Footloose in Darling art exhibition

Get footloose and fancy free at this quaint little West Coast dorp’s arts and culture festival

There’s nothing like small town hospitality and there’s nowhere else you can experience it quite like at the Footloose in Darling festival, a celebration where residents open their hearts and homes and invite out-of-towners to wander the charming streets and drink in the West Coast dorpie’s exciting line-up of entertainment. This year’s walkabout is on Saturday, 25 May 2013, and features live music, comedic performances, art exhibitions, kid’s activities and more. 

Forget about the constant buzz of city living, make the hour’s drive up the coast, park your car and stroll footloose and fancy free through the village’s picturesque roads, most of which will be overflowing with things to do, see, touch, taste and smell. From 10am, visitors can collect a map of the village, clearly marking the homes of participants and all the not-to-be-missed attractions (like a car boot sale, gardens converted to art galleries and an Udderly Delicious cheese-making demo), from either the Darling Museum or the market at the top of Main Street.

Expect delectable dorp dishes, tastings of Darling Brew craft beers, wine and mussel sampling sessions and a stellar line-up of performers to entertain the crowds of small town enthusiasts. The incredibly talented Dave Ferguson is bound to cause ooh-ing and aah-ing with his 24 harmonicas, pedals and mic, and a gaggle of giggles can be expected when the comedians, Kagiso Mokgadi and Russell Fox, take to the stage. On the more quirky side, there’s a croquet game (with cucumber sandwiches and a glass of Pimms) and demonstrations at the town’s solar-powered house.

What’s more, the Darling Museum, which, according to event organisers, is the best museum in the country, will have no entrance charge on the day, giving everyone a chance to browse through the town’s history. For those who want to a more in depth look into the past, there are historical walks taking off from the museum at 11am and 2pm at a cost of R20p/p. Darling also has the kids covered: while moms and dads sip tea and scones at a Mad Hatter’s tea party, the little ones will be kept occupied with hula-hoop and poi workshops and lots of fun toys. The kids zone area is also safe enough for parents to leave their offspring for a couple of hours as they meander around the village.

In the evening, all are invited to a light dinner and an outdoor screening of the hilarious film “Keeping Mum”, starring Rowan Atkinson and Dame Maggie Smith, to round out the delightful day spent discovering Darling.

Tickets for Footloose in Darling

Tickets for Footloose in Darling cost just R20p/p for adults and kids under the age of 12 enter free. Some attractions are priced individually.

• The Udderly Delicious Darling cheese making demonstrations cost R45p/p and include a cheese and wine tasting. Sessions are scheduled at 11am and 3pm. Call +27 (0) 74 556 4032 to book.
•  Tickets to the movie cost R45p/p, and dinner, a veggie or meat wrap to be served during the film, costs an additional R40p/p.  Tickets for the festival and the movie are available via Quicket.co.za.

The fun starts at 10am, and festival highlights are scheduled at specific times throughout the day; so be sure to get there early.

The folks at Footloose are also asking visitors to please bring an extra pair of shoes for a collection to provide for those who could use some footwear this winter. If you do, you could stand a chance to win a bottle of Groote Post wine.

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If you’ve got the small town fever, why not take a drive up to Paternoster, another little charming West Coast village.

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