Knysna's oldies jig to gay festival performers

From grannies grooving in their wheelchairs to glitter that would put a disco ball to shame, Knysna's Pink Loerie Festival proved it had something for everyone.

The festival, which ended yesterday, combined art exhibitions with shows and parties. It culminated in a massive parade.

On Friday, entertainer Emile Minnie raised the roof at the Loerihof old-age home as he sang to the residents, some of whom danced in their seats and wheelchairs.

Others looked bewildered by Minnie, who even encouraged them to stand in front of a mirror, bare a body part and sing You're Just Too Good to be True to themselves.

The home is one of three charity beneficiaries of the festival, along with the Mayoral Relief Fund and Knysna Animal Welfare.

The proceeds of Friday's Queens of Funky Town "dragvaganza", a drag show paying tribute to musical divas such as Tina Turner, Beyoncé and Aretha Franklin, all went to the charities. The four performers did songs such as Turner's Simply the Best and the Moulin Rouge theme song, Lady Marmalade.

They, along with the cast of Boylesque and guest performer Mr Gay World Chris Olwage, who donned his ballet shoes and tutu to dance a piece inspired by the film Black Swan, performed for a crowd of about 100 people at Knysna nightclub Zanzibar.

Olwage, who was born in Port Elizabeth but emigrated to New Zealand with his family when he was 16, said: "When I won Mr Gay World, I received an invite to come to the Loerie festival. How can you pass up such an offer?"

Now in its 14th year, the festival has in previous years faced strong opposition.

But the pastor at the local Dutch Reformed Church, Daniel de Wet, said there had been "no outright hostility".

"We realise that people have different ways of expressing themselves, and we know that the parade is something that happens in town," he said.