Grahamstown — Scores of theatre-goers and artists from across the country converged in South Africa's Eastern Cape province earlier this month for the largest arts event in Africa.

The festival boasted a kaleidoscopic mix of creativity with varied forms of art, from drama and street theatre to music and comics.

It also hosted a craft market, where revellers gathered in droves despite the nippy winter season, to bargain with business people selling goods from clothing and accessories to local cuisine and ornaments made by hand from recyclable materials.

The event presented a dazzling line-up of local and international plays and showcased a diverse collection of art works by painters, ceramicists and sculptors.

The festival's chief executive, Tony Lankester, estimated that this year's 15-day-long event involved in the region of "600 productions and about 2,500 performers" in the main festival and on the fringe.

Lankester said the main plays were invited to the festival after evaluation by a panel, whereas fringe productions applied to the festival committee to perform.

An arts event of this nature is important, said Lancaster. "Art has a major role to play... It gives a window into the lives of South Africans."

Chandre Murphey, a visitor from East London, told allAfrica.com she would always support the festival: "I come every year, I just love it, It is just so festive with all the different kinds of people and different cultures."