The festival dates and times are as follows; 31 MAY – 02 JUNE 2024
Friday: 4pm – 2am
Saturday: 10am – 3am
Sunday: 10am – 10pm

ALL OUT AFRICA CAMPSITE OPERATING HOURS

• Check-In Desk
oThursday 30 May 11AM – 6AM (24 hours)
o Friday 31 May 6AM – 6AM (24 hours)
o Saturday 1June 6AM – Midnight

• Information Desk
o Thursday 30 May 11AM - Midnight
o Friday 31 May 5AM - Midnight
o Saturday 1 June 5AM - Midnight
o Sunday 2 June 5AM - Midnight
o Monday 3 June 5AM - Midday
• Café Opening Times (open 24 hours a day)
o Thursday 30 May: Midday to 11AM on Monday 3rd June

Please note that 2024 applications ARE NOW CLOSED.

Press accreditation applications open in November.

Submit your application form during the trader application period on our website. Applications open towards the end of the current year, for the following year. Only successful applicants will be contacted and will then be required to pay the stall fee to secure a space at the festival. Late applications will not be considered.

A wide variety of food and alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic beverages will be available for the duration of the event, supplied by various vendors at the festival. MTN Bushfire is a cashless festival; money can be pre-loaded onto your ticket from your Howler account, (where MTN Mobile Money is a payment option), to enable you to make purchases during the festival.

PLEASE NOTE: You are not permitted to bring your own food or beverages into the festival arena.

Yes, you’ll be able to get your fill of all kinds of tasty foods from the Global Food Village suitable for all types of diets.

The Bushfire festival is a cashless environment. To purchase any product you will need to have a festival wristband/pass, which you can preload before the festival from the Howler website https://mtnbushfire.howler.co.za/ or load units from our cashless Top-Up stalls at the festival. Credit and debit cards will also be accepted by the majority of vendors in the Marketplace.

Yes, however it’s suggested that attendees come prepared to avoid any inconvenience or disappointment due to technical issues or queuing.

Yes, Medical Services, including First Aid, are available on site from over 50 medical personnel. Several ambulances are always on stand-by at the festival just in case, including a medical station and ambulance in the Kids Zone. Please alert any member of staff immediately if you require emergency medical services.

Mobile charging stations are catered for in the main festival arena as well as the official MTN Bushfire festival campsite.

No. Only people with camping wristbands will be allowed into the campsite.

Yes, but only when outlets open. Please follow the festival’s social media so you don’t miss the announcements.

Unfortunately, that facility is not available.

Golden Lounge tickets offer comfortable seated areas, with prime viewing of the Main Stage, complete with a private bar, dedicated table service and exclusive access to Malandela’s restaurant. Covered and open-air areas, with heaters and upgraded bathroom facilities make this higher ticket price worth every cent.
The Main Arena ticket option provides access to the MTN Bushfire main festival arena with standing room in front of the main stage. Enjoy the variety of offerings for all ticket holders including performances from the festival’s various stages, explore the Marketplace and sample world cuisine from our Global Food Village.

No, but children up to 12 years old are allowed into the Golden Lounge only if they are in the company of an adult who has a Golden Lounge pass. Children up to 12 years old must be accompanied at all times.

No, Only Full Festival tickets are available.

No. A full festival (3-day) pass is a single wristband that is worn for the entire weekend.

There are no refunds on purchased tickets.

Yes. You may assign your e-ticket via email to a different holder. Simply go to your Howler account, click on the three dots on upper right, select the Transfer Ticket option and follow the prompts. For assistance, please contact [email protected]. However, once redeemed at the festival, a ticket cannot be transferred.

The QR code is a security measure that validates your ticket. The first person to use that QR code to enter the festival will be considered the valid ticket holder, so if someone copies or photographs your QR code, you could become a victim of fraud. If you suspect that your ticket has been stolen or tampered with in any way, please email [email protected] or [email protected] prior to the festival for assistance.

Cash is not used for festival purchases. Instead, the Cashless platform uses NFC technology on your wristband to transact at the festival. You simply load money (via cash or credit card) onto your wristband at various Top-Up points and then you simply ‘tap and go’ at all trader stands.

Yes. Visit www.howler.co.za and click on “Wallet” tab. Pre-loading your wristband becomes available as soon as tickets go on sale.

Either pre-load online or Find a Top Up station at the Festival to load cash onto your wristband.

Tap your wristband against any trader’s mobile device, at any of the festival’s bars, merchandisers, or traders to instantly complete your transaction. Your cashless balance will reflect on the trader’s mobile device once the transaction is complete.

No. These services are available to you for free.

You can choose to Tap Out instead of cashing out by going to the boMake Rural Projects Tap Out stall at the festival exit. Any money left on your wristband will then be donated towards their rural community development projects focused on High School Student Bursaries, women’s socio-economic empowerment as well as potable water and sanitation solutions to over 20,000 people in rural areas of Eswatini.

No worries, you can cash out online on to your bank account. Sign up at www.howler.co.za and click ‘Cash-out’ within the ‘Wallet’ tab. You will be able pair your wristband using the number printed on the back so make sure you keep your wristband after the festival.

You can choose to Tap Out instead of cashing out by going to the boMake Rural Projects stall. Any money left on your wristband will then be donated towards their rural community development projects focused on High School student bursaries, women’s socio-economic empowerment as well as potable water and sanitation solutions for over 20,000 people in rural Eswatini.

It can take up to 14 days to process the cash-outs.

ALL OUT AFRICA CAMPSITE OPERATING HOURS
• Check-In Desk
o Thursday 29 May 11AM – 6AM (24 hours)
o Friday 30 May 6AM – 6AM (24 hours)
o Saturday 31 May 6AM – Midnight

• Information Desk
o Thursday 29 May 11AM - Midnight
o Friday 30 May 5AM - Midnight
o Saturday 31 May 5AM - Midnight
o Sunday 1 June 5AM - Midnight
o Monday 2 June 5AM – Midday

• Café Opening Times (open 24 hours a day)
o Thursday 29 May: Midday to 11AM on Monday 2 June
All commercial tour group must be pre-registered to operate in the campsite. No unregistered groups will be permitted to enter the campsite. Commercial groups will need to pre-arrange a set up and arrival date and time with the AOA team. Vehicle access for groups will only be allowed from Monday at 10:00 until Wednesday at 16:00 before the festival to set up camp. No groups will be able to set up on Thursday morning or late in the evenings, for logistical reasons

It is not possible to park your car next to your tent. Once campers check in they can park, at no cost, in the official campsite car park which is 10 mins walk from the campsite itself. There are shuttle vehicles available between car park and campsite, at no extra cost. There are two limited exceptions: one is the option to park your car in the Family Camping zone and the other is the Camper Car Zone. See the “Add-on” section on the ticketing page.

There is lighting in each section of the All Out Africa Campsite, but we do recommend that you bring a torch with you, especially if you are staying in the forest zones.
There are no plug-in electricity points on site. However, if you want to charge your phone or camera you can do so for a small fee at the All Out Africa Information Desk which is situated next to the Campsite Café.

No generators are not permitted in any sections of the Bushfire Campsite. The campsite is lit in key areas after dark and cell phone charging service is offered at the Info Desk. Generators make considerable noise and give off fumes so impact negatively on fellow campers.

Yes, security and your safety is our first priority. The campsite, car park, main access points and gates will all be manned by security. Each zone is assigned a specific wrist band to ensure that only those campers that are eligible to, can access each zone.

In terms of personal items, we recommend that you bring only the items you really need. Please keep your valuables with you.

Bushfire promotes peace and tolerance - anyone who displays aggressive behaviour towards other campers or staff will be asked to leave the campsite and have both their campsite and festival wristbands removed.

Yes, the campsite has access to hot water showers and flush toilets available for all campers. Family Camp and Canvas Camp has its own exclusive toilet and shower block. There are also be a number of well serviced, pit latrines spread around the campsite in more remote locations.

Yes, braai is an important part of the Bushfire camping experience, and we are happy for you to bring your own barbeque or braai stand if you are staying in the BYO Camping or Family Camping zones. Please note that braais are not permitted in the ready erected tent zones – Tent Village, Forest Fire and Canvas Camp.

NB: Fires/braais lit on the ground are not permitted for safety reasons. Please bring your own braai/fire stand with you.

Yes, you can bring alcohol into the All Out Africa campsite but please note that you are not permitted to take any liquids from the campsite into the festival arena.

The All Out Africa Campsite Café is open 24/7 from the Thursday at midday until the Monday morning at 11:00. The café serves teas, coffee and fresh juices 24/7. Muffins, brownies, breakfast baps are available before midday and savoury wraps and BBQ chicken/wors/beef and pap are available from midday onwards.

Fruit and vegetables are supplied by market vendors.

There is a large food court in the main Bushfire Festival site where you will be able to purchase a range of food to satisfy any hunger!

The transferring of tickets is not ideal as it often leads to confusion on check in. However, it is permissible on the Howler site. To avoid confusion on arrival, please ensure that if you do transfer your ticket that the person you sell to knows your details. If you are buying a ticket from someone else via the online ticketing system then please ensure you know the name of the person that initially purchased the ticket. The Howler team will help you with this.

No. When you buy a Camping Travel Package the seat on the bus, mattress in a tent and festival ticket are assigned to an individual. You are not permitted to give away any of the elements of the package to someone else. If you do so, the whole ticket will be invalidated.

All commercial tour group must be pre-registered to operate in the campsite. No unregistered groups will be permitted to enter the campsite. Registration will involve filling in an application form and applications will be assessed. Not all applications will be successful as demand is high and space limited. Please note that any commercial tour group wishing to stay in the campsite must contact [email protected] to apply for a group pass.

Absolutely! We welcome families and have set up a Family Camping Zone which is exclusively for families with children under 12 years of age. The zone is manned 24/7 and we monitor who can move in and out of the zone. Children are eligible for cheaper camping tickets too!

If you don’t have your own camping equipment and want to bring your family with you, many families like the Canvas Camp and Forest Fire zones as they are usually quieter.

Note: in order to camp in the Family Campsite, you have to have at least one child in your group and the child must be 12 years of younger. If you don’t have a child in your group you will be refused entry and will be asked to camp in the BYO Zone.

Camping tickets are only available to purchase through the Bushfire website. Registered, commercial tour groups should contact [email protected] to book camping tickets. Traders and Artists should speak to their relevant contact person in the Bushfire Festival team to discuss their arrangements. Sponsors should ensure that any arrangements regarding camping have been confirmed with All Out Africa well in advance of the festival.

It is anticipated that all camping spots will sell out in advance of the festival and therefore no camping tickets will be available for purchase during the festival so please book early to secure your spot.

Both your Camping and Festival wristbands must be obtained from the All Out Africa Bushfire Campsite Check-In Desk. Please bring your tickets in a printed format to the check-in desk. Once in the campsite please ensure that you go to the correct zone as you will not be able to check in to different zones.

We ask festival goers to be patient at Check In and to ensure that they are clear about their tickets. If a ticket is scanned a duplicate ticket cannot be issued.

Your wristband is your responsibility and it is not possible to replace lost wristbands. Please take good care of your wristband.

MTN Bushfire invites experienced vendors to apply for the 18th edition of the festival.  Trading applications for the festival’s Food, Craft or Experiential Services can be submitted online. Applications Close 31st January, 2025. You can find the application form here: Trader Application Form 

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION PACK RELEVANT TO YOUR OFFERING LINKED BELOW BEFORE SUBMITTIING YOUR APPLICATION.

FOOD TRADER PACK

CRAFT TRADER PACK

EXPERIENTIAL AND LIFESTYLE SERVICE PROVIDERS

Yes, security will be available from the beginning of the festival week. We are committed to safe-guarding property. We have long-standing partnerships with private security guard firms, which patrol regularly. MTN Bushfire is not liable for any loss or damage to your property.

There will be a skip behind the stalls where traders can dispose of waste and a designated area to dispose of ash.

Yes, please do! Please make use of the designated recycling bins available for plastics, metals and organic waste.

Yes, there are sinks situated behind the food stalls for traders to wash your utensils.

Accredited delivery vehicles will be able to deliver your stock to the trader parking lot, from there you will have to use your vehicle that has access inside the festival with your trader parking sticker, to bring your stock to your stall. Due to high traffic volume, each trader vehicle has a maximum of 20 mins to unload before having to return to the trader parking lot. Please use the access roads. Do not drive across the Main Arena lawn.

If you need more trader tickets than we allocate, you will be required to purchase ordinary festival tickets.

All our beverages including water are supplied by authorized suppliers; therefore, individual traders are not permitted to sell beverages.

Yes, all traders are required to use the cashless system. A commission will be charged on turnover. Traders found trading in cash will be fined and closed down.