Secret garden parties emerge in the 031 post Covid-19
The exact location is kept secret until the morning of the event when ticket holders will receive an email with the address.
WHEN the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, lockdown restrictions put an end to many crowded events. This shift led Durban resident Ryan Van Rooyen to discover a preference for more meaningful human connections.
It was this concept that inspired Van Rooyen and his team to create Habitat, a series of secret garden shows. Van Rooyen called the garden party concept a ‘post-Covid reaction’.
“Before Covid, I thought I had a lot more friends than I did. During Covid, I realised that a lot of those relationships were centred around partying – without much real human interaction. This concept is like a halfway house, post Covid – to get you out and socialising, without having to go into a massive group of people. It’s also focused more on building meaningful relationships, getting to know people and forming real friendships,” he said.
Van Rooyen who runs the events company, Roots-Up, produces and sets up décor for events. He is joined by Damien Roodt on sound and Matt Cuthbert who films the events.
“It’s more of a social gathering punctuated by pieces of art that people can focus on. We split the musical performance into two pieces,” said Van Rooyen.
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“The idea is to have a house party for 30–40-year-olds – nothing crazy – it’s quite subdued and done by 21:00. It’s the kind of event I want to go to,” he added.
Secret locations
Due to the residential location, the exact venue is kept secret until the morning of the event. When guests arrive, they discover an intimate garden party complete with musicians, food vendors and visual art on display.
“It’s held at people’s houses. We only announce what area the show will be in beforehand. On the morning of the show, we email the ticket holders the address. There are no tickets available at the door,” explained Van Rooyen.
He added that homeowners receive a share of the profits, as well as some bonus photography of their home and a visit from a cleaning company the next day.
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The picturesque garden settings mean there is not much set-up needed.
“The three of us can fit in a car with all the equipment we need and drive off,” he said, adding that the team film and record the performances to generate content for the musicians who perform at the events.
Performers who have featured at past events include: Abahambayo, Lungelo Manzi, Nipho Hurd, Renaud5, Baraka, Zeedah and Kuhle – all playing acoustic sets to make sure the neighbours aren’t disturbed. The garden parties also feature visual art with plans to incorporate performance art, as well.
“When we are able to increase our budget, the aim is to include more art. We have the idea of getting some movement pieces involved,” said Van Rooyen.
Sales are typically limited to 80 tickets, although numbers depend on the size of the venue. So far, shows have been hosted in Berea, Kloof, Westville and Durban North. Tickets start at R150 for general access. Organisers partner with various food vendors for patrons to pre-order meals. For more information, email: rootsupza@gmail.com.
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