4 days of creativity with Wilderness Art Festival

GEORGE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS - The Wilderness Art Festival is set to light up this village from Thursday to Sunday, 9 to 12 October, offering four days of art, music, performance and family fun.

With venues stretching from the Wilderness Hotel to Milkwood Village, the programme promises something for everyone.

The festival kicks off on Thursday with live music by Paddy & Kagiso, followed by the official launch and welcoming speeches. Visitors may look forward to a best dressed and dance competition later that evening, setting the tone for a vibrant weekend.

Highlights on Friday include performances by Mekhala van der Schyff, the Seven Passes Drummers and And the Riddle, alongside demonstrations such as metal sculptures, eco printings and a book reading by Anna-Mart.

Saturday is packed with theatre, art demos, a talk on Wilderness biodiversity and the Alles in Wonderland fashion show - a not-to-be-missed evening event.

Sunday wraps up the programme with origami, children's painting, improvisational theatre and live music.

Ongoing attractions include pottery, painting, journal making and even an Alice in Wonderland movie booth. "With participating restaurants and venues offering food, wine and entertainment specials, the Wilderness Art Festival is set to be a feast for the senses," says Carole Durrant, the festival's organiser.

Demi Bosman as the White Rabbit.

Book launch

Join author and artist Joanne Hammill for the launch of her children's book, I Rescue Animals. What's Your Superpower?, at the Wilderness Hotel at 09:30 on Friday 10 October.

Join author and artist Joanne Hammill for the launch of her children’s book, "I Rescue Animals. What’s Your Superpower?" at the Wilderness Hotel at 09:30 on Friday 10 October.

Hammill's journey is one of courage and faith. On 2 August 2017, her life changed in an instant when she fell from her garden wall and was left paralysed from the waist down. She recalls how her beloved Great Danes stayed by her side until help arrived, and how gratitude for the use of her arms and hands sustains her daily.

Her paintings now reflect her love of Great Danes, the gentle giants she once rescued and now immortalises on canvas. "I do not ask that life shall be forever grief- and sorrow-free. But that faith should stand before whatever my life would have in store," says Hammill.

The team. Back: Sharon du Plessis, Semona Diener, Kala Combrink, Pieter Pretorius and Biance Ralph. Front: Carole Durrant, Caroll Caddick, Rosanne van Niekerk and Tammy Calitz.