Afriski Winterfest: 11 Facts You Might Not Have Known

CompCare Afriski Winterfest is presented by Jacaranda FM and is happening from 22 to 25 August 2019 at Afriski Mountain Resort in Lesotho.

Are you ready to party on the top of the world? Festival goers can expect 3 days of themed events, top-class artists and DJs, multiple music stages and a ton of adventure packed winter sports and activities. Festival junkies, music lovers, skiers, and snowboarders should be ready to be enchanted by this ultimate blend of sound and snow.

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You’ve probably heard about this festival, but you probably don’t know everything. My aim is to change that today.

Here are 11 Facts you might have know about Afriski Winterfest

1. The event takes place at 3222m

The event is held at Afriski Mountain Resort in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.

2. Afriski Winterfest features four different stages

All of the stages feature different styles of music.

The unplugged stage

This is the ultimate, most intimate stage. Get up close and personal with the artists, while enjoying the fireplace, the wine and the amazing hospitality from Sky Restaurant’s staff.

The Hot Box indoor stage

This stage is set up for an intimate and yet crazy music experience. Located above Gondola Café, this is the all-night party venue.

The main stage

This stage is an outdoor wonder where you can expect the best of the artist line-up to rock out to the max! If you’re there for the big bands, then the main stage is where it’s at.

The Cooler Box

This stage is the ultimate outdoor DJ setup. Expect the hear your favourite tunes from your favourite DJs pumping over the slopes.

3. The festival ends off with Afriski veterans performing the ritual “Ski Burning”.

Afriski Veterans dress in Basotho gear, chant into the cool night and sacrificing old skis to the fire.

4. Sky Restaurant is the highest restaurant in Africa.

Even though it’s located at 3222m, it has a relaxed atmosphere, a family-friendly menu, and a real Austrian feel.

5. The line-ups of previous festivals featured great artists

Artists who have performed here include Rubber Duc, Morena Leraba, Goodluck, Jack Parow, DJ Invizable, Desmond & the Tutus, 4AM, Shortstraw (to name a few).

6. Festival packages are available

Packages include ski and snowboard gear rental, ski and snowboard lessons with experienced Afriski Mountain Resort ski and snowboard instructors.

7. People have been skiing in various Southern African mountain ranges since 1929.

One of the most ideally-suited locations are the Maluti mountains in Lesotho. A lot has changed since 1929 and from 2004 modern snow-making facilities and lifts to Afriski were introduced. This has allowed skiing and snowboarding to flourish. The resort operates much as a European ski village.

8. Afriski’s Kapoko Park is a freestyle zone

This zone was created in 2009. It has several pulse-pumping obstacles like jumps, rails, and fun boxes. It’s the only free-style snow park in Africa, providing guests with an adrenaline rush of international standard.

9. The currency is called the “Basotho Loti” (Maloti in plural)

It’s pegged to the South African Rand at a ratio of 1:1. The Rand is accepted freely everywhere in Lesotho, however the Loti is not accepted in South Africa.

10. Afriski has its own snow gun

This fully automated system ensure the slopes get a proper dumping of snow ahead of our official 2019 winter season opening.

11. Afriski Winterfest offers plenty of activities

Activities include snowboarding, skiing, bum boarding, tubing, monster rollers, mountain biking, hiking, fishing and much more.

Sounds like a lot of fun, right? For more info about Afriski Winterfest, check out their website or check out their page out on Facebook.

Watch this space for updates in the Music category on Running Wolf’s Rant.

Henno Kruger

Blogger, Desktop Activist, Twitter / Facebook Addict, Music Festival Addict, Avid lover of South African music, Founder and owner of Running Wolf’s Rant