SA Navy Festival

The SA Navy Festival has become a highlight on the Cape's entertainment calendar with an estimate of more than 100,000 people attending over the three days. This year the annual Navy Festival was held over the weekend of 14 - 16 March out at the Simonstown dockyard, which included free access to most of the SA Navy ships, including the frigates and a submarine. The Navy Band Drydock concert performed on the evening of Friday 14 Mar at 20:00 and the Freedom of Entry Parade through the streets of Simon's Town took place on Saturday morning at 10:00. A performance by the Navy Choir took place on Saturday evening at 18:45 in the Simonsberg Cinema Hall.
Mark, Sharon, Lauren, Janet and I went through to Simonstown on the Saturday evening to watch the spectacular Night Gunnery Shoot, which lights up the sky of Simonstown. The well-trained gunners fired the 20mm and 12.7mm guns at the Lower North Battery overlooking Long Beach. Other events included dog shows, gun runs, fire fighting exercises, tours onboard the ships including free access and guided tours to three of the visiting German Navy ships, which comprised of two frigates and a very large support vessel, free tug rides around the harbour, foodstalls, kids entertainment, a flea market and more. At 17:30 on the Sunday, the Festival ended off with the Retreat Ceremony.