CompCare Afriski Winterfest presented by Jacaranda FM, took place from the 22 – 25 August 2019 at Afriski Mountain Resort in Lesotho. By day Winterfesters were treated to a ton of activities for adventure lovers, festival junkies, skiers, and snowboarders. By night the festival came alive with the hottest tunes.
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Afriski Mountain Resort caters to both experienced and beginner skiers and snowboarders. Veterans kicked the weekend off on the advanced slope or tried out the various features at the Kapoko Snow Park. Those who didn’t have the gear but wanted to learn could take advantage of the all-inclusive festival package which includes ski and snowboard gear rental and lessons with experienced instructors.
Those looking for the snow experience, but were a little on the nervous side had the opportunity to enjoy winter activities like bumboarding or tubing, among others, the whole weekend. This year an “Anything that Slides” competition was held. Winterfesters got creative and grabbed inflatables or anything with the ability to slide for a wild ride down slopes. Due to the unusually warm weather, Winterfesters got treated to additional complimentary Summer activities ranging from quad biking and Monster roller adventures down the Afriski trails.
CompCare Afriski Winterfest presented by Jacaranda FM is one of the only music festivals that give you an up-close and personal experience with Southern Africa’s favourite artists. The line-up featured the likes of Rubber Duc, Martin Bester, DJ Jazzy D, Easy Freak, Straight Jackal, 4 AM, Jerry & The Bandits, The Toast, Morena Leraba, Tashy D’Agrela, Lady Lea, Wolfgang Marrow and many more. Here’s what the artists had to say about jamming at the top of the world.
Wolfgang Marrow started as a two-piece outfit consisting out of Louwki Cronje and Sandy Little, has evolved to a 4-piece Blues Folk Band. Sandy Little comments: “It was our first Winterfest, we came to fall hard, learn some life lessons and play the blues.” And play they did as they crooned their quirky soulful sounds at the Main Stage.
The Toast, formerly known as Ice Cream and the Chocolate Stix debuted their new Ra-Ra sound for the first time. Their high energy, deep bass performance took full advantage of the upgraded Winterfest sound system. BHX describes their move to a fresh sound: “It was exciting to debut ourselves as The Toast. We are melting off the ice cream right here at CompCare Afriski Winterfest. Our previous music was quite pop, but we’ve moved to a more honest sound, one that we both love to play and listen to. Ra-Ra is rap-rave, it’s electronic, but we still include various instruments. We wanted to see how grimy, shakey and dancey we can get while still keeping the flow.
Morena Leraba mesmerized the crowds with a sunset Saturday session. Their re-modelled sounds of Lesotho brought a uniquely local experience to the weekend, showcasing pure Basotho talent. Bontle Mabala who travelled up to see Morena Leraba comments on the show, “Look at him and how he’s dressed, he’s a real shepherd. Like he came straight down from the mountains to play”. Morena Leraba comments: “A lot has happened since last year’s event. We’ve travelled all over the world; we’re doing shows constantly. That’s why I love coming back here to Afriski for Winterfest. I’m a Shepherd and a village boy at heart. Lesotho is where it all started, where the traditions that inspire my music lives. It’s good to get back to my roots.”
Dr Johan Pretorius, chief executive officer of Universal Healthcare, administrators of CompCare Medical Scheme, comments: “With all the outdoor activities and winter sports available during the event, Afriski Winterfest was the perfect fit. CompCare Wellness is one of the few medical schemes in South Africa that caters for young adventure seekers. If you are a young, vibrant person that looks after their health, then CompCare is the scheme for you.”
Peter Peyper, Operations Director of Afriski comments on the weekend: “If I had to sum up this event in one word, I would say, electrifying. 2019, our sixth Afriski Winterfest, the stage, line-up and the crowds, were the biggest to date. Thanks to our incredible sponsors CompCare and Universal Healthcare, Jacaranda FM and RedRock beer.”
“This has been the warmest August Afriski has experienced in twenty years, and we’ve had zero natural snowfall the entire season. Still, we kept the snowmakers going so everyone could enjoy all the snow and summer activities on offer.”
Keun Robertson, National Sales Manager of RedRock Beer, comments on the good times: “This is such a unique event, and that’s what we stand for, not just music but creativity, lifestyle and authenticity. There was a RedRock on every table, friends being made and good times all around.”
The curtain was brought down in style on the final day with a champagne drenched main stage show and the ritual “Ski Burning”. Dressed in Basotho gear, Afriski veterans performed under the clear starry sky, chanting into the chilly night sacrificing the skis to the fire and bringing the festival to a close.
CompCare Afriski Winterfest presented by Jacaranda FM will be back for another opportunity to get up to snow good in August 2020.
#WinterFest2019 #SnowTripRoadTrip
Information:
- ● Afriski Winterfest took place from the 22 August – 25 August 2019.
- For more event and accommodation information, go to: https://www.winterfest.co.za/
- Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/WinterFestSA/
- Follow Afriski on https://www.facebook.com/resort.afriski/
- For more information contact Alex Torrao at alex@muchomoo.com
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Prepared by Kelly Fraser, Nomadic Social, Kelly@nomadicsocial.com and Afriski Mountain Resort.
Afriski Mountain Resort information:
Afriski Mountain Resort is an ‘all year, all mountain’ destination in the heart of the Drakensberg- Maluti Mountains, in Lesotho. It is one of two ski resorts in Southern Africa and caters to every taste. It offers the perfect escape for sport and outdoor enthusiasts, corporate parties and families in summer and winter. With a selection of accommodation options, as well as a range of on-site facilities and restaurants, Afriski has all you need for the perfect mountain getaway.
