A celebration of South African culture is set to take place on the island at the end of September.
Isle Settle (a company that specialises in immigrant relocation on the island) has announced the festival, which has been organised in conjunction with the Isle of Man chapter of the South Africa Chamber of Commerce in the UK.
The event is titled ‘SAFFA’, which is a colloquial expression for a person from South Africa.
The celebration of South African culture, food, music, and lifestyle will be held on Saturday, September 23, coinciding with ‘heritage day’ weekend in South Africa.
It will take place at the Nunnery in Douglas, culminating in a screening of the South Africa versus Ireland rugby match.
The festival’s programme includes a family-friendly tag-and-touch rugby tournament and a ‘local is lekker (nice)’ market, featuring Manx and South African artisans, crafters, makers and bakers.
The ‘kids’ zone’ has activities such as face painting, crazy golf, lawn games and a cricket zone.
Food enthusiasts will also enjoy the ‘Braai Day Foodie Fest’, which will feature many South African specialities.
Lee Francis, the chief executive and island head for Standard Bank Isle of Man, says: ‘We are delighted to be able to support this event to celebrate the presence of African culture. It is pleasing to be able to unite the energy of our groups African heritage with that of our Manx heritage here on the island, synergising both rich cultures in one place.’
Vanessa Naude, the owner of Isle Settle, says: ‘The festival is an opportunity for the Isle of Man’s SAFFA population to come together for a celebration of the uniquely South African way of life, and for anyone interested in our food, music, culture and entertainment to enjoy a day of family fun in the autumn sunshine.’
Tickets to the festival are £10 for adults and £5 for children under the age of 17. If you wish to learn more about the festival or book tickets, you can visit Isle Settle’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/islesettle.