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Local Leg of Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Celebrates Spirit of Adventure

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The South African leg of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2014 screens countrywide from 23 October at select Ster-Kinekor theatres.

Hosted by Cape Union Mart for the ninth consecutive year, the festival brings the best of adventure and outdoor lifestyle documentaries to local shores. South Africa is one of 35 countries and 390 communities globally participating in the World Tour which features a collection of the most inspiring and thought-provoking action, adventure and mountain films.

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Travelling from remote landscapes and cultures, to up close and personal encounters with adrenaline-packed action sports, the 2014 World Tour is an exhilarating and provocative exploration of the outdoors as captured by some of the world’s finest outdoor filmmakers. Over 300 films enter the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival competition and award-winning films and audience favourites are among the films chosen to travel the globe as part of the World Tour.

Beauty Of The Irrational

Beauty Of The Irrational

The South African leg of the 2014 World Tour is a must-see for outdoor lifestyle enthusiasts and everyone with a spirit for adventure. Local filmgoers will experience highlights from a selection of adventure interests, including mountain biking, rock climbing, trail running, bouldering, snow skiing, stand-up paddling and base jumping.

Evan Torrance, Cape Union Mart’s marketing director, says: “Each year the local leg of the tour becomes increasingly popular and is always sold out before the screenings start. This year we’re extending the tour in a number of ways: we’ve added Port Elizabeth as a screening city for the first time; in Durban the festival has been extended from one day to two days; in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria the festival will once again run over 8 days but we’ve secured much larger cinemas.

At the Gorge Road Dirt Jumps near Queenstown, New Zealand.

At the Gorge Road Dirt Jumps near Queenstown, New Zealand.

“Nationally we’ve increased the total number of available seats from about 6,500 to 10,000 to meet the demand from South Africa’s adventure film fans. We’re amazed at how well received the local leg of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is. It’s a wonderful confirmation of South Africans’ appetite for adventure and the outdoors.”

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Films which he believes will be especially well-received by South African audiences include:

North of the Sun, which is a magnificent depiction of two young Norwegian adventurers discovering their own private playground tucked between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the rocky slopes of a remote, arctic island. They build themselves a cabin out of flotsam while clearing the beach of debris, then spend the long winter skiing and surfing in the haunting low light.

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Keeper of The Mountain is the story of Elizabeth Hawley who bucked the conventions of her time by settling alone in Kathmandu in 1960 where she began chronicling Himalayan expeditions for The Himalayan Database. Even as she turns 90, she continues to update these records with rigorous accuracy and dedication.

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Torrance adds that one of the other highlights from the global festival is that a South African film was included as part of the World Tour and will also be screened in South Africa: “The Beauty of the Irrational is a great piece of cinematography by local filmmakers Dean Leslie and Greg Fell of The African Attachment. It captures the epic journey of South African Ryan Sandes’ record-breaking run of the Fish River Canyon Trail in Namibia. We’re really proud that South Africa was represented during the international festival in Canada and that local audiences can also appreciate a local story alongside international adventure feats this year.”

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The South African leg of the festival also includes the screening of the winner of Cape Union Mart’s Adventure Film Challenge 2014, a local competition aimed at encouraging emerging filmmakers to capture South Africa’s local outdoor adventure lifestyles.

Some of the other international short films that will be featured in the 2014 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour line- up include:

• Ghost Town: In the mid 1800’s, British Columbia’s mountain towns boomed as prospectors flocked north during the great gold rush. Josh Daiek, Mike Henitiuk & Kieran Nikula arrive 150 years later in search of their own fortune.
• The Sensei: East meets West and old meets new. Twenty-something world class boulderer, Daniel Woods, and 43-year old climbing veteran, Yuji Hirayam, team up for the expedition of a lifetime. But when Daniel-san travels to Japan to prove himself worthy of Hirayama’s mentorship, the question becomes, who learns from whom?
• The Questions We Ask: Bruce Kirkby crosses the Pacific from Vancouver to Victoria on a stand-up paddleboard, and ponders what adventure means to him.
• Not Bad: Seven brave riders set out from the four corners of the globe for thirty days of outrageous fun and bicycle tomfoolery in New Zealand.
• 35: 35 climbing routes in one day to celebrate 35 years of life? Why not? Take the birthday challenge!
• Split of a Second: 99.9% of time is spent in preparation for living a few moments of joy. The other 0.1% is to only be here now, and step off that cliff.

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Visit www.banff.co.za for more information or for a sneak peek of what to expect during the film festival, view the trailer here.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour screens at select Ster-Kinekor cinemas across the country:
• Cape Town: Cavendish Square 23 – 31 October
• Cape Town: Tygervalley Center, 24 – 31 October
• Johannesburg: Sandton City, 23 – 31 October
• Pretoria: Brooklyn Mall, 24 – 31 October
• Durban: Gateway Centre, 30 & 31 October (two days only)
• Port Elizabeth: The Bridge Ster-Kinekor, 31 October (one screening only)

Ticket prices are the same as a standard Ster-Kinekor ticket and can be booked online via www.sterkinekor.com, or call the Ster-Kinekor Ticketline on 082 16789.

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The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is hosted by Cape Union Mart, in proud partnership with leading outdoor brands K-Way, LED Lenser, Deuter and GoPro.

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Attractions

Splashy Fen 2025: An Inspiring Long Weekend of Music, Magic, and Memories in the Drakensberg

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Splashy Fen Music Festival has officially wrapped, and by all accounts, the 2025 edition was the most magical one yet. From the moment the gates opened on Thursday, 17 April to the last note played on Sunday night, 8,000 festival-goers soaked up four glorious days of sunshine, music, and connection in the heart of the Southern Drakensberg.

After a few days of pre-festival rain, the weather turned just in time to welcome fans to South Africa’s friendliest music festival. The sunshine held strong throughout the weekend, setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable Easter celebration filled with laughter, dancing, and community.

A SOLD-OUT FESTIVAL FROM DAY ONE

By Thursday evening, over 5,500 happy campers had already made their way into the scenic Splashy Fen farm, with the festival officially reaching full capacity the day before the gates even opened. The 2025 edition was officially opened by Cllr. T.N. Jojozi, Deputy Mayor of the Harry Gwala District Municipality, who welcomed guests on behalf of the Harry Gwala Development Agency.

Thursday night kicked off with the first wave of live performances and set the tone for the weekend.

From there, the lineup only got hotter.

DAYS OF MUSIC AND MAGIC

Friday and Saturday were packed with showstopping performances across the multiple stages. Local heroes like Ard Matthews, Hot Water, Veranda Panda, and Prime Circle brought the heat, while the Main Stage turned electric with international artists including the UK’s Youngr, a surprise performance from Casey Lowery, Ireland’s Darren Kiely, and Canada’s Neon Dreams.

Mafikizolo delivered a legendary Saturday night set that brought thousands to their feet, and GoodLuck closed out the evening with a high-energy performance that had the whole crowd bouncing.

Away from the stages, festival-goers enjoyed the full Splashy experience: sunrise yoga, trail runs, live art, craft workshops, and plenty of family-friendly fun. The popular Kids Zone was buzzing with activity, and the Saturday afternoon Splashy Parade was a visual feast of stilt-walkers, dragons, fire breathers, and whimsical characters.

At the Corona River Stage, guests kicked back in the sun to chilled tunes by the water, while a bustling craft market and food court offered up everything from gourmet bites to handmade treasures.

A SUNDAY TO REMEMBER

Easter Sunday was pure joy. The day began with a peaceful morning service hosted by Red Frogs SA at the tranquil Treehouse Stage, followed by a fun-filled Easter egg hunt for the little ones—complete with games, giggles, and surprise eggs from the Easter Bunny herself.

Music lovers made their way to the Acoustic Stage for the much-loved Legends of the Fen showcase. Featuring iconic acts like Cinema, Perez, and more, the session reminded everyone why Splashy Fen holds such a special place in South Africa’s music history.

As the sun dipped behind the Drakensberg mountains, the Main Stage roared to life for one final night of performances, closing out the weekend with soaring vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and thunderous applause.

“Our legs are sore, our voices are gone, but our hearts? FULL,” read a Monday morning post from Splashy Fen’s official social media page. “Shoutout to every artist who brought the fire at Main Stage last night, and every fan who screamed every word. What a way to end #Splashy2025!”

THE BEST ONE YET

With four full days of world-class music, family-friendly fun, and community connection in one of the most beautiful festival locations in the world, Splashy Fen 2025 has earned its title as the best one yet.

For more information and to stay up to date on 2026 tickets and artist announcements, visit www.splashyfen.co.za or follow @splashyfenfest on Instagram and Facebook.

Shelley
Author: Shelley

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Art

The East Coast Radio House & Garden Show 2025

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It’s fresh, bright and chockfull of surprises! It’s the 2025 East Coast Radio House & Garden Show, and we’re talking fresh spaces. bright living! A giant breath of fresh air will sweep through the Durban Exhibition Centre when the Show rolls out from Friday 28 June to Sunday 6 July.

fresh spaces. bright living is all about how to tweak or transform your home into one which brings you joy, and allows you to be you! Whether it’s little touches of stylish decor or large sweeps of bold colour and pattern, you’ll leave the Show bursting with new skills from the experts, bright ideas from different brands… and loads of goodies and parcels. Jump on board, the 2025 East Coast Radio House + Garden Show promises to fill your head with creativity to create your own fresh spaces. bright living.

Calling all cooks and homemakers!

This year’s Test Kitchen is the kitchen of the future! Hirsch is at the helm and The Kitchen Studio is creating a space that’ll knock your socks off. Top celebrity chefs (surprises up our sleeve), fabulous personalities (guess who?), crazy cooks (laughter is the best medicine)… the line-up is as long as it is sensational! If cooking’s your happy place, the Hirsch kitchen is the only place to be.

The 2025 East Coast Radio House + Garden Show is going to be child’s play!

This is Durban’s true family show, and we’ve got you well covered for the first week of the school holidays! From littlelies to larger, this year’s kids zone has mushroomed into its own dedicated hall, and has way, way more of what they love! And parents, this one’s for you. Drop and shop – there’s now a super-safe, well supervised drop-off zone, so you can do your thing, while they do theirs. A dedicated Kids Zone in the Coast of Dreams, with a whacky wonderland of activities. Packed with fun, yet competitive, activities and challenges, teens can put their skills to the test! From the incredible Monster Manor to fairytale characters to face-painting, wrestling and bowling, the kids just won’t want to go home.

The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show is always full of winners

And why shouldn’t it be you? With competitions big and small, you could carry home anything from the coolest kitchen appliance to the hottest sound system, a tantalising voucher to something or somewhere sensational or bags full of your favourite products.

This season, the Show is shining a full spotlight on fresh spaces, bright living, both outdoors and in! Plants, landscaping and new tricks and tools for garden lovers; boys’ toys and bits and bobs for outdoor lovers; and goodies and gadgets for those who live to braai! Renovating, restoring or dreaming of adventure, the Show will take you where you want to go.

We can’t wait to see you there!
www.housegardenshow.co.za

Shelley
Author: Shelley

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Entertainment

Bluey is coming to Durban for the FIRST TIME!

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Wackadoo!
Bluey is heading to Gateway in real life!

Get ready for an UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE at Gateway Thetre of Shopping from 29 April to 4 May and join them for a FREE Meet & Greet with Bluey.

Snap a photo, share a high-five, and make magical memories.
Bring the whole family for some Heeler Bluey fun. Stay connected to their social media page here for more information.

Shelley
Author: Shelley

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