Good vibes and dancing feet under the trees at Into the Wild earlier this year. PHOTO: Isabella Hamilton-Russell
Date: 13 April, 12pm – 14 April, 12am
Ticket prices: R350 – R380
Location: Ridgemor Villa Guest House
Age: 18+
The Woodlands is Into the Wild’s third and final edition of their outdoor psychedelic and progressive day parties. The event is set just outside of Stellenbosch. Whether you choose to swim in the pool or dance below the trees to headlining DJ Gaudium (Sweden), the event is set to “take you upon a magical sonic journey.”
Tickets can be purchased Into the Wild or through Flock Collective in Stellenbosch (065 852 2618)
Date: 29 April, 10:55am – 5 May, 1:55pm
Ticket prices: R 1895 –R 2 700
Location: Tankwa, Karoo
Age: All
Young festival goer dressed to the theme in front of a large art installation. PHOTO: Star Russell
Set in the desert backdrop of the Karoo, a temporary city is erected. A city where a community founded on radical inclusivism create art, dress up, perform and burn structures. This is Afrikaburn – a weeklong experience for the whole family.
Inspired by the famous Burning Man festival in the United States, Afrikaburn encourages a gift economy. Nothing is for sale except ice. As stated by festival coordinators it’s “about giving without expecting anything in return.”
Stellenbosch University student, Hannah Hopper (21), first attended the festival with her mother when she was in high school. “It’s kind of otherworldly. There really is this sense of community and looking after one another.”
She comments on the liberating double-sided nature of Afrikaburn saying, “It’s so freeing that people who live a very restricted life, go there and take it to a level that is kind of unhealthy and unsafe.”
She recalls an incident in 2017 of a man, allegedly under the influence of drugs, climbing a large erected sculpture. “He was dancing on the tiny beam and he fell, smashing his head right in front of us.”
While general ticket prices start at R 1895, designed to make the event more accessible, Afrikaburn offers a subsidised ticket option. Eligible applicants include students, single parents and anyone who wouldn’t be able to participate without financial assistance. Applications for this ticket type have however closed in February.
Date: 21 April, 11am – 10pm
Ticket prices: R 295 and up
Location: Zevenwacht Wine Estate
Age: All
After nearly five months on tour, local folk artist, Jeremy Loops, presents the first-ever Summersault Festival.
Kommetjie native, Jeremy Thomas Hewitt (35), better known by his stage name – Jeremy Loops – speaks in a statement on developing his own festival: “In our early days in Cape Town, we used to host our own parties just to have a platform to perform. Later when we began playing festivals and as I’ve toured the globe doing so recently, I’ve always obsessed about lineups, design and how I’d tweak a festival if it was my own. Well, the time has arrived and so here we are!”
The lineup includes the likes of UK electronica pop artist, Youngr, Australian folk artist, Kim Churchill, indie sensations, Dia-mond Thug and local performers Matthew Mole, Sean Koch, and indie pop hybrid band, World of Birds.
PHOTO: Facebook
Date: 4 October, 8am – 6 October, 4pm
Tickets: R 645 – R 995 (excl. camping)
Location: Cloof Wine Estate, Darling
Age: 18+
Tom Grennan performing on main stage at Rocking the Daisies 2018. PHOTO: Zoe Human
By far one of the most well-known names on this list, #RTD2019 is a must. Last year saw Phase One tickets selling out nearly instantaneously while Phase Two and Three suffered a bit of a dip after event coordinators announced the banning of liquids entering the festival.
This year seems to be a major comeback for SA’s biggest music festival following the artist announcements of English pop rock band, The 1975, and American rapper, Russ.
Phase One and Two tickets are currently sold out with only Phase Three tickets still available for the event set to take place in October.
Date: 4 October, 9am – 7 October, 10am
Tickets: R 450 – R 650 (incl. camping)
Location: Riversend Farm, Stanford
Age limit: 20 +
When Rocking the Daisies announced the ban on liquids in 2018, many festival-goers flocked to Smalltownbeat. 2019 is the second year that the festival has been set to take place during the same weekend as Rocking the Daisies. One benefit that Smalltownbeat definitely has, is the obvious price difference.
Last year saw the first ever Smalltownbeat festival hit Riversend Farm in the picturesque Overberg. Now with a year of experience under the belt, Smalltownbeat is ready to level up with their newly garnered knowledge. What is different with this year’s festival however is the increased age restriction from 18+ to 20+.
Ultimately the decision is yours.
PHOTO: Facebook.