Hilton Festival’s fabulous free events
H H ilton Festival-goers can look forward to a smorgasbord of free music, children’s theatre, arts and crafts.
Running from Friday, September 23, to Sunday, September 24, at Hilton College, the festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and a return following the Covid19 pandemic.
A curated craft market, packed full of quality items, meanders through the campus. There are more than 90 traders selling little gems you simply cannot do without. The market is open from 9am daily.
Birding adventures
Rockjumper Worldwide Birding Adventures has partnered with the festival organisers to offer festival-goers a special zone full of books on birds and other topics. Among them is Adam Riley’s latest book, Birds of South Africa.
There will also be fabulous bird photography and art by Adam Riley, Rayne Hampson, Brent Dodd, Ingrid Weiersbye, Penny Meakin, Kirsten Humbolt and Candice Preiss; binoculars, telescopes and thermal heat scopes on show; and visitors will be able to learn about Birdlife South Africa and its conservation programmes.
Among the exhibitors in the Rockjumper Arena will be Rockjumper Birding Tours, which organises tours to more than 100 countries. They will be offering birding walks and drives on the Hilton estate.
Visual art
Visual art will be on display in the Memorial Hall foyer, the Centenary Centre foyer, the Normand Dunn Gallery, the Bell Tower tent and the Churchill tent from 9am daily.
The featured exhibition at this year’s festival will be Mandela: A Life’s Journey, in which John Meyer has created stunning works based on key moments in the life of the former president.
Theatre
If you are looking for ways to keep your little ones entertained, Eden Primary School will be presenting three five-minute stories at the Amphitheatre.
The Tale of Hyatis the Hyena, reveals the truth about the laughing hyena. It will be taking place in the Verd Talent Show tent on Saturday at 11:30am.
In Feathered Friends, Peacock learns the hard lesson that not all importance should be placed on beauty. The show takes place at 12 noon.
Last, but not least, in Life Is Great!, Warthog and Vulture learn the value of hard work and forward planning. Catch this bit of interactive family fun at 12:30pm on Saturday.
Also at the Amphitheatre, Maritzburg College will be staging its production of Sophiatown at 10.30am and 3pm on Saturday and 10.30am on Sunday.
Originally performed by a cast of eight people, Sophiatown has become a classic of South African theatre.
College’s production sought to provide the prospect for a larger number of pupils to take to the stage. A vocal ensemble was added, allowing the cast to celebrate the jazz and vibrancy of Sophiatown, whilst addressing the forced removals that shaped our past.
The Hilton staging runs for 15 minutes and features edited extracts from the show.
Music
John Soderlund, from Pietermaritzburg, will be showcasing his extraordinary guitars in Reimagining The Guitar at the Museum. Second to the piano, the guitar is the community played musical instrument in the world and Soderlund is constantly pushing the envelope in its development.
Live music performances will be a feature of the festival across the three days.
The Hilton College Marimba Band will be performing at 5pm on Friday in the ZAR Festival Hub; while Basson Laas, will be on stage at the ZAR Bistro from 6pm.
The hugely popular duo, Veranda Panda, will be getting the party started in the ZAR Festival Hub at 7.30pm on Friday.
Saturday’s music gets underway at 10am on the Bell Tower lawn with a performance by the Pietermaritzburg Girls High School wind band.
For those who miss the Hilton College marimba band on Friday, there is a chance to catch these young musicians at the ZAR Festival Hub at 11:15am on Saturday.
Jesse Cantrel will be performing an unplugged set at the ZAR Festival Hub at 12.30pm on Saturday; Chill is on stage at the ZAR Bistro at 12:45pm; and Afro Divas hit the ZAR Festival Hub stage at 12:45pm.
On Sunday, the award-winning Maskandi duo, Qadasi and Maqhinga, wil be performing at 12 noon in the ZAR Festival Hub.
the festival will, for the first time be charging an entrance fee of R100 per vehicle.
“This charge entitles the holder to multiple entries to the event,” festival director Sue Clarence said.
“On arrival you will be handed an entrance ticket. You will need to redeem this for an entrance pass at the information tent, the box office or at the gate upon exit.
“This pass will allow you return as many times as you wish from Friday at 9am to Sunday at 3pm.”
Asked why the festival was charging for entry, Clarence explained that the Covid-19 pandemic had severely impacted the event.
“Many of the companies who used to sponsor our tent structures, staging, lighting and sound went out of business, and we are without a title sponsor. Without this charge for entry the festival would in all likelihood have died,” she added.
To find out more about the Hilton Arts Festival and to book for the varied selection of drama, comedy and music at the event, go to https://hiltonfestival.co.za/