Cooler will be bigger and better

THE 2022 Galeshewe Cooler Box and Camp Chair Festival promises to make a massive comeback following a two-year break due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Hosted on December 26, 2022, the event, previously known as the Jeppes Town Cooler Box and Camp Chair Festival, will move to the Galeshewe Stadium to allow organisers to expand it.

The annual event was started by a young entrepreneur from Club 2000, Anthony Moipolai, in 2014 and has seen massive growth over the years.

Moipolai said he never received any funding or sponsorships for previous events, which was hosted at the Club 2000 park. The event allowed young artists to showcase their talents and, in the past, attracted not just visitors from Club 2000, but from across the city.

Members of the community turned it into a family affair that caters for young and old the day after Christmas.

Moipolai said it grew at such a rapid speed that they later lost count of the attendees.

The last event was hosted in 2019.

The event was met with both appreciation and criticism as it was hosted at an open venue with no regulations and safety measures, with the organisers having limited control in terms of safety.

Moipolai said it was now time to grow and give residents what they loved in a better package, and for local artists to also experience growth as a result of the event.

He said the event needs to accommodate more people and adhere to event safety requirements while the intention is to also include national artists as the festival moves forward.

He assured the residents of Club 2000 that they are not taking away “their event”, but that they are growing the product.

“We have noted all the feedback from various communities and are working on improving the festival,” said Moipolai.

“We have big plans for the event and that is why we are moving to a more secure venue. We will also charge an affordable fee this time. The entrance fee at the gate will be R80 and R30 per cooler box.

“In the past, the park could not be sealed off for the event due to it being a public space. We had to take municipality by-laws into consideration, including that the park can not be used for commercial purposes. Security was also an issue.

“It's time to step up our game and give value for money. Artists need to be paid and we raising funds as we market the festival.”

Moipolai has been involved in several social events, including a two-day hip hop event that was hosted in Kimberley at the Mayibuye Multipurpose Centre in 2015. The event was headlined by Idols host and rap superstar Proverb and supported by local hip hop artists.

The 2022 Galeshewe Cooler Box and Camp Chair Festival promises to make a massive comeback on December 26, 2022

at the Galeshewe Stadium to allow organisers to expand it.

The event was previously known as the Jeppes Town Cooler Box and Camp Chair Festival