Mother of all parties: MCQP celebrates 30 years with 'Mother of Pearl' Dec bash

Sara-Jayne Makwala King gets the lowdown from Golden Hour's event specialists Gia Hensburg and Michelle Stock.

The Mother City Queer Project is hosting the 'mother' of all parties in Cape Town this December - it's celebrating 30 years of existence with a Mother of Pearl theme.

MCQP has grown from a themed costume party first staged in 1994 to a massive event that attracts partygoers from around the world.

On Weekend Breakfast, Golden Hour marketing manager Gia Hensburg explains how the annual party has evolved since starting out to celebrate the birth of South Africa's new Constitution and its acknowledgment of gay rights.

"Back then we obviously lived in a completely different time and the necessity for having safe spaces specifically for queer people was incredibly important, and something that was completely new for the country."

"While we've still got a long way to go, as time's gone by there's a lot more education and acceptance, and more safe spaces for people in this community."

"MCQP has evolved along with this... and now also includes a lot of support from allies and has grown into a much bigger community that doesn't just provide for queer people but anybody who just wants to share in the space and experience something new and different."

Gia Hensburg, Marketing Manager - Golden Hour

This year's event takes place at the Gardens Commercial High School in the Mother City's CBD on 14 December.

They're extremely excited about how attendees will interpret the Mother of Pearl theme, says Michelle Stock, creative event producer at Golden Hour.

It's also going to be exciting because no-one knows what to expect at this first-time school venue, she chuckles. 

Four dance floors will showcase a range of genres, from disco to R&B.

"Mother of Pearl covers such a nice wide range - you could either focus on the mother herself and then there's the whole primordial side with angels, fairies, nymphs... and the aquatic side...

"You could potentially put it all together; you could be a half-angel, half-underworld sea monster..." 

Michelle Stock, Creative Event Producer - Golden Hour

MCQP kicks off at 6 pm on Saturday 14 December, and you can party through till 4 am the next morning.

Click on MCQP.co.za to find all the info and to book tickets.

For more detail, listen to the interview audio at the top of the article