sucess at Boland Festival

 Organisers of the Jive Boland Summer Festival are elated by the success of this year's event after more than 5,000 people showed up at the Daljosafat stadium in Paarl on the last day. Families packed the field, picnicing on various spots with children seen all over the arena, clutching on candy sticks and balloons. Festival coordinator Waagied Hendricks said he was amazed at the turnout on the last day of the three day annual event. “I could hardly believe my eyes. The lines where packed and people where queuing up at various stalls to get their goodies till late the night,” he told VOC News.

With the performances lined up throughout the day, festival goers packed the entertainment area, cheering for a few of Cape Town’s most talented artists. Amongst the crowd-pleasers were SA’s Got Talent winner James Bhemgee, The Boys, Heavenly Quartez, Monox , Identity, Rashaad Voegt and others. With the entertainers doing their best to keep the spirit of the audience going, they also had the crowds in stitches with their unrehearsed jokes.

Rashaad Voegt, a performer and one of the coordinators dealing with the festival’s entertainment, said  the festival was brilliantly organized. “The festival is definitely growing and the atmosphere we had was like a big family and a home away from home,” he said. Voegt added that having VOC as the media partner draw the crowds to the festival. With VOC broadcasting at the festival throughout the weekend, presenters Ayesha Laatoe and Yusuf Fisher got the audience hyped up.

Festival-goer Allie Abrahams, who attended the festival with his family, said that he enjoyed this year’s atmosphere and that the new setup was much easier and accessible. “I traveled all the way from Cape Town with my family and must say that it is worth the long drive,” Abrahams said, adding that he was looking forward to the festival next year.

On the other side of the stadium, smoke hailed from across the fence as youngsters cheered on the drifting squad showing off their skills on the pitch. “The drifting was amazing and the fact that there were safety measures and strict guards on the pitch means it was well organized,” said Yaseen Mohamad, one of the volunteers at the drifting club.

The festival managed to attract over 10 000 people this year. Organisers of the festival said that they are looking forward to next year’s event and can assure it will be bigger and better the 14th year round. VOC (Aishah Cassiem)