After a three-year hiatus, the Mother City Queer Project (MCQP) returns in December, under new management.
The event, themed Back to the Future, will take place at Cabo Beach Club on Saturday December 16.
The first MCQP event, created by architect Andre Vorster and artist Andrew Putter, took place in 1994, and was catalysed by the fall of apartheid and the ground-breaking inclusion of LGBTQIA+ rights in the new democratic South Africa’s Constitution, according to a statement.
Now, 29 years later, events company Southern Live will host the event after the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shut down the entertainment industry.
Ronen Klugman, co-founder of Southern Live, said they were excited to take MCQP on its new journey.
He said when he and his team took on the project, they didn’t realise the responsibility they had taken on in terms of what MCQP meant to the community involved, and what it had done for people. He said they quickly understood that it means more to the community than an eight-hour party.
He said after many conversations, community involvement and understanding what makes MCQP important, they were able to launch their first event as owners of the brand on December 16.
“For us its about switching on the light. We want to take it on the next journey. We have big plans, we want it to be a space of collaboration, celebrating artists and allowing people to have a voice through our space.”
He said the theme Back to the Future was conceptualised by looking back at the bravery, love and energy that has gone into creating the legacy in MCQP, and also looking into what the future will hold for us and taking this forward.
Drag performer Cheshire Vineyard they she was first introduced to MCQP in 2014 and it was one of the spaces she felt a sense of community. ”There were so many people coming together to celebrate and explore queerness.“
This was also the first time they saw drag queens, dancers and musicians on stage and it was a beautiful representation of the rich queer culture.
“A decade later, we are witnessing the rebirth of MCQP. There is so much that has developed in Cape Town when it comes to the LGBTI+ community.”
Mr Klugman said MCQP was more than a party — it is a celebration of South Africa’s diverse community, a welcome home, a showcase of creativity, and a chance to honour the event’s past while embracing a future together in a safe space.
The event will take place from 6pm to 2am. Tickets cost R450 and are available at Howler.
