Four unique stage areas, over 150 local musicians, yoga, trail running, drumming, belly dancing, and didgeridoo classes, campsite flag competitions, a local SA day, a creative craft market, and inviting food court, silent disco, pop-up parties, dedicated kid-zone, art in the forest, cocktail viewing deck, Easter egg hunt, Sunday Easter service and so much more… not to mention fresh open air, star-speckled campfires, and glorious mountain views… all surrounded by a bunch of like-minded people who are grateful to be back on the Splashy Fen Farm after two years of being away.
This is Splashy Fen, and the time has finally arrived.
This time next week, festival goers will be lapping up the fresh mountain air as they embark on a 4-day sensorial experience at the 31st edition of the Splashy Fen Music Festival. Local duo Liam and Jane Magner of Veranda Panda are two such fans, who have been eagerly awaiting their return to Splashy Fen.
“Splashy Fen is a part of who we are now,” says Liam. It’s a kind of annual pilgrimage that helps us to reset, re-think and centre ourselves. Personally, my first Splashy Fen was an incredible experience. I remember being struck by the sense of freedom, kindness, and community. In recent years the festival has really managed to rekindle that spirit.“
When asked, as artists, how the pair coped through the early Covid months, they too were shaken to their core but have used the experience to adapt and find positivity in their challenges. “The whole experience has been horribly divisive and has definitely left the world with a hangover of mistrust and fear. We suffered financially in the first year as we lost every single performance job over the space of two weeks. We are grateful to have had other revenue streams, but it took us a while to adapt. However, we have changed for the better. Living through chaos, and coming out the other side, has helped us see things more clearly.”
Fans can catch this electrifying Durban act and listen the some of the great new music they have been creating, at 20h30 on Friday night at the Corona Splashy Fen Main Stage. Other acts to catch on Friday night in the impressive dome marquee include Mali Zulu, 4AM, Steve Umcolo, a heart-warming Johnny Clegg Tribute, and Mango Groove.
“We cannot wait to see Good Luck, Mango Groove and Sean Koch this year,” says Magner. “But also, hanging out, laughing, relaxing and meeting people is the part that we love the most. We have always been a fan of the energy between people there. Something magical happens under those mountains and for a few days people are good to each other. We can’t wait.
Fans can take advantage of Splashy Fen’s brand new App. Log on and see who is performing when and where, find your friends, and build your own festival experience with reminders, updates, live tracking, and interactive community chats. The App is FREE to download here: http://woov.to/splashyfen
South Africa’s longest-running music festival will take place over the traditional Easter weekend from next Thursday the 14th of April to Monday the 18th of April 2022, and tickets are still available online or at the gate. www.splashyfen.co.za
