It is Klipkoppiefees time next weekend

KLIPKOPPIEFEES 2014 is only days away and residents can gear themselves for a big social get-together not to be missed.

With great music, 4×4 adventure tracking, ample food and drinks, hundreds of exhibitors, this is the place you want to be next weekend, Friday May 30 and Saturday May 31.

From humble beginnings in 1999, taking the form of a family day at the Alberton Dam with 18 vehicles taking on the 4×4 track, this festival has grown into one of the most talked about festivals on the social calendar.

This was the brainchild of the Dutch Reformed Church Alberton West to generate funds solely earmarked for charity work in the community. This includes the local communities in and around Alberton and as far as a bi-annual outreach to Malawi.

Today, 15 years later, the festival is hosted at the Meyersfarm in Alberton. It has grown from a small family day to a huge traditional church bazaar-like festival, which now stretches over two days of festivities in a really big way.

With 14 000 people through the gates during the 2013 festival, organisers have geared themselves for an even bigger turnout this year. Kicking off on Friday May 30, festival goers can browse various stalls, chill in the beer tent, or rather Die Klipkraal, with friends and family, enjoy something to eat and just let their hair down while they wait for Snotkop’s appearance on stage at 20:00.

Saturday May 31 boasts a music festival with a lively line-up, including Bok van Blerk and Bobby van Jaarsveld.

The festival is based on two kinds of activities, both indoor and outdoor. Indoor (various marquis tents) hosts high profile artists, Idols type talent shows for primary and high school learners, a tea garden, fresh produce, various other food stalls, a kiddies tent, Die Klipkraal (a watering hole for adults) and big screen TV’s.

Outdoor activities include a 4×4 treasure hunt, 4×4 extreme, a 4×4 challenge, exhibitors of new and used cars as well as all other outdoor equipment you can think of, a flea market, kids’ adventure activities, target shooting, a mountain bike race and a fun run hosted by the CMR.

This year the vast majority of funds raised will go towards Ligstad, a community care programme in Alberton, administered and maintained by the church. Services delivered by Ligstad are:

* an aftercare facility for about 50 children

* caring for the elderly

* meal support in the form of prepared meals and food hampers

* counselling

* distribution of clothes where needed

* praise and worship

* maintaining a vegetable garden to assist with the meal programme

Other organisations benefiting from this festival are:

* Jan Louw House at Abraham Kriel Children’s home in means such as clothes, school supplies and stationery, food, toiletries and arranging for functions over Christmas and Easter etc.

* Alberton Home for the aged has received support of beds, bedding, adult diapers and curtains.

* The Malawi outreach under the guidance of missionary Annemarie de Klerk. This outreach benefited from the festival with a small school and store room being build, painting and general maintenance of the school, assistance with the establishment of a nursery school, screening of the “Jesus film”, visits to 10 other schools in the region and the distribution of bibles.

*Through funds raised by this festival, bibles in all 11 official languages are distributed in Alberton and surrounding areas.

Don’t miss out! See you there next weekend!