Easy-to-plan getaways
GIG GUIDE: USE FESTIVAL TO PLAN YOUR NEXT ESCAPE
Party – and a night away for you, your family or friends.
Why not make your travels a tad more entertaining? Thanks to lively festivals choosing a destination has become easier than ever, combining getaways and unrivalled fun.
Here’s a guide of upcoming festivals you can use to plan your next break. And thanks to services like it’s never been easier to live close to the party, even if it’s just for a night. airbnb.com
Carona Sunsets Festival
When: Today Where: Muldersdrift Gear up Joburg, Corona is about to bring you the sexiest of festivals! Hot on the heels of the Cape Town edition, Corona SunSets is set to bring its magic to Gauteng at Ground, Muldersdrift.
Jozi may not have an ocean view, but nothing beats a gorgeous sunset, and ocean or not, this particular sunset is guaranteed to be one for the books. Add some of the world’s freshest music in a venue that’s hard to beat and you have a festival that will be host to the who’s who of Jozi’s urban culture. Expect lots of music from people such as Robin Schulz, Culoe De Song, Black Motion, Timo ODV, Sketchy Bongo, Aewon Wolf, Kyle Deutsch and Tresor.
Off The Beat ’n Track
When: April 8 Where: Big Red Barn, Centurion
Next Saturday thousands of mountain bikers and their families will gather for the first-ever
Off the Beat ’n Track mountain biking and music event.
Off the Beat ’n Track is the first ever event of its kind; offering mountain biking routes which will range from 2 kms to 50 kms where family members of all ages (from toddlers to experienced bikers) can ride together.
Families will be able to picnic on the lawns post their races while enjoying more music they love, live in concert.
The star-studded line-up will include Beatenberg, Majozi and Rubber Duc. For more information jacarandafm.com
The Color Run: Soweto
When: April 23 Where: UJ Soweto Campus The Color Run is a five-kilometre, untimed event in which thousands of participants, or “Color Runners”, are doused from head to toe in different colours at each kilometre. With only two rules, the idea is easy to follow: wear white at the starting line and finish plastered in colour.
After Color Runners complete the race, the fun continues with an unforgettable Finish Festival. This larger-than-life party is equipped with music, dancing and massive colour throws, which create millions of vivid colour combinations. This is the best post-5k party on the planet!
To experience the magic of The Color Run for yourself, fly over to thecolorrun.co.za to find out more. There is also information online on how you can win a trip for two to The Color Run in Paris.
Ticket sales are open – and are limited.
The Standard Bank Jazz Festival
When: June 29 to July 8 Where: Grahamstown The Standard Bank Jazz Festi- val, Grahamstown is celebrating two decades of an incredible jazz festival that for 10 days every year turns Grahamstown into Jazztown during the National Arts Festival. Its 20th anniversary edition this year features more than 100 musicians from 12 countries across a diverse range of styles and collaborations.
Included in the line-up are one of the world’s premier multi-instrumentalists, the Australian James Morrison Quintet, along with Estafest from the Netherlands, Andy Narrel (US), Judith Sephuma, The Soil, Zinzi Makeba Lee and Africa Mkhize, Yaron Herman & Ziv Ravitz, Jimmy Nevis, Marcus Wyatt’s Bomb Shelter Beast, Shane Cooper, Kyle Shepherd, Thandi Ntuli, Desmond and The Tutus and many others.
Recognised as a catalyst for South African Jazz, this year’s festival showcases artists that have made their name at the festival over the past 20 years while also giving a platform to exciting new young players – among them sensational Brazilian bassist Michael Pipoquinha, who at the age of 21 is receiving critical acclaim worldwide.
Arguably the musicians’ favourite festival, the Standard Bank Jazz Festival, Grahamstown is known for its ambitious collaborations across styles, continents and generations and manages to attract serious musicians year after year.
For 10 days, the DSG campus – Jazztown - and the Monument are jam-packed with performances which continue long after the lights have gone down, where the performances move to the Standard Bank Jazz Café in downtown Grahamstown where the musicians hang out for some serious and spontaneous improvisation.
The festival is the launch pad for South Africa’s next generation of jazz stars.
It is here that the Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz make their big debut performance. This year’s winner, bassist Benjamin Jephta, will be following in the footsteps of successful alumni that include Gloria Bosman, Victor Ntoni, Sibongile Khumalo, Siya Makuzeni, Kesivan Naidoo, Melanie Scholtz, Kyle Shepherd, and Bokani Dyer.
For more information on where to stay in Grahamstown and surrounds, and to book tickets visit
POP BOTTLES
When: December 15 to 18 Where: Mauritius Pop Bottles took it up a notch – the brand is hosting a tailored weekend away to one of the world’s hottest holiday destinations: Mauritius.
Hosted in different cities around SA, Pop Bottles has become synonymous with lifestyle living, good times and creating memorable event experiences for SA’s youth.
These intimate Sunday afternoon events start at midday, allowing for a relaxing afternoon of socialising and networking before moving into a lively nightlife experience.
As a leader in urban culture in Southern Africa, the team has decided to branch out and create a totally unique event experience.
This year, Pop Bottles will be hosting a three-night, four-day island experience at the 5-star Lux Belle Mare Hotel in Mauritius.
Guests will be flown in via charter flights from Johannesburg, for an unforgettable summer escape.
Pop Bottles has booked out the entire hotel.
There are 12 villas, The lux suite, four ocean suites, seven honeymoon suites, 28 family suites, 17 beach suites, 27 pool suites and 90 junior suites available.
Packages also include breakfast, lunch, dinner, access to the ice cream bar, coffee bar, beverages, return flights, entertainment and a few surprise activities in between adventures.
With packages starting at R19 500 (including flights), fans can gear up for relaxing days on the beach, partying up a storm at clubs, beach and pool parties, gourmet food buffets and braais, spa treatments, golf, winding down in a boat house, trying out a few of the luxurious local restaurants nearby and more.
Get ready for an explosive warm up to the holiday season, with a Pop Bottles experience that's as premium as it gets.
For more info visit popbottles. co.za – Citizen reporter