Last year, and for the first time ever, the Longhair and I toddled off to the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees on Sunday, the final day of the festival.
We were suitably impressed with the festival – well laid out, excellent security, clean, great entertainment, superb stores, friendly people and superb catering. We also attracted quite a bit of attention with young girls following me around the festival grounds and asking to pose for photographs with me, although the cries of; “Oom, oom, wag asseblief oom ons wil ‘n fotograaf saam met jou sokker bal kop kry!” were not quite as ego boosting as one would think!
The festival is one of the rare times in the life of the valley residents when all guest accommodation is chock a block – even trying to twist my brother’s arm to allow us to stay at Kirkwood’s Geelhoutboom Guest House for the weekend was met with a stoic; “No”, earlier. But I suppose that having paying guests over that weekend does make sense – contact Geelhoutboom NOW if you intend going to the festival over the weekend of 1 to 3 July 2011.
Absa has renewed its partnership with the Kirkwood Wildsfees for the next five years, following a three-year partnership with the flagship event.
In support of the festival’s key focus areas, which are conservation, eco-tourism, education and wildlife, the five-year partnership gives Absa naming rights to the festival from 2011 to 2015.
“Absa’s partnership with the festival through its naming rights over the past three years has seen the festival grow from strength to strength. It is now top-of-mind for most Eastern Capers, as well as visitors to the province. Absa believes that owing to the excellent festival planning, implementation, financial controls and strategic partnerships, the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees will be embedded forever in the Eastern Cape’s legacy,” said Stanton du Plessis, general manager Absa Business Bank, Absa Eastern and Southern Cape.
Paul Marais, Chairman of the festival board said: “Thanks to the support of Absa and other strategic partners, the festival serves as a catalyst and platform for job creation through the promotion of tourism in the Sundays River Valley.”
Du Plessis added, “we believe that the value of Absa’s investment goes beyond mere contractual sponsorship rand values, but includes the value of goodwill, resources, activation, growth, sustainability, and existing Absa festival activation experience and innovation that it brings to the table. Absa introduced a wildlife conference in 2010 and will continue with this as part of the festival benefits.
“The decision by Absa to continue supporting the festival can, to a great extent, be ascribed to the way the committee manages the funds and the event. We consistently receive unqualified audit reports, and this gives our partners and sponsors comfort in the knowledge that the festival is well managed, with a high level of financial discipline, and sound governance,” says Marais. “The partnership with Absa as well as the Parks Board will help the festival to raise awareness of the need to conserve our natural heritage through the exhibitions, conference and stalls hosted at the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees,” he said.
“We are extremely excited about the partnership with Absa and we are confident that we will be able to raise the bar even further over the next five years. The Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees experience of entertainment, stalls, walk on the wild side and other attractions will be bigger than ever before,” promised festival director Jenni Honsbein.
“We are one of the biggest festival events in the Eastern Cape, with the 2010 festival attracting 38 000 visitors over the three days. The event truly offers a holistic experience to festival goers, combining the festival’s objectives with top class entertainment. For this, we are really grateful to Absa and our other partners.”
The festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary, takes place from 1 to 3 July 2011 in Kirkwood.
Alan Straton
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