Littlegig to bring 24 hours of creativity to Stellenbosch

Founder Georgia Black started Littlegig in 2014 as a series of music concerts in interesting Cape Town settings. Based on their success, she saw a gap in the festival market for a small (1,500 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.

Food and drink

Littlegig is unlike any other festival in that all food and drink are included in the ticket price. Only premium alcohol and coffee brands are served throughout the event from a string of pop-up bars (with no queues) in fantastical locations. Lamb riblets, giant Vietnamese crystal rolls, wild mushroom kebabs, butter chicken and more are served from food stations dotted around the festival forest. For the real foodies there are two additional experiences, a Paired Food and Wine Tasting featuring six top female chefs and winemakers (Ash Heeger X Nadia Newton Johnson; Jenny Ward X Nadia Barnard; Vanie Padayachee X Jocelyn Wilson), and a six-course Chef’s Table Dinner for 50 guests by Eat Out Top 10 chef Arno Janse van Rensburg (Janse & Co.)

“The Chef’s Table is the best experience for the introverted festival-goer – a magical feast in the forest, a moment of fantasy with great food and great company. An incredible memory,” says studio-H's Hannerie Visser.

Photo by Jonx Pillemer

Surprises - like a convenience store, where you can stock up (for free, of course) on sweets, chocolates, suntan cream, condoms; a 10-meter pavlova brought out after dark, a hot chip station at the 2am secret after party, and a surprise taste experience on a dance-floor when you’re least expecting it – are part of the magical Littlegig food experience.

“In many ways, Littlegig is a sophisticated rave. A space where you can be hedonistic but still feel looked after,” says Black.

Music

The music experience at Littlegig is not about big headline acts but a collection of relevant and diverse musicians and DJs in six music areas that open and close as the festival journey progresses. There’s the Forest Day Stage with our favourite live bands in the middle of the food forest, the Night Stage - on a real basketball court – with headline electronic acts; an Art Car playing the sundowner set on the island and then moving to a secret forest location after midnight. The Festival Fashion Concept Store has a dancefloor and a steady flow of champagne, the Island has DJs playing funk, Latin, soul and sounds from the continent, and the Gin & Whiskey Bar has late night live music.

Photo by Jonx Pillemer

International acts include multi-instrumentalist, carnival-style storyteller Stelth Ulvang (from The Lumineers), Cameroonian-New Zealand singer and beatmaker Estère, Kenyan DJ/producer Blinky Bill.

Other highlights are SAMA-award winning Black Motion, afro-folk sensation Bongeziwe Mabandla, electro-soul songstress Nonku Phiri, Giles Peterson and Ninja Tunes-approved Sibusile Xaba (fresh from their first headline European tour), rising indie act Johnny Cradle, electronic-folk artist Amy Ayanda and Samthing Soweto, the award-winning new project of The Soil founder Samkelo Mdolomba and futuristic queer music act Umlilo and the Stash Crew.

We have some of SA’s finest DJ’s including; Kaya FM radio host and promoter Kenzhero, DJ and 5FM radio host Kid Fonque, queen of bass Doowap, Afrosynth blog and record store founder DJ Okapi, DJ and visual artist Zara Julius, DJ and executive producer DJ Strat3gy, Kaya FM crew The Maestro aka Greg Maloka and Sound Supreme featuring Just Themba, Tha Muzik and the Rhythm Sessions, and Maria McCloy fashion designer and publicist, alongside fixtures on the Cape Town DJ scene K-$, Toby 2 Shoes, Artelligent (AKA Headroom), Retro Rootz, Danalog, Tommygun, DJ Mamba and Marc Who.

Art, design and performance

Each area at Littlegig is designed by a top stylist, under the creative lead of Littlegig’s Bielle Bellingham, former Elle Decoration editor. Architect and artist duo Sean and Justine Mahoney have designed a six-metre metallic inflatable artwork for the island, there will be a Deep Sleep tent where festival goers will lie suspended in ‘cocoons’ listening to regenerative brainwave music, and there will be an installation by Rodan Kane Hart on the basketball court. Dance, performance, comedy and magic will be making their Littlegig debuts. Performance art pioneers Dear Ribane - a sibling trio who has worked on campaigns for Kenzo, Chanel, i-D magazine, iPhone7 and Nike - will open the Night Stage. Also on the lineup are London comedian and Pink Floyd bassist Guy Pratt, contemporary dance outfit Indoni Dance Academy, and multi award-winning illusionist Stuart Lightbody.

“My job is to make sure that art at Littlegig is an experience that releases unconscious potential and joy,” says creative director, Bielle Bellingham.

Fashion

Fashion, dress-up and creative freedom are the heartbeat of Littlegig. The Concept Store - the only place at the festival where money changes hands - presents vintage and bespoke festival ranges by exciting local designers such as Marianne Fassler, Mami Wata, Rich Mnisi, Neo Serati, David Brits for Good Good Good, Sheila Madge, Lukhanyo Mdingi, Dr Pachanga, Shirley Fintz Vintage, Xube, Dionne Campbell-Young, Craig Port, Rufftung, W35T and Beach Cult. Adjoining the store – and sharing its music lineup and free Krone champagne bar – is the Salon, with 12 top stylists and make-up artists who will transform guests, at no cost.

Tents

There are eight categories of camping and glamping, ranging from tents with blow-up mattresses to bell tents the size of a bedroom, with Egyptian cotton linen. For the 2018 event self-camping has been introduced for the first time, at no extra charge. And for those who would rather sleep in their own beds, there’s a taxi rank at the festival, which is just 40 minutes’ drive from Cape Town.

Cost:

Festival tickets: R2,300 till 16 January and R2,450 from 17 January. Basic camping tents from R1,450. Glamping tents range from R2,950 to R6,450 per tent. Littlegig ticket prices include all food and drinks. Paired Food & Wine Tasting: R150 per ticket. No under-21s allowed. Book via Quicket.

For more info, go to www.littlegig.co.za.