This year’s lineup caters to everyone’s musical taste and includes indie favourites Jeremy Loops and Matthew Mole, an acoustic collaboration set by Francois van Coke and Arno Carstens, blues acts Dan Patlansky and The Black Cat Bones, as well as electro sets by Bittereinder and Das Kapital.
In addition to music, Splashy Fen offers a daily open-mic set, a comedy showcase and craft market. The area where the festival is held offers festival-goers an opportunity to hike and fish as well as to enjoy a drink in the highest pub in Africa.
Like any good festival, camping is the main form of accommodation but a tent hotel is available for those that don’t enjoy canvas and air mattresses. Campers are encouraged to bring warm clothes, sun protection, car cellphone chargers and their own water as Drakensberg is quite a distance from urban civilisation. Campers are also asked to leave any glass bottles and utensils at home.
If you live inland and want to make the trip to Natal with other festival-goers, the Splashy Fen website has many posts from people both offering and looking for carpools. Alternatively, a number of buses and shuttles are available for hire for larger groups.
