THE THUMP of bass finally faded at 4am on Monday, ending a marathon Diamonds & Dorings Festival that for the first time unfolded inside the Kimberley Diamond Oval cricket stadium.
Forced from its traditional Vaalโside home at Langley Resort by flooding, the 26โyearโold music showcase swapped river views for floodlights โ and discovered the joys and jolts of life in a suburb.
A packed Oval, a quiet street
Organisers confirm that 8,000 tickets were scanned at the gates. โAttendance was substantially higher than last yearโs postโCovid comeback,โ said Shantelle Engelbrecht, head of marketing for Exilite Holdings, the festival licence holder.
Security, she added, โwas exceptionally tight with a visible SAPS presence, private guards, traffic officials and marshalsโ, resulting in an incidentโfree event and no serious medical callโouts.
A lateโnight driveโbyโฆ