VIDEOS: White Mountain Folk Festival Highlights

THE White Mountain Folk Festival strings off this year from 29 September to 2 October. The juicy 2011 line-up includes the talents of Aking, Dan Patlansky, Guy Buttery, Jesse Clegg and Rory Elliot.

The setting for the White Mountain Folk Festival is simply superb. Camping and lodges are available with the backdrop of the beautiful central Drakensburg mountains. A small dam is centre stage for boating, fishing and swimming. Food stalls, clean toilets and hippie trinkets are in abundance. There is also an outdoor playpen for the little ones.

The event offers a four-day programme of laid-back acoustic music, as well as a wide choice of outdoor leisure activities, arts and crafts and a beer market. Festival-goers can also make full use of the lodge’s facilities, including a restaurant, pub, games room, swimming pool and satellite TV.

The White Mountain Folk Festival really is one great, family-friendly vibe that (in my opinion) is the best acoustic music festival in South Africa. I’ve been an avid supporter for years and have attended the previous four festivals. I wanted to share my little video productions highlighting the event for anyone who is considering going to White Mountain this year. Hopefully see you there!

White Mountain Folk Fest 2009

White Mountain Folk Fest 2008

Aunty yo, a South African poi instructor, describes the history and origin of this colorful technique as her students demonstrate the art of poi at the White Mountain Folk Festival.

Poi People

• For more information, visit www.whitemountain.co.za or contact Pedro Carlo on 082 892 6176. Or sign up for the event on Facebook

Splashy Fen festival - The Ultimate Outdoor Experience

PREPARATIONS for the 20th Splashy Fen Music Festival taking place this year are already well underway and festival-goers making the annual pilgrimage to Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal can expect a special celebration to mark this major milestone in the festival’s history.

Over the years, Splashy Fen has evolved from a small gathering of hippies in the mountains into one of South Africa’s premier festivals, widely recognised for its contribution to promoting local music by providing a platform for close to 1 500 artists and has even helped kick-start many successful music careers.

Happening over the Easter weekend from 9-13 April, Splashy Fen 2009 will once again offer a diverse four-day programme of top and up-and-coming live acts, including featured performances by a number of Splashy legends.

A limited number of discounted tickets are now on sale at selected Game stores for R400. If you miss out on this promotional offer, then tickets are also available at Computicket (R450) and at the festival gate (R500). Children under 12 pay R50 - tickets at the gate only. The price includes camping for the entire long weekend.

If you haven’t been to a Splashy yet it really is a great experience. If you have, the organisers are looking for stories, photographs and video footage from Splashy Fen’s early years, and would also like to hear from any Splashy veterans who’ve been to all (or many) of the previous festivals.

All contributions are welcome and can be emailed to splashyfen@gmail.com. Here are some of my videos from last year’s festival (produced for the Natal Witness). Enjoy!

Splashy Fen - The Ultimate Outdoor Experience

Splashy Fen 2008 Highlights

Splashy Fen 2008 - The Music

Splashy Fen 2008 - The Performers

Splashy Fen - In the Beginning...

*** Click here to see videos from the 20th Splashy Fen! ***

For more information, visit www.splashyfen.co.za or contact Pedro Carlo
on 082 892 6176.

VIDEOS: White Mountain Folk Festival 2008

THE White Mountain folk festival is an annual event that takes place near Giant's Castle in the Central Drakensberg region of Kwa-Zulu Natal from 24-28 September. If you have been to Splashy Fen before, this is basically a mini-version of that whole scene, only with more acoustic-type music and more of a relaxed, family vibe.

This was the third White Mountain festival and the event seems to be growing in popularity. I highly recommend it and suggest booking accommodation in the lodge if you're not the camping type. It is during the rainy season after all.

White Mountain Festival 2008

If the above video doesn't play you can watch it here

White Mountain highlights

Meet James – the ultimate festival hippie