A hybrid of ocean events

A revitalised Wavescape Surf and Ocean Festival, from Friday December 4 to Saturday December 12, will include outdoor films with The Galileo Open Air Cinema.

The partnership with Galileo will include drive-in surf movies in Constantia on Friday December 4 and an outdoor film at Kirstenbosch gardens on Thursday December 10.

These screenings will add a physical element to the programme of online and hybrid events hosted by Wavescape in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There will be online film festival days, while Oceans Alive Surf Night: Cape Town, Cold Water and Conservation will be a hybrid global event live from the Two Oceans Aquarium, featuring surfers and scientists from around the world on Monday December 7, and the flagship Slide Night of talks by ocean gurus goes online on Wednesday December 9.

The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), which supports shark conservation projects worldwide, resumes its long-standing relationship with Wavescape.

SOSF will present the outdoor photographic exhibit Wild Seas by National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak, which features his most iconic images from two decades of documenting the beauty and fragility of the world’s oceans.

SOSF has also teamed up with artist Chris Auret to create an ocean-conscious mural along the Sea Point Promenade.

Vans have provided 10 pairs of white sneakers to be decorated by local artists. These will be auctioned online during the festival.

The surfboard art exhibition has been streamlined into a once-off, one-of-a-kind art board by Brett Murray.

The skateboard art exhibition by Craig Cockcroft at The Shred in Paarden Eiland will take place on Saturday December 5.

Wavescape will collaborate with South African artist Yay Abe for this year’s artwork, utilising a theme of “adaptation” as the world slowly evolves into a post-pandemic future.

This year, with the support of the Wesgro film and promotion unit, Wavescape transforms the Blue Ocean Masterclass into a virtual discussion on film industry best practices and innovative initiatives to keep film shoots plastic free on Tuesday December 8.

The webinar will include conservation speakers and activists speaking on topics from virtual reality to shooting underwater.

There will also be a beach clean-up day, live performance and mural-making with Beach Co-op on Sunday December 6.

For more information and event times, visit www.wavescapefestival.com

Main festival tickets can be booked on Quicket, while the film festival tickets can be found at Galileo.