All systems go for Kirkwood fest
What was empty scrubland a few weeks ago is now an eight-hectare fenced, cleared, levelled and covered platform for the 22nd annual SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees.
Community volunteers from across the town have also been hard at work ensuring that the Karoo gem looks its best.
Sunny skies are predicted for the festival weekend, which runs from Friday to Sunday.
Festival highlights include the Walk on the Wildside experience featuring interactive exhibits and activities, agri, outdoor and new vehicle expos, working dog and horse demonstrations, wild rides in the Family Play Park, pony rides, paintball, bungee bounce, pedal-go karting and meeting cosplay fictional characters.
There will be more than 300 specialist stalls selling handcrafted items, décor, clothing and freshly prepared delicacies, in addition to wine tastings and ' kuiering ' at the Be-Dingus Bar, Dam Duikers Draai, ATKV Kalmeerkraal, Coca-Cola Kos Kraal, Castle Corner, LITEnUP Bar, and Lagerville Watergat.
Visitors will be entertained by more than 30 national stars appearing live on the giant Wildsfees stage.
Friday's line-up starts at 4pm with Ruan van der Kuil, and Spoegwolf will be the headline act at 9pm.
On Saturday the music starts at 1.30pm with local legend Patrick Lindoor and climaxes with former local Ruhan du Toit and Kurt Darren from 10pm.
Sunday's entertainment begins at 11am with Wynand and Cheree, and Blackbyrd plays the festival out from 2.30pm.
Lovers of traditional sheep's head, tripe or a mutton potjie will dine at the Lekker Lang Lamtafel while enjoying traditional Afrikaans entertainment.
The dog and horse demos will be held in the MTN Arena on all three days, along with a demonstration by the SA National Parks K-9 anti-poaching unit on Saturday.
Visitors to the Walk on the Wildside marquee will be able to plan their next break by finding out more about 19 of the province's top holiday and adventure destinations.
Sarah Baartman District Tourism, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism and Addo Tourism will connect visitors with all the attractions which the area, including the Sundays River Valley, has to offer.
There will also be fossil digs for the young, and dinosaur virtual reality experiences, as well as snake, spider and tortoise demonstrations by Mark Marshall of Sandula Conservation and his team, the Iziko Mobile Museum and the launch of a new tourism product by Small Town SA.
The conservation-minded will be able to leave a message on the Tree of Life, made from recycled cardboard by APL Cartons Packaging and decorated with household waste.
The Herald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
Genevieve, the ‘ambassador of local flavours' in diplomatic circles
The catering company brings South African flavours into international dishes on countries' national days. Photo: Supplied Genevieve Nel, of Norma & Co catering company, speaks about her life as a caterer, including for about 25 embassies in South Africa. What are some of your most memorable catering experiences? Many of my most memorable experiences stem from years back when my mom and aunts started Norma & Vilma Caterers. I was just a young girl and we had the honour to cater for and subsequently meet Pope John Paul II when he visited South Africa. Everyone in our families had the honour to meet him and it was the most incredible day. What is your philosophy on food and catering? You need to love what you do to provide food that tastes and looks good. We try to always create an environment at work with happy and fulfilled team members. A happy chef creates beautiful food What makes your catering business unique? We take great pride in basing our business on creating relationships with clients. This is the cornerstone in our business and has always been, even when the business started 30 years ago. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in catering? Social media is a huge influence in my business. I am always getting new ideas online but we also work with a wonderful bunch of event planners and coordinators who push us out of our comfort zone often creating new and wonderful food and experiences. What is your culinary guilty pleasure? I am simple when it comes to food. I love a night out at a nice restaurant, not a fancy expensive one, the local family restaurant in the neighbourhood with my husband and children is just perfect for me. You are becoming known as an 'ambassador of local flavours' in diplomatic circles. What is the main thing you want to teach diplomats about South African food? I would not say we are gurus in local flavours but we love to bring South African flavours into international dishes. We are blessed enough to be entrusted with some wonderful National Days where we try new international cuisines which become popular to our other clients afterwards. South Africans have a wide exposure to international food; we grew up [having] been exposed to a variety of flavours. Who influenced you the most? There is no doubt that my mother, Norma, has been my biggest influencer in the catering business. She started and ran Norma & Vilma Caterers successfully for 25 years until Covid. Thereafter she and I started Norma & Co on our own in 2021 and although she has taken a step back from the business, she still works and runs the business in the background. She still has a big influence on the flavours and recipes we create and produce. Your work involves a great deal of creativity, where do you find your inspirations? A lot of our set ups and creations involve trial and error. We have wonderful suppliers such as florists and equipment decor companies. But also staying on top of trends in the catering business worldwide helps with inspiration. There are many caterers creating amazing things daily. Thank you to social media we can draw inspiration globally now. When did your business begin? Norma & Co started in 2021 during Covid, on the backbone of Norma & Vilma Caterers. Covid hit our industry hard and instead of closing our doors permanently we decided to restructure, move our premises, downsize substantially and start again. This was a huge leap of faith but we are so grateful that we were able to remain relevant to some of our clients, and have gained so many more along the way. Which was the first embassy you catered for? I was still a young girl but I remember my mom and aunts catering for the Embassy of Peru National day even before the business had a business premises. When the business was still being run from our kitchen in our family home. How many embassies do you now cater for? In diplomatic circles, there is always changeover of staff regularly so we are grateful for our South African contacts that carry us through the different missions. We work with a wonderful group of ambassadors, high commissioners, consul generals and others. I would estimate we probably work with approximately 25 embassies at the moment.
Mail & Guardian
15 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Retailers target 26.5 million SA gamers through mobiles and esports
South African retailers are quietly experimenting with advertising in video games, and the results are beginning to reshape how brands connect with younger audiences. There are about 26.5 million gamers in the country, and nearly 92% of internet users play games on smartphones. Brands are now moving out of malls and into virtual worlds in ways that have major implications for local commerce and marketing strategies. According to Statista, as of Newzoo data shows nearly half of South African The latest data from Statista shows that But gaming is no longer only about entertainment; it has become a ground for marketing. Platform providers and ad-tech companies are quietly partnering with brands to monetise in-game spaces through sponsorships, digital product placements and immersive brand activations. The most visible example is With nearly 98 million daily users globally and 62% of them aged 13 and above, the platform is effectively positioning itself as a digital shopping mall for Gen Z. Users spent 21.7 billion hours on the platform in quarter 4 of 2024 — about 2.4 hours a day per user. Microsoft-owned Statista says the scope of advertising within games on smartphones tends to stay at basic formats such as banners or sponsored currency, rather than fully immersive retail experiences. The esports or electronic sports space in South Africa offers a third hybrid model. The But, according to esports users, problems persist. A Reddit discussion by 'I just keep track of the load-shedding times and play around with them. I learned my lesson the hard way after playing competitive games and suddenly losing power,' one user said. Users report that console prices in South Africa — typically R 7 000 to R 10 000 — are often double what consumers pay in Europe or the United States, because of import duties and a weaker rand. In South Africa, brands like Reebok and local mobile providers have already begun integrating into the gaming space by sponsoring esports tournaments and exploring digital product placements. Some international brands have already adapted. Fenty Beauty relaunched its shoppable Roblox experience in May 2025, allowing US players over 18 to buy real products such as an exclusive lip gloss directly from within the game. e.l.f. Cosmetics, known for blending financial literacy and beauty in its Roblox activations, continues to experiment with deeper commerce tools. Platforms such as Chris Camacho, chief executive of UK-based agency Cheil, summed up the shift by saying, 'For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, seeing an avatar in a hoodie, a lipstick or a pair of trainers and being able to buy the real thing on the spot just makes sense.' According to gaming analyst agency Games Industry Africa, the African gaming market is Michiel Buijsman, principal games market analyst at Newzoo, said: 'Africa's gaming sector is growing rapidly and outpacing global trends, which signals that the continent is catching up and its growth cannot be overlooked. With a fast-growing mobile online population and 90% of its $1.8 billion market coming from mobile gaming, it's clear where growth opportunities can be found.' Global advertising agency Dentsu reports that 63% of African gamers have
The Herald
17 hours ago
- The Herald
National Arts Festival set to thrill with over 240 events
On the Fringe, theatre lovers can explore bold and personal storytelling and comedy fans can look forward to performances from Riaad Moosa, Conrad Koch and Chester Missing, KG Mokgadi, Stuart Taylor, Yaaseen Barnes, and others. The National Youth Jazz Festival brings together a vibrant mix of young jazz talent and master musicians, while The Black Power Station pulses with hip-hop, jazz and dialogue in a space that celebrates artistic freedom and community. The Eastern Cape Showcase further amplifies local creativity across music, literature, craft and theatre. Looking for a sociable spot in the sun? The Village Green will again be a hub of activity, featuring food, fashion, craft and a new pop-up stage offering free live performances. Whether you're planning a day visit or a longer stay, this year's festival offers a chance to immerse yourself in the country's creative spirit — right here in the Eastern Cape. Browse and book on the National Arts Festival website . This article was sponsored by the National Arts Festival.
