Your Guide to People, Places & Happenings in NMB

BY CARLEEN TOBIAS There are places you visit because you need something. Then there are places you discover that make you want to stay a little longer.

The curtains are set to rise on one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s longest-running performing arts events as the Nelson Mandela Bay Dance Festival returns to the Savoy Theatre from 24 to 29 August 2026.

Women’s Month, live entertainment, art exhibitions and community events are set to keep Nelson Mandela Bay busy throughout August. Whether you’re planning a family outing, looking for live performances or hoping to discover something new, there’s no shortage of events taking place across the metro. Here’s our roundup of some of the highlights.

Baywest Mall will celebrate Women’s Month with a major fashion showcase featuring more than 50 looks, 42 models and collections from leading retailers and Nelson Mandela University designers. The Big on Style Baywest Fashion Showcase will take place at the mall’s Centre Court from 11:00 to 13:00 on Saturday, 8 August 2026.

By Faziela Harris-Davids Renowned Arabic calligrapher Faheem Rhoda Jackson will bring his immersive workshops to Johannesburg and Gqeberha later this year, offering participants an opportunity to explore the art, history and spirituality behind one of the Islamic world’s most celebrated artistic traditions.

A new exhibition at one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s most iconic art spaces is inviting visitors to question what is real in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.