance to all restaurants bordering the Village green and the High street. You are encouraged to meander the High Street restaurants and sample all the delicious foods, company and music on offer.

The event is proud to host Chad Zerf, pianist and vocalist from the UCT school of Jazz, getting ready to perform with George Benson himself at the Cape Town Jazz Fest; Morne Katz - brilliant guitarist and vocalist/pianist; Michaela Faye Kruger in an excellent chocolate Jazz trio at the Art Cafe; Overberg’s very own icon, Piano Ben, will charm audiences with his professional smooooooth sounds at Evergrines; Les Witz at Paprika’s on Saxophone - toe tapping Dixie Jazz man, hat and all!  Johan Dowries from Hawston with the Gospel for the King Jazz Band will be on at Stanford Arms Hall.  On the Blues/ Jazz side famous SA musician Valient Swart, guitarist and vocalist, will be at Gypsies! For those looking for a great ‘knees up’, Mississipi Disco will be at La Finestra.

The Street Market begins at 3pm. The High Street will be closed to traffic and Stanford will turn into a mini New Orleans with treats and eats, pumpkins and pony rides.  The stores and antique shops will stay open late spilling their wares onto the High Street and the stoeps of Stanford.

The Earth Hour picnic on the Green will start at around 6pm. Local award winning produce will be on sale, and visitors can fill their picnic baskets.

The Church bells of the area will peal across the Kleinriver to mark the much awaited 100 million strong global movement of  Earth Hour, when the lights suddenly switch off at 8:30pm plunging the Village Green into Galaxies and Starlight.  The Hermanus Astronomy Society will have star pointers and be available for anyone interested in learning about the night sky.

At 10pm, the Jazz Fest will begin in the restaurants bordering the Green and along the High Street, introduced by a Sax playing “Oh what a wonderful world” across the Village Green. Contact Stanfordinfo or the Art Cafe to book your tickets.

Bollywood comes to the Overberg! This Saturday evening, November 21st, the Stanford Rotarians will be hosting an evening of Eastern delights at the Birkenhead brewery from 7pm till late. Tickets are available from Stanfordinfo for R150/head.

The evening kicks off with an enchanting eastern cabaret presented by The Dance Variations Company, in conjunction with The Liesel Trollope School of Dance. You will be entertained by dances from Kashmir, the Bollywood Ballet, North India and a finale all the way from the Taj Mahal.

The sumptuous 3 course meal starts off with Gujerati Soup ‘Sarki’ and goes on to include other exotic curries such as Kashmiri Koftas, Marswangan Korma, Tandoori Murghi,  Rogan Josh,  Chettinad Malaidar,  Goan Kath Katha,  Masoor Dal aur Band Gobi served with Masaledar Basmati and Til Ki achaar, Kheere ka raita and Gajar ka Kheere achaar. For those still feeling peckish after this astounding array of dishes, a Coconut layer cake with toasted almond toffee and banana should fill the gap.

There will be prizes for the best dressed, although Indian dress is optional. This promises to be a night of fun, good food and great entertainment and all proceeds go to the local charities supported by the Stanford Rotary Club. Previous projects have already kitted out 3 junior football teams, and Rotary’s very active soup kitchen brings a warm nutritious meal into many hungry tummies every day.

Come and join the party and support the local charities, just in time for the festive season!