Festival season is upon us and there will be choices to match your personal music tastes through the year. Starting the season is Littlegig, the world’s only 24-hour all-inclusive music and lifestyle festival. Held in Stellenbosch, the affair showcases musicians, DJ’s, chefs, winemakers, fashion designers, artists and performers. Littlegig founder Georgia Black started Littlegig in 2014 as a series of music concerts in Cape Town settings.
Based on their success, she saw a gap in the festival market for a small (1500 people), highly creative event, targeting tastemakers and thought leaders - people who are time-poor and need a 24-hour hit of nature, connection and inspiration.
Tell us more about the festival?
This is the third edition, it’s doubled in size but still remains small, at 1500 people. My mission since I created Littlegig has been to create the future festival: a place where people who have seen and experienced many things can see and experience entirely new things. Or things done in entirely new ways. This is the essence of Littlegig.
What makes Littlegig stand out and why should music lovers attend?
Music is our heartbeat. There are six music areas in fantastical settings - a basketball court in a forest, a river bed, a fashion store. These open and close as the festival journey progresses. We’re really proud of our diverse line-up this year, with 35 musicians and 18 DJs and 3 international acts, including Stelth Ulvang from the Lumineers, Estere from New Zealand, and Blinky Bill from Kenya.
Estère will perform at the .Littlegig festival. Supplied picture.
Some of our local highlights are house music duo Black Motion, Nonku Phiri, Bongeziwe Mabandla and Kenzhero - all music lovers’ musicians. Littlegig is a sellout event and people come for the whole experience, not just the music. This allows us to create an interesting music programme that excites us.
Food is really important at Littlegig, and all food and drink (only premium brands are served) are included in the ticket price.
There’s delicious food served in conscious abundance all day, from 10-veg crystal spring rolls, to braaied lamb riblets and wild mushroom kebabs, a live pannekoek bar with delicious toppings, butter chicken curry, pain au chocolat and coffee for breakfast, and a hot chip station at the Secret After Party at midnight.
It’s just happened that Littlegig has become a bit of a fashion parade. That wasn’t my intention, but I think it’s the result of all the creative types who come to the festival.
There’s a festival fashion concept store featuring designers such as Marianne Fassler, Rich Mnisi, Ruff Tung and more. This is the only place at the festival where money changes hands, and it’s always a huge hit; it’s become a Littlegig hallmark.
*Book your tickets at http://littlegig.co.za/