Wet and Windy Weather to Blow Over This Weekend
www.MyPE.co.za: The
sun is expected to come out for this weekend’s Absa Kirkwood Wildlife
Festival. (Port
Elizabeth Weather Report for the next three
days /
Kirkwood Weather Report.)
“It may be hard to believe, but the weather report says it will be
sunny on Saturday, with the rain mostly clearing on Friday,” says Absa
Kirkwood Wildlife Festival director Jenni Honsbein.
All the infrastructure was already in place when the windy and wet
weather struck the Eastern Cape earlier this week, she says.
“We are ready to go. It will be cold, but that is usual for the Absa
Kirkwood Wildlife Festival, so just come dressed warmly,” she says.
The festival is taking place in the Sunday’s River Valley this weekend,
26-28 June.
It promises to be bigger and better than ever, offering; the
biggest new car show in the Eastern Cape, the biggest wildlife auction
in the Eastern Cape, the biggest wine show in the Eastern Cape – with
both the Absa Plein and the Tulbagh Wine Garden and the biggest open
air market – with over 350 hand picked specialist stalls.
The Absa Kirkwood Wildlife Festival is an event where fathers, mothers,
grandparents and children are entertained from early till late. “And we
include the live entertainment, demonstrations, wine tastings, entry
into the Walk on the Wildside Experience and big screen rugby in the
entrance fee to help visitors manage costs in these difficult economic
times,” she says.
This year, it also features the biggest sound stage in the Eastern
Cape, and according to organisers, the music will be live and
legitimate!
“We have chosen artists who actually perform on stage. What is
essentially lip-syncing to complete backing tracks has become far too
prevalent on the festival circuit in South Africa, and we are taking a
stand against the practice,” says Jennifer Honsbein, Director Kirkwood
Wildlife Festival.
“We will have the likes of Steve Hofmeyer, Mean Mr Mustard, the Bala
Brothers, Eden, Glaskas, Karin Ferreira, DJ Ossewa, Jacques de Koning,
Billy Forest, Liani Mei, Esti, and Fredi Nest”.
Not only does the festival feature over 350 unique stalls, gourmet food
and top-class entertainment, it also gives back to the local community.
The festival is a community project with only a handful of permanent
staff. Throughout the year, the funds generated from the Section 21
company support a number of charities in the impoverished Sundays River
Valley.
“During the festival month itself, 350 temporary jobs are also created.
Last year, the total turnover for the festival was R18-million
excluding the hospitality industry which has helped to rejuvenate the
area and inject much-needed cash into community projects,” says Paul
Marais, Chairperson Kirkwood Wildlife Festival Board.
The wildest part of the Absa Kirkwood Wildlife Festival is the game
auction which has grown to become one of the top three game auctions in
the country. In 2008, the auction generated a record turnover of R11,2
million and this year, organisers expect this figure to increase.
“Enquiries from all over the country are already streaming for the 22
highly sought after Addo Elephant National Park buffalo that will go on
sale. These are highly sought after disease-free animals which attract
buyers from around the country,” says Johan Swart, Chairperson Kirkwood
Wildlife Festival.
The auction will also have four family groups of rare mountain zebra on
sale.
“In addition, we will have 20 white rhinos from the Kruger National
Park on sale. They are boma trained in the Kruger National Park. Record
prices have been paid for white rhino, kudu and eland at previous Absa
Kirkwood Wildlife Festival auctions, and we expect the trend to
continue.”
Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation
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