PERFECT weather and an exciting line-up of activities contri-buted in the SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees celebrating its 18th anniversary with around 45 000 people visiting the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attendance over the three days of the festival was 15% up on 2018, according to festival director Jenni Honsbein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Total attendance on Friday, June 28, was 38% up. One of the attractions was the first performance by Lira in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was one of 40 of the country\u2019s top singers and instrumentalists to perform on the giant Adventure Province Stage over the three days of the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are delighted that so many people came to kuier with <\/span><\/span>us in Kirkwood for the weekend,\u201d said Honsbein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Saturday the grounds were close to their 20 000 capacity, with sales up by 23% on 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunday, traditionally a quieter and slower festival day, saw a 23% growth in visitors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u201cAnnually millions of rands are pumped into Kirkwood and surrounds by visitors from the rest of the province and South Africa attending the Wildsfees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Accommodation is fully booked for 80 kilometres from Kirkwood months before the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn addition, feedback from our stallholders is that most enjoyed a bumper festival,\u201d says Honsbein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n A clan of five hyenas from the Addo Elephant National Park sold for a surprise R26 000 each at the Kirkwood Wildlife Festival auction which was held on Friday, June 28.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n The auction turned over R5 million, compared to R4,6 million in 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are very happy with the prices and the interest in the auction this year,\u201d said auction convener Johan Swart.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have proven that there is interest in quality game.\u201d <\/p>\n There was great interest from buyers at the auction and telephonic bidders for buffalo with Kruger National park genes. <\/p>\n Previously only buffalo from the Addo Elephant National Park were auctioned.<\/p>\n A top price of R300 000 was paid for an adult female buffalo with a 38 inch horn span and her male calf.<\/p>\n An adult male with a horn size of 45 \u00bd inches sold for R230 000.<\/p><\/b>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PERFECT weather and an exciting line-up of activities contri-buted in the SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees celebrating its 18th anniversary with around 45 000 people visiting the 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\n Fully booked accommodation<\/span>
\n <\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n Millions spent on quality game<\/b>\n<\/b>\n<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n