The annual Komatipoort Prawn Festival will be held from the 20th to the 22nd of June in Komatipoort. Looking for a fun event for the weekend, then this is it!

The main attraction for the “Garnaalfees” is, as always, the prawn tent. Here the variety of fresh prawn dishes cooked by Pierre Pretorius, Piva and Sarel Loots, will astound you.

To build up an appetite, or once you have eaten your fill, the festival offers many other attractions, including:

• Treasure hunt – over the course of the festival solve the clues and stand a chance to win R5000
• “Pa v Dummies” is a play by Neels van Jaarsveld that will have you in stitches
• Live music by Ses Snare, Blackie Swart, Karen Ferreira and many more
• A who has the biggest Piesang tross competition
• Strongman competition
• Fashion Show
• Paint ball range
• Cooking demo’s by Sarel from Sabie the Mastercheff contestant
• The ever popular beer tent, food stalls (for those that don’t enjoy seafood) and more exhibitors

Download the full festival program here!

Join us for this fun weekend at the 2013 Komatipoort Prawn Festival from the 20th to the 22nd of June.  

The annual Dullstroom Winter Festival take place from the 5th to the 7th of Jully in the quaint little town of Dullstroom. Packed full of entertainment and attractions, the festival again promises to be great fun for one and all.

Bains Cape Mountain Whisky Whiskey is the main sponsor of the weekend and events and entertainment include:

• Roots, blues and folk music – including popular arist like Arno Carstens, Dan Patlansky, Laurie Levine and Matthew Mole.
• Mavunga Fly Fishing Event – the great fishing waters around Dullstroom hosts this competition, perfect for beginners and experts.
• MTB Race – held on the beatyfull property of the Dunkeld Equestrian Estate & Spa
• Trail Run – choose between the 7km or 14km routes
• Whisky Tastings, chocolate, cheese, beer and wine tastings and art exhibitions
• Kids play area

A hop on hop off shuttle service will be available all weekend at a nominal fee to transport you around town, so you can relax and enjoy sampling the main sponsors products.

Join is for this fantastic festival as the town of Dullstroom celebrates everything good about the area.

A brand new annual ADRENALIN FESTIVAL is kicking off in the Lowveld. The Internationally acclaimed motorsport show ROGUE RALLY will be the main attraction at this year’s event, and DSTV Ignition will be there to film the action. 

The Kruger’s Gold Adrenalin Festival is around the corner! Get ready for the action!

On Friday 21 June join the Rogue Rally team, who will be doing some top end runs on the Gods window Road. This road will be closed off to the public, so make sure to use a different route if traveling in the vicinity. After their exciting run along the God’s Window road the team will arrive at Kruger’s Gold where an adrenalin-pumping 400m grudge match will be held on the airstrip!

Open to the public: On Saturday 22 June, the full day of ADRENALIN FESTIVAL offerings will be numerous, with Aeroplanes, Helicopters, Harley Davidsons,Ferraris and many other exhibitors to name but a few. The main event for this day will be the drag racing that will include some of SA’s top cars and racing drivers navigators such as Greg Godrich who will represent Toyota.

On both days there will be media coverage, and the latest news is that SPEED & SOUND magazine will be a part of the action, so we would like to invite the Lowveld Petrolhead community to make a weekend of it and join in on the action!

Listen up super-machine owners: Sportscar and supercar owners who wish to enter their vehicles into displays or drag races on the day will receive VIP treatment. Potential entrants must phone and book in advance for their VIP tickets and goody bags – only the first 15 qualify. Call Jaco Myburgh on 083 325 1833.

On the Saturday a beer tent with a big screen and a live band will serve as entertainment once the motoring has come to a close.

As for those who’s engines aren’t revved by motoring, there will also be loads of interesting things for youngsters, teens and ladies to do while the boys boast and brag.

For those who crave food as much as excitement, Kruger’s Gold Restaurant will also be launching the new pizza menu.

We look forward to seeing you there!

TwoRedPens and Makro Nelspruit invite you to taste the very best of local & international sparkling wines & champagne while sampling delicious gourmet food at the 2013 Makro Gourmet Fair.

• More than 30 local and international sparkling wines available for tasting
• Live blues music by the fabulous Jessie Presto
• Food vendors include: The Food Fundi, Magnolia Restaurant, Cheese & Biscuit’s from Makro Nelspruit, Kadai Restaurant and Matiffin Hill Lodge 

Simply buy your tickets and stand a chance to win a weekend for two in the winelands through a lucky draw on the night. Prize includes flights, accommodation and some meals.

* Bulk tickets available at a reduced rate. - Treat your star customers, team members – or friends & family.

Don’t miss this sparkling event!

The 29th of September will be the 26th consecutive LVCC 7 A-Side Business Hockey Tournament hosted by the Lowveld Country Club.

If you are looking for some great team building activities near the end of the year this is a great opportunity.

Festivities will commence at 8:00 am and the main activity for the day is the 7A-side hockey tournament. It is played in a couple of different pools with a winner at the end of the day. Because its a mix sex game it makes the games very competitive and allot of fun.

With food, drinks and entertainment on site we extend this invitation to you, friends, family and colleagues to come and participate in this great day. An advance payment of R1000 per side secures your entry. Great prizes to be won. With a minimum of 3 ladies on the field at all times, the competition is open to all and sundry. Entries close 24th September @ 17:00! So bring Your A game, come promote your business and most of all come and have FUN! More info can be obtained by contacting:

• Matt Berry on 0798386514 or info@silverspoonwealth.co.za.
• Alec Blair on 0782558431 or alecfblair@hotmail.com

Rules:

1. Business teams consist of 7 players on the field with a minimum of 3 ladies and maximum 4 men playing at one time, substitution is allowed. Please complete your team list. Primary teams to consist of either 7 boys or girls on the field at one time.
2. Each team to supply their own regulation hockey ball and an umpire (with his own whistle) for the game following theirs.
3. There shall be no goalkeepers or kicking backs. Unless the ball goes over the poles it shall still be in play. If the ball goes over the back line, it will either be a long corner or “mini 16 yard hit out”.
4. No penalty flicks will be awarded.
5. A penalty corner (shortie) will be awarded to the attackers as a free hit 5m outside the circle. Only 3 defenders are allowed in the circle, everyone else must be outside the circle and 5m from the ball.
6.  All other hockey rules apply and especially dangerous play, this will not be tolerated.
7. Points as follows: Win-3; Draw-1; Loss-0. Winner will be decided on final points in each pool.
8. Umpires to submit scores to the main table after each game.
9. Go out there and enjoy and remember it’s a social tournament.

Be part of first ever Mafunyane Spring Break taking place from 21st to the 29th of September at the coolest place in the Lowveld – Mafunyane Riverside Water Park!

Take advantage of the great weather we have been having as well as the public holiday on Heritage Day by spending a day or two next to the pool or on the rides at Mafunyane.

The festival includes daily supervised activities and entertainment for kids and teens. Every day is going to be entertainment filled with prizes and giveaways!

Sports │ Competitions │ Talent Searches │ Zumba Marathons │ Music │ Face Painting Games, Arts & Crafts │ Family Fun │ Water Games │ Jumping Castle │ Miss Mafunyane │ Mechanical Bull │ Rocket Launcher

The Miss MaFUNyane pageant is for girls 5 – 25 years old. Selection rounds will take place daily and the girls chosen will take part in the Miss MaFUNyane final on 28 September – all finalists will be seen by international scouts. To enter the pageant e-mail info@four13.co.za or bbm 2B30584F. Don’t miss out.

Cost:Standard rates apply.

• Adults: R90
• Pensioners: R60
• Children under 12: R60
• None sliders: R45
• Children under 3: FREE
• Receive R10 off on the above rates if you sign up for Riverside Royalty.

For more information call the water park 013 757 0080.

The 2013 National Gold Panning Championships will be held in Pilgrims Rest from the 27th to the 28th of September.

Join us for the semi-finals and finals on Saturday the 28th of September and Sunday the 29th of September to see who will be crowned the Gold Panning Champion

Prize giving will take place on Sunday at 15h00

Bring the family and enjoy the art of gold panning at the 2013 Natiional Gold Panning Championships in Pilgrims Rest from the 27th to the 29th of September.  

Join the race to save our rhinos, by participating in the Run 4 Rhino Challenge at LVCC on the 28th of September.

This is going to be a fantastic family fun day, activities include:

• Rhino Fun Run – 3km or 6km with South African celebrity Zola Budd. Each contestant will receive a cast iron medal. Great prizes to be won
• Radio controlled aircraft demo’s
• Potjiekos Competition
• Many Food Stalls
• Local art exhibition
• Dog display as well as a demonstration by the SAPS anti-poaching unit
• Horse Interactions
• Snake display
• Craft Stalls
• Music

This is going to be a great day out in support of a worthy cause, so bring the kids and enjoy the run and other activities at LVCC on the 28th of September.

Come and celebrate Oktoberfest in Bavarian style at the Jocktoberfest in Nelspruit from the 27th to the 29th of September.

This weekend long beer festival will celebrate all thing good about beers and ciders with a big beer tent, many specials, live music and great prizes. The Jocktoberfest weekend includes:

• Live Music all weekend 

The lineup is as follows:

Friday
17h30 – The Acoustics
21h00 – DJ Jaydon &

Saturday
From 13h00 – Bluetorch
19h00 – 00h00 or later – Gibraltar

Sunday
from 14h00 – Arno Fourie & Chris Philips

• HUGE draught beer specials (e.g. Castle @ R15 – or R30 a LT)
• Beer and Cider specials all weekend (plus new flavoured beer for the ladies)
• Buy a 1LT Supermug for R90 and first fill is on us! (mug and beer is R90)
• Rugby 14h00 and 17h00
• German Food
• Kids entertainment – Jumping castle all weekend; Face Painting/Animal Balloons Saturday & Sunday; Magic Show with David the Magician @ 17h00 Saturday; Sunday Pony rides
• Prizes all weekend
• Games – Barrel Roll, Stein Race
• Beer Tent

For more information visit our website: www.jockpubandgrill.co.za 

Be part of the Vodacom Summer Tour U-Party on the 29th of November at the Mafunyane Riverside Water Park in Nelspruit as some of South Africa’s biggest brands come together to give you a youth party like no other.

A combination of Mafunyane’s waterslides, over 3000 LED lights and a BIG sound system is surely a successfully recipe for a great party. Add to that the talents of DJ Euphonik’s, Hugo-Hugh and many more, and we can guarantee you will be entertained.

Tickest available from the Mafunyane Riverside Water Park or online at www.uparty.co.za:

• R80 for pre-sold tickets and R100 at the door
• VIP tickets – R120

For more information call the water park 013 757 0080.

The Maroela Makiti is a fantastic carnival styled event to be held at Hoerskool Bergvlam in Nelspruit from the 31st of January to the 2nd of February.

The festival has grown to include:

• Artists such as Evert Swart, DJ Osewa, Jannie Moolman, Riana Nel, Snotkop, Armand the singing cowboy, Juba, Glaskas, Mathys Roets, Bok van Blerk
• Expo that includes outdoor activities, NPO’s, Toys for the boys, The girls corner, and a arts and crafts area.
• Snack and drinks
• Kids entertainment
• Maroela products

The carnival will be open on:

• Friday from 14:00 – 22:00  
• Saturday from 8:00 – 22:00

So join us at the annual Maroela Makiti from the 31st of January to the 1st of February at Hoerskool Bergvlam for live music and more!

Now in its 11th year of existence the 2014 Innibos Laeveld Nasionale Kunstefees is sure to once again take Nelspruit by storm this year.

Tickets & Bookings

Festival tickets are available at the following outlets:

• The festival gates
• Innibos office

Check the official Innibos website for more details and updates.

The Africa Centre’s Infecting The City Public Arts Festival, which is a highlight on the Cape Town calendar, will be hosted in Nelspruit for the first time this year, in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture.

The festival is taking place in Nelspruit city centre on Thursday, 16 and Friday, 17 January, 2014. Vibrant and unexpected, Infecting The City is one of the most extraordinary free annual public arts festivals on the African continent.

During the festival, Mbombela becomes the backdrop and stage to a mesmerising showcase of live culture across artistic disciplines that include dance, song, poetry and theatre.

Dates and times:

• Thursday, 16 January: 9am to 1pm, repeated at 2pm to 6pm.
• Friday, 17 January: 9am to 1pm, repeated at 2pm to 6pm.

Festival sites

The festival will follow routes through the city centre, giving audiences a chance to follow the entire journey of artworks for a diverse experience or pick and choose experiences at will along the way. The programme is available on

The Summer Heat team will be visiting the Mafunyane Water Park in Nelspruit to search for the best singers, actors, dancers and models South Africa has to offer. Summer Heat is recognised and supported by Miss South Africa as well as the International Talent Showcase in Johannesburg, New York Film Academy in New York, USA and the Applause Rising Talent Showcase in Florida, USA. Hosting a roadshow during February and March 2014, this will be the 5^th year that Summer Heat will run this annual competition. At each provincial stop there is a workshop with internationally recognised scouts and a photo shoot before the auditions begin. Summer Heat Search judges look for models that radiate a natural, healthy look and singers, actors and dancers who have that obvious talent that needs to be exposed to a wider audience. While there are various age categories for models to participate in, there are no age categories for the talent segment. Two finalists in each talent category and each modelling age category will be invited to participate in the glittering gala final event later in the year. International Scouts International scouts are present at every audition, scouting for talent for the International Talent Showcase to be held in October 2014. At the 2013 Summer Heat tour, 55 of our contestants were selected for the International Talent Showcase, after which 51 of these were invited to travel to Orlando, Florida, USA in June 2014 for the prestigious ARTS Showcase. Mpumalanga was well represented at the International Talent Showcase in 2013. Nelspruit and Witbank residents, Craig Williams (Male Model) Renaldo Alberts and Phumelele Mathunjwa (both Singers), Kiara Blatherwick (Junior Model) and Danielle Hassink (Teen Model) were chosen to attend the ARTS Showcase in Orlando Florida, USA later this year. Mpumalanga This years’ Summer Heat Search Mpumalanga will take place at the amazing Mafunyane Riverside Water Park in Nelspruit on Saturday 22 February at 10am. Spectators are welcome to attend the auditions. To enter for this exciting competition and be offered these incredible opportunities, all you need to do is visit www.four13.co.za and click on the “Enter Now” button.  

It’s Avo season and at Brondal Avo Festival this year you can expect everything avo including bacon & avo sandwiches, guacamole, avo on pizza and a whole lot more.

The Brondal Avo Festival, established in 2002, is a farmstyle community festival held in the predominantly avocado growing area of Brondal, 10km outside Nelspruit. Organised by the farmers and residents it has grown from a small community market to a large event that attracts over 5000 visitors annually. In keeping with the farmstyle aspect of the festival there is always plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, honey, jams and local produce on display and for sale. The more than 80 external stores give the festival a “village fair” feel and together with lots of entertainment and music, provides fun for the whole family. There is always plenty of food available, a beer tent with large flat screen TV’s (to stay in touch with the rugby).

Celebrate all things Avo at this year’s Brondal Avo Festival! Why not come this year for a fun day in the sun!

See what else is happening in Nelspruit

The Big 5 MTB Race in Komatipoort will be taking place on 28 June so be sure to enter early to enjoy this unique race…

The route takes riders on a fast and flat, scenic route through local sugar cane and citrus farms. There are long sections of the routes that have wonderful views overlooking the Kruger National Park along the Crocodile River – literally only an electrified game fence separating man from the wild!

10km, 25km, 45km and 60km routes – fun for the whole family! Finish @ Komatipoort Prawn Festival – more for the spectators and riders alike!

Participants in the race enjoy free entry to festival on Sat 28 June

As summer is coming to an end, it is time to reflect back on the sunny days and celebrate the new season’s arrival. The Seafood Festival at Da Loose Mongoose Country Restaurant in White River is just the place.

A wide range of seafood such as oysters, clams, prawns, mussels and various fish dishes will be available. To complement the occasion Boschendal wines will be available to taste. This is all happening to the sound of H2A (alias Blue torch and Anton) on Saturday, 22 March 2014, from 12:00 under the trees.

Da Loose is one of the hidden treasures of the Lowveld and offers an unforgettable experience from the moment you arrive. The Seafood Festival is something for the books as you can eat as much as you wish on the wide variety of seafood and at the same time have a taste of the very well-known wines. These wines will also be available by the glass or bottle at a special price. The children will not be bored for one minute with fun activities such as a jumping castle, sandpit and even a skate park to skate, rollerblade or ride their bikes whilst Mom and Dad enjoy unlimited seafood.

Tickets are R220 for adults, R90 for children under 12 years and free for children under 6 years. Be sure to book and pay for your table beforehand to avoid disappointment.

For more information, please contact Jomarie or Neale on 083 594 1006.

The little hamlet of Tonteldoos will again be hosting its very own Country Festival this year only this time it will be for three days.

Look forward to donkey rides, birds of prey in action, all day live entertainment by various artists, boere sport, and many other fun-events will contribute to a festive experience not to be missed.

Campers are welcome.

The annual Uplands Festival will be held at Uplands College outside White River from Friday from the 30th om May to the 1st of June, come and enjoy the festivities!

A weekend of fun for the whole family with…

• live entertainment & theatre shows
• beer & food hall
• live music & dancing
• art exhibition & craft market
• sports derby and show jumping
• a Field of Fun for kids
• Valencia Uplands MTB Festival

As always the Uplands Festival promises to be a fun weekend with entertainment for the whole family, so join us from from the 30th om May to the 1st of June just outside White River!

The first FNB Whisky Live Showroom to be hosted in Nelspruit on the 16th and 17th of May 2014 at Emnotweni Arena.

Held in association with FNB, Emnotweni Casino and Valpré Spring Water, the FNB Whisky Live Showroom offers an intimate environment for whisky enthusiasts to enjoy some of their favourite expressions from local and international brands including Kavalan, The Glenlivet, Bains Cape Mountain Whisky, the full House of Walker selection, Balblair, The Balvenie and Glenfiddich.

“The FNB Whisky Live Showrooms are boutique events that everyone can enjoy. Whisky lovers are able to sample and purchase their favourite whiskies, while non-whisky drinkers can learn and experience new tastes under the guidance of whisky experts,”says Emily Stockden, chief operating officer at Whisky Live Festival.

Tickets cost R150 each at www.whiskylivefestival.co.za or R170 at the door. All ticket prices include a complimentary tasting glass, a 2014 SA Whisky Handbook, a 500ml bottle of Valpré Spring Water, 15 tasting vouchers, and a variety of additional value adds, including R50 off any purchase of more than R500 for orders placed with Whisky Live Festival Shop at the event for delivery within 3 – 5 working days and a 10% discount voucher for purchases on www.whiskyshopsa.co.za after the event (some terms and conditions apply).

There are limited tickets available for the event, and those who plan to attend are encouraged to book their tickets online in advance to make sure that they don’t miss out.

The FNB Whisky Live Showroom promotes responsible drinking. No persons under the age of 18 years will be allowed into the Showroom. Designated driver tickets are also available at R95 per ticket. Part of the ticket proceeds will be donated to The Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR).