April 19, 2004
By Lucky Sindane
ABOUT 124 000 visitors streamed into the Rand Show on the final two days - mostly young people coming to party along with the Metro FM music festival on Saturday 17 April and the Y-FM music festival on Sunday 18 April.
Fun for the whole family at the Rand Show
Saturday saw 64 000 visitors pass through the gates, with 60 000 pouring into the showgrounds on Sunday. The last time the Rand Show saw such figures on a single day was in 1997.
People came from as far as KwaZulu-Natal for the final days' bashes in the main arena. Young people, dressed to impress in their bling-bling best, arrived in party mood - with the minibus taxis booming out the latest hits. Some revellers were disappointed when they were refused entry with their bottles of alcohol.
Metro's music happening featured the likes of Kabelo, TK, KB, Loyiso and Swazi & Sliq Angel among others, sending out an eclectic mix of soundwaves ranging from pop to house, R&B to the beats that are uniquely South African.
Y-FM's festival featured hip hop stars Pitch Black Afro, Mandoza, Mzekezeke featuring Brown Dash, Skwatta Kamp, Zola featuring Unathi, Mapaputsi, Trompies, H2O, ZUBZ, Pebbles and Proverb, Andy Magazz and Arthur featuring Zombo, Speedy, Lira and the 999 stable. Some of the Y-FM faithful danced from the start to the end of the festival.
Organisers of the Rand Show said that a total of 470 000 people attended the show, which opened on 2 April. According to research statistics, 80 percent of Rand Show visitors were adults (five percent up on 2003 figures), which reiterates previous research that the Rand Show is seen as the ultimate shopping destination for home and leisure purchases by Gauteng's buying public.
"A careful mix of 17 days, solid advertising and marketing, 550 local and international exhibitors, a 10 000kg record-breaking cake, three awesome music concerts featuring 42 artists and bands, Xtreme sports and athletes, feather and fur creatures, great rides, amazing products and good deals, put it all together and you get South Africa's best loved consumer show, the 109-year-old Rand Show," said Rand Show manager, Bryan Brett.
Exhibitors were impressed with their turnover and the quality buying power of Rand Show visitors, he added.
Said exhibitor Dean Levy of Boating World: "We sold a top-of-the-range tournament boat for R680 000 and our leads for follow up business are excellent. We have been exhibiting at the Rand Show for over 20 years and have been thoroughly impressed with this year's marketing and advertising of the show drawing quality visitors. We have even had offers on a Rinker 30ft boat worth R1.8-million."
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