Gauteng’s new culture-led, environmentally conscious festival brought music, food, creativity and sustainable living into one of the province’s most remarkable natural spaces.

Rooted Fest 2026 officially began its journey towards 10 October, following an intimate launch experience held at the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve in Gauteng on Sunday.

Hosted in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Environment, the launch brought together media, government representatives, partners, creatives and key stakeholders for a first-hand introduction to the vision behind Rooted Fest, a new cultural experience where music, food, nature, sustainability and South African creativity meet.

More than simply announcing a festival, the morning was designed to let guests experience the environment at the heart of Rooted. Guests enjoyed a morning immersed in nature, including hiking and a guided reserve drive supported by Volvo, before gathering for an intimate brunch.

The brunch was curated by Chef Mahlomola Thamae, with a drinks experience by Matte & Soda and custom Rooted tableware created by Art By Zulu, offering an early taste of the considered, locally driven experiences planned for the festival. Volvo’s involvement in the guided reserve experience brought sustainable mobility into the Rooted story, allowing guests to discover Suikerbosrand while engaging with the landscape that was set to host the festival.

A Festival Rooted in Purpose

Speaking at the launch, Ayandamantombazane Mhlongo, Festival Director of Rooted Fest, shared the thinking behind an experience that places the environment at the centre of contemporary culture.

“Rooted was born from a very simple question: what happens when we bring the things that shape our culture, our music, our food, our creativity and our people, back into nature? We want to build an experience that celebrates who we are while encouraging a more conscious relationship with the spaces we occupy. Suikerbosrand isn’t simply the venue for Rooted; it is part of the story. Everything we are building around this festival starts with respecting and celebrating this environment.”

The launch also gave the Gauteng Department of Environment an opportunity to introduce guests to the ecological significance of Suikerbosrand and the importance of creating new ways for South Africans, particularly younger audiences, to engage with the province’s natural spaces.

MEC Ewan Botha highlighted the importance of platforms that bring communities closer to Gauteng’s natural heritage while showing that environmental conservation can form part of contemporary culture and everyday life.

“Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is one of Gauteng’s most important natural assets, and our responsibility is not only to protect spaces such as this, but to ensure that our communities understand their value and feel connected to them. Rooted Fest gives us an opportunity to introduce people to this extraordinary environment in a new way, through music, food, culture, creativity and shared experiences, while keeping environmental responsibility at the centre.

“We want people to enjoy our natural spaces, but equally, we want every person who enters Suikerbosrand to understand that they have a role to play in protecting them. This is why the principle of ‘Leave No Trace’ is so important. It speaks to the kind of relationship we want to build between our communities and the environment: one rooted in enjoyment, ownership, respect and responsibility.”

Rooted Fest was built around the principle of “Leave No Trace”, with sustainability integrated throughout the experience, from infrastructure and waste management to environmental education, conscious consumption and the way audiences interact with the reserve.

The Road to 10 October

The launch marked the start of the final countdown to Rooted Fest 2026, scheduled for Saturday, 10 October 2026 at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve. The full-day festival was set to transform the reserve into a multi-experience cultural destination featuring live music, food, sustainability, family entertainment, wellness, creativity and interactive experiences.

Festival-goers were promised performances from some of South Africa’s most exciting artists, led by Makhadzi, alongside Big Zulu, DBN Gogo, Tamara Dey, Ruhan du Toit, Litshepe and Chris Beats.

But Rooted was deliberately designed to be more than a music festival. Across the reserve, audiences were invited to explore a series of curated zones:

• The Main Stage was to provide the soundtrack to the day through a diverse programme of South African music.
• The Food Village was to celebrate South African food and flavour through a curated culinary experience, bringing food, community and storytelling together.
• The Green Living Zone placed sustainability at the centre of the festival, with an interactive space for environmental innovation, education and practical approaches to more sustainable living.
• The Playroom offered a dedicated environment for children and families, so Rooted could be shared across generations.

Curated lifestyle, beverage, cultural and wellness experiences were also planned to transform the reserve, encouraging festival-goers to move through Rooted, discover new spaces and engage with the environment throughout the day.

Mhlongo added: “Sunday gave our partners and guests a glimpse of what we mean when we say Rooted. On 10 October, we get to open that experience to thousands of people. We want people to come for the music, the food and the experience, but we also want them to leave having discovered something new about Suikerbosrand, about sustainable living and perhaps even about their own relationship with nature. If we can create an incredible cultural experience while inspiring people to see our natural spaces differently, then Rooted is doing exactly what it was created to do.”

Taking Rooted Beyond the Reserve

The journey to 10 October continued through an integrated media and communications campaign designed to take the Rooted story beyond Suikerbosrand and into communities across Gauteng. Through media and platform partnerships including Kaya FM, TRACE NGOMA and TRACE+, alongside digital, outdoor, PR and community amplification, audiences were introduced to the music, people, experiences and environmental purpose behind the festival in the weeks leading up to the event. The campaign also spotlighted Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, building awareness of the reserve as an important Gauteng natural asset and encouraging a new generation of visitors.

On 10 October 2026, Suikerbosrand was set to become the meeting point between culture and conservation, music and nature, celebration and responsibility. It was an invitation to come together, reconnect and experience Gauteng differently. It was time to #GetRooted.

For more lifestyle news, follow us on socials: PressIcons