It’s almost that time of year again when the annual Witness Hilton Arts Festival comes to the Hilton College from September 12 to 14 with a dazzling line-up of cutting-edge drama, comedy, music and cabaret, as well as an enticing array of arts and crafts in a bumper programme that features a stellar mix of hot South African performers and artists mostly gleaned from the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in July.

There are invited productions on the Main festival, and a huge selection of productions on the fringe. For the third year there will be a curated art exhibition at the festival.

Confirmed productions so far include Dream of the Dog, Yellow Man, Every Year Every Day I am Walking and Mark Banks. Following her successful appearance in Shirley Valentine, Lisa Bobbert will appear at Hilton in this production as well as in Brutal Tunes with Anthony Stonier and Andrew Warburton. Also on the cards are Oleanna with Janna Ramos Violante and Tim Wells as well as Cobus van Heerden’s Catch and Liam Magner’s Spun.

For a glimpse behind the obvious - there will be a series of Thinkfest lectures and discussions on a myriad of interesting and diverse subjects presented by leaders in their respective fields.

Once again, the festival will have strong focus on classical music with an eclectic mix of a dozen concerts hosted by Christopher Duigan’s Music Revival Concerts featuring a myriad of special guests and soloists.

There will be a special focus on food and eating this year with various food areas to choose from.

Festival goers requiring accommodation are strongly advised to book accommodation early at one of the many B&Bs and hotels in the area. Booking kits will be available from selected SPAR Stores in KZN. Kits can also be collected from Exclusive Books (La Lucia, Pavilion, Liberty Mall and Gateway), Adams in Musgrave Centre and town, Cascades Bookshop and the Witness offices in Pietermaritzburg. Also from leading galleries and theatre foyers.

Detailed information can be found on www.artslink.co.za/hilton

For more information or a full programme and booking kit, visit http://www.artslink.co.za/hilton or the Hilton Festival hotline on theatre@hiltoncollege.com or phone 033 383 0126.