Freedom Festival set to become a major event
Freedom Fest will see big names like The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus performing alongside local favourites like AKing and Gangs of Ballet.
Freedom Festival, South Africa’s newest one-day music festival is set to take the country by storm.
Hosted on the 21st anniversary of South Africa’s democracy, the ambitious festival will take place on two separate days: 25 April at SuperSport Park in Centurion and on 27 April at Ostrich Ranch in Cape Town. The fantastic line-up features international acts Skillet, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Airborne Toxic Event and The Curious Incident. Local superstars Fokofpolisiekar, Bittereinder, The Plastics, The Narrow, Shortstraw, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Haggis & Bong, Al Bairre, Gangs of Ballet and AKing will also perform.
Rekord spoke to festival organiser Craig Kraft about his ambitious plans, rock music and going bigger and better.
What inspired Freedom Festival and why did you decide to host it this year?
Freedom Festival has been in the making for a year and a half. Music is a passion of mine, and I wanted to create a festival where you can go and listen to great music for 10 hours, and afterwards go home, take a shower, and sleep in your own bed. The timing has been great, and the festival is in the 21st year of our democracy, and will be held on Freedom Day. We also wanted to give local bands the opportunity to play on the same stage on the same day as some large international acts.
Why did you decide on SuperSport Park, and not a large stadium like FNB Stadium?
With a large stadium like FNB you are limited to the size of the stadium. There is not much room for growth. Also, if you want a second stage, like we have, you would need to put it in the parking lot, and that won’t do. In the larger stadiums you would have to stand a lot as well. SuperSport Park offers exactly what we wanted to create. A relaxed atmosphere where the entire family is welcome. There is enough space for everyone, so people are encouraged to bring an umbrella and some food, and enjoy the day. SuperSport Park also offers room for growth. Next year we can expand and offer more things to do.
Another thing that makes SuperSport Park great is its location and proximity to the highway. For people from Johannesburg, it is a quick 20-minute drive. It is the ideal location.
What can people expect at the festival?
It really is a festival for everyone, we exclude nobody. Under 18s are welcome, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. We are also looking at having a family area for the younger children. People are more than welcome to bring their own cooler boxes with food, although no alcohol is allowed to be brought in. There is a massive 120m bar that will ensure that nobody will have to stand in a queue. There will be large merchandise booths as well. It will be a very relaxed atmosphere, where everyone can come and enjoy themselves.
What are the plans for the future? Will you expand or create a spin-off event?
We want to expand and bring even bigger and better bands next year. We are also considering doing smaller events that will be genre-focused.
Will there be any difference between the Pretoria and Cape Town festivals?
No. Both will be exactly the same. That has been one of the challenges we have faced. As Cape Town and Pretoria have two different crowds, we really tried to offer a varied festival that would appeal to both crowds. We have also added an EDM stage at both festivals. Even though it is primarily a rock festival, the EDM stage will add a different element to the experience.
Where can people get more information on the events?
All the information is on our website or on our Facebook page ‘Freedom Festival‘.
Read: Win tickets to FreedomFest!
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