Local environmental organization, Greenpop, is set to host its annual flagship tree planting
and restoration event, Reforest Fest 2024. Returning for its 12th year, from March 29 to April 1, 2024, at Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat in the Overberg region, Greenpop’s Reforest Fest offers a diverse experience that connects people with nature, art, music, and community. Participants come together to plant
thousands of trees and engage in workshops, classes, and live music performances.

The event offers a wide range of activities suitable for all ages. Explore interactive art installations and wellness activities, immerse in a selection of informative workshops, savour locally-sourced food, and delight in the beauty of the natural surroundings at Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat.

Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat, nestled in the heart of the Platbos Forest near Gansbaai, is a
sanctuary, which has become a centre of connection, balance, and growth. Guests can
camp in a tent, get a comfortable room or elevate their stay in one of our fully fitted glamping
tents.

Over the years, Reforest Fest has become a symbol of hope, and positive change. At its
core, this wholesome festival is all about trees. Thousands of trees are planted each year,
with the goal of restoring indigenous forests and reviving ecosystems. This journey extends
beyond the weekend as planting sites gradually transform from alien-dominated landscapes
into thriving habitats filled with newly planted tree seedlings. We plan to plant 5000 trees at
Reforest Fest 2024!

While the festival focuses on trees, it is also about people. Participants spend their days
planting trees with friends, returning to a camp filled with music and delicious food. The
event welcomes local and international artists and offers a variety of plant-based meals.
The Greenpop village is a hub for learning and fun, featuring workshops, talks, and
entertainment for all ages. From engaging workshops to unique food experiences, guests
are spoilt for choice.

The Greenpop village will keep you busy from dusk till dawn. Kids can enjoy guided foraging
walks, original fire, woodcraft, Easter egg hunts, and more in the dedicated kids’ area. From
morning yoga sessions to evening drum circles, Reforest Fest offers a sensory feast that
brings the community together to put hope into action.

A few highlights to look forward to:
For the ears and the stomping feet, Nomadic Orchestra are a dancefloor staple we cannot
wait to welcome back at the festival. The primary goal of The Nomads is to get people
moving. The band plays infectious, high-energy dance music guaranteed to get feet tapping
and limbs swaying. With three full-length studio albums, many successful tours, festivals and
events on their resume, the band strives to create top-quality original music for all.

To delight the tastebuds, in addition to Reforest Fest’s ample plant-based food vendors,
there will be two exciting pop-up dining experiences. Start the weekend off with our friends at
Veld and Sea for a tapas-style, wild foraged flavour feast of plant-based dishes with
seasonal, local and wild ingredients. Family style sharing platters, wholesome rainbow
coloured food with wine pairings and foraged botanical gin cocktails to complement the
feast.

The Sunday of the event sees the Harvest Feast return after a sell out 2023 edition. This
incredible picnic-style lunch will be crafted by local chef Bridget Bartleman from Kolossal
Hospitality, for participants to enjoy with friends and family. Prepare to be delighted by a unforgettable feast with a 23-dish menu! Delights include spectacular locally-sourced dishes such as tempura waterblommetjies with vegan mayo dip, vegetarian wild mushroom and pine arancini balls, and an assortment of dairy free cheeses, as well as various chocolate desserts to name but a few!
An assortment of wines to taste and pair will also be available from WWF’s Conservation
Wine Tent, which will see guests sampling fragrant wines from across the Western Cape in a
unique tasting experience.

Teens will also be entertained with a Sunday afternoon Phoenix Bonfire Building Workshop
with Naturelore to engage their hands in group building a spectacular artwork to light up the
heart of the festival that evening.

The little ones will have Nature Plays Forest School to help explore and connect with nature
through their clay play Creature Workshops – the world of bugs and insects – and a
mindfulness walk collecting natural materials to create their own “Journey Sticks.”

The Festival’s history
Greenpop’s Reforest Fest has been a major tree-planting event since 2011, contributing to
the restoration of Platbos Forest Reserve and Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat. To date, the
project has planted over 125 000 trees, aiding the preservation of the forest and its unique
species.

This year, the planting efforts expand, not only to Bodhi Khaya, but also to three surrounding
conservation properties in the Overberg Valley. Greenpop envisions Reforest Fest as Africa’s
largest citizen-led restoration festival, attracting a global audience.

In a world where urbanization encroaches on green spaces, Reforest Fest serves as a vital
reminder of the importance of nature. As Africa becomes more urbanized, it is crucial to
create spaces that reconnect people with the environment. Join Greenpop in their mission to
restore degraded land and cultivate hope and regeneration at Reforest Fest 2024.
Reach for the stars, dance with the trees, and savour the soil.

Join Greenpop’s tree-planting festival and help celebrate the age of restoration!
Buy your tickets here
www.reforestfest.com

Read article in the digital mag HERE