MCQP- 17 December 2005

THIS YEAR'S THEME...

It's a Circus! for the Mother City's Queers

It's a Circus! for the Mother City's Queers, Queens, letties and lovelies, gays and straights, 17 December 05, is the date.

Roll-up, roll-up for the greatest show on Earth! The new organisers of Mother City Queer Projects, one of the world's most popular queer tribal gatherings, has selected 'It's a Circus!' as the official theme for this year's bash to be held on 17 December at the Ratanga Junction Theme Park.

André Vorster, MCQP founder, handed the reigns over to a consortium of five individuals undertaking to develop the event into what will become Cape Town's very own Mardi Gras Festival. The group comprises Richard Gradner and Raymond Bloom of Samurai Experiential Marketing, Egon Klein of the Opium Group and Henry Shields of Marimba Jazz Café at the CTICC as well as Sheryl Ozinsky, ex Cape Town Tourism chief.

Says Ozinsky, "The benefits of MCQP to tourism and the City of Cape Town are phenomenal. The event has put the City on the map as a gay friendly destination and has contributed to building brand Cape Town. Over 1,000 international party-goers plan their holidays to Cape Town around the MCQP event every year. A carnival inspired event would easily double this figure in years to come."

Well-known theatre personality Peter Hayes, one of the original inspirations behind the very first MCQP party themed the Locker Room Project, has been appointed Creative Director this year. Says Hayes, "Maybe you want to be a lesbian Lion Tamer, the Poodle Trainer, move over saw dust here comes Sore Lust, bearded ladies and hot hot-dogs, or will you be Mr. or is that Miss Candy Floss? The roof's so high at this year's venue that everyone is certain to fly! The Ratanga Junction Theme Park gives us space to do just that and dream big with decadent dance floors, canoodling corners, tarot readers and tattoos, rides, a sawdust ring, and shelter from the unpredictable Cape of Storms."

5,000 participants including bearded ladies, ringmasters, Bonkwell Willie's clowns, jugglers with their balls, trapeze artists, Big Tops, Beastly Masters and scantily clad acrobats are expected to flick-flack through flamed hoops to get their paws on tickets, which go on sale one month before the event at Computickets and selected outlets countrywide. At R150 for standard and R250 for VIP access, tickets are bound to sell faster than you can shake a tail feather at.

"Honoured, but with trepidation, I step into Andre's not just large but very high shoes! There is a new team of dynamic and talented creative people who are heading up MCQP who with Andre’s legacy and blessing will take this party to ever-greater heights. Let your dreams step out of your mind and into reality...and may all your parties be It's a Circus!," concluded Hayes.

See the pics from previous years! 2004 - "Jungle Fever" 2003 - "Kitsch Kitchen"

For further press comment, please contact Peter Hayes VIA Shelley Myers on Cell: 072 400 7146 or
Email: shellmyers@iafrica.com

MCQP GOES PUBLIC

The infamous, annual Cape Town spawned Mother City Queer Projects costume party, was revitalised recently when its dynamic founder, André Vorster handed the reigns over to a consortium of 5 individuals undertaking to develop the event into what could become Cape Town's very own Mardi Gras Festival.

One of the new shareholders, ex Cape Town Tourism chief Sheryl Ozinsky said that "the benefits of MCQP to tourism and the City of Cape Town were phenomenal. The event had put the City on the map as a gay friendly destination and had contributed to building brand Cape Town. Over 1,000 international party-goers plan their holidays to Cape Town around the MCQP event every year. A carnival inspired event would easily double this figure in years to come."

Shareholder and event organiser, Raymond Bloom from Samurai Experiential Marketing, says that he is delighted that André Vorster will continue to remain on board as a consultant to his own party over the next few years. He is excited to be working with an individual who has single-handedly created one of the finest annual events of its kind in the world.

THIS YEAR'S THEME
The official MCQP 2005 theme launch party is happening at Cruz bar, de Waterkant, Green Point on Thurs 6th October from 10pm. The 2005 theme will be announced, and the venue will be named. Watch this space for details!

See the pics from previous years!
2004 - "Jungle Fever"
2003 - "Kitsch Kitchen"


HISTORY of MCQP

The Mother City Queer Projects are a showcase of Queer Culture in Cape Town

How it all began
In 1994 Nelson Mandela ushered in the new South African constitution, which included the crucially important "freedom of sexual orientation" clause. The new Constitution blew-off the closet door - and out came Africa's pent-up queer creative energy which needed a platform on which to express itself. Mother City Queer Projects (MCQP) was born.

MCQP headed-up the need to showcase queer Culture. From this grew the idea of a queer tribal gathering formatted as a themed costume party. The first event in 1994, The Locker Room Project was such a hysterical success, that MCQP has grown and grown to become an annual event on the international queer circuit party calendar.

What we stand for
MCQP has the primary aim of bringing hetero and homosexuals together in a celebratory, unifying way, proving that differences of sexual orientation are simply part of any city's valuable cultural richness.

Many other cities around the world are still marching for their rights - in Cape Town we are celebrating our achievements.

How it works
Cape Town is made up of many queer tribes. Once a year, in December, they all get together for Africa's biggest queer tribal gathering - the annual MCQP costume party. This unique home-grown event has put Cape Town on international map of queer culture. It is planned over a period of 6 months, and culminates in weekend of celebration and splendid festivity. It has become a cultural phenomenon in the Mother City and attracts 1000's of visitors to Cape Town annually. International travel agents are chartering planes and planning trips for posses of pink playmates to come and taste our wildlife.

In addition to showcasing the richness of our city's creativity, the MCQP costume party also kicks-in the summer season with a memorably marvelous bash.

Visit the MCQP website