After decades as a cornerstone of Cape Town’s cultural and community calendar, the Voice of the Cape (VOC) Summer Festival will not continue in its current format.
The station confirmed that the festival, which has long been synonymous with community, trade, and social connection, is set to be reimagined.
VOC board member and festival convening team member Rashaad Frydie explained that the decision followed months of reflection on the future of the iconic event.
“For decades, the VOC Festival has stood as a proud tradition, bringing communities together through culture, entertainment, trade, and social connection. Hosted at iconic venues such as Green Point Stadium, Cape Town Market, Vygieskraal Stadium, and Athlone Stadium, the Festival has become an integral part of the Western Cape’s community cultural calendar,” Frydie said.
He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had a lasting impact on the festival’s sustainability.
“The festival was one of the main drivers for fundraising here at VOC. However, it has become a major challenge. We did not have a festival in 2023 and then regrouped and hosted one last year, but the challenges made us realize we might need to look further perhaps towards more sustainable options.”
Despite the uncertainty, Frydie emphasised that the decision does not mark the end of VOC’s community engagement.
“With our strong and dedicated team, it began to feel like we needed to explore other possibilities.”
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm
