SWC 2010 fans (File)

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Cape Town - The entire Upper Long Street, from Wale Street to Buitensingel, is to be converted into a festival zone for the Final Draw of the 2010 Soccer World Cup on Friday, December 4.

The Final Draw, which will take place in front of some 3 000 international guests at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) will be broadcast live to an estimated audience of 150 million viewers in 200 countries.

According to Pieter Cronjé, the City of Cape Town’s Director of Communication and 2010 spokesperson, the Long Street festival area will have video links to the CTICC’s Red Carpet Welcome Event so that Capetonians can experience the excitement of the event on large video screens in the party heart of the Cape Town CBD.

"The main stage will be situated at the Long Street baths, with several huge television screens further down towards Wale Street.

"The festivities will start at 12:00 with music and cultural performances with a South African and African flavour. These stage performances will be complemented by buskers to embrace the festival theme," he says.

The Final Draw will determine where and against whom the 32 qualified teams will be playing next year.

"FIFA president, Sepp Blatter will officially launch the FIFA Fan Fest project at 14:00. The Long Street Festival will mimic the fan fest concept which will be used during next year’s football spectacle," says Lesley de Reuck, the City’s 2010 Operations Director.

"The City will use this event to ‘test drive’ its safety and security systems as well as demonstrate how City services will cope with the huge numbers of spectators outside the Cape Town Stadium precinct," he says.

"Entrance to the festival is free and we expect thousands of Capetonians to congregate at Long Street to share in the world’s excitement of the Final Draw. Although the festivities start at 12:00, the real action is only expected to pick up from 17:00 when local residents finish working.

"Several national, regional and local media organisations will be conducting live broadcasts from the Long Street Festival," says Cronjé.

The programme for the festival is split into six parts. The concert of Cape Town talent is from 12:00 to 14:00. The FIFA Fan Fest project will be launched at 14:00. This will be followed by more local music until the national stars take to the stage as from 17:00.

There will be ongoing live video feeds from the CTICC to show the arrival of dignitaries at the red carpet event. The live broadcast of the Final Draw starts at 19:00. From 20:45, the festival will continue with national mega stars entertaining the revellers.

Volunteers will guide people from the public parking areas to the festival’s five access points in Wale Street, Leeuwen Street, Pepper Street, and Bloem Street.

"Cape Town did not host any Confederation Cup matches earlier this year. The Final Draw combined with the Long Street Festival now offers the municipality to test it readiness for next year’s World Cup tournament," says De Reuck.

"The hundreds of restaurants and bars in Long Street will be able to continue with its normal business, and the staff will be subjected to the same security measures as the visiting public," says De Reuck.