Now in its 25th year, the hype around Plett Rage has not lessened, with the numbers growing and more than 4,500 matriculants due to attend the ultimate school’s-out party from Friday.
The weeklong event, which runs until December 6, generates revenue of about R40m.
“Considering the average weekly spend per rager, and the number of attendees, there will be over R13m in revenue injected directly into the local economy via retail spend alone,” Rage founder Ronen Klugman said.
“Hospitality is also the largest grossing sector during Plett Rage week.
“This includes money spent on local accommodation options such as hotels, B&Bs and house rentals, as well as food.
“The income generated in these areas alone amounts to roughly R15m.”
This excludes what the Rage teams, comprising more than 180 people, spend on accommodation, local staffing, production costs and venue hire, among other things.
Most local establishments are already fully booked, with restaurants buzzing with excited grade 12 pupils.
Mandie and Sarita Pretorius, of Robberg Estate, said they were excited about the return of the Plett Rage to the Garden Route town.
Robberg Estate has been enjoying the benefits of the event since its inception.
“We absolutely love the Rage, it is our bread and butter,” Sarita said.
“We have 250 youngsters booked with us for an eight-day stay. We have been fully booked since last year.”
Ward councillor Dave Swart, who also runs AmaKaya Backpackers, said he was also fully booked.
“The benefit to Plett as a whole is huge.
“The ragers are our future holidaymakers — when they are at varsity, during their working careers, their engagements, weddings and, for some, future property owners.
“That is the bigger picture of how Plett benefits from the Rage,” Swart said.
Plett Tourism chief executive Patty Butterworth said they were excited about the opening of the summer season, starting with the Plett Rage festival.
“The town begins to hum, and local businesses are gearing up to welcome guests.
“Students will enjoy a wonderful experience in Plett, which creates the desire for them to come back in future,” she said.
The events in Plett this year will take place at two main venues.
The Bikini Beach Venue is located on Central Beach and can accommodate 2,000 to 3,000 people daily.
Entertainment kicks off at midday and wraps up from between 8pm and 10pm, and then the night-time revelry moves to Coco Valley on Cairnbrogie Dairy Farm in Airport Road.
According to organisers, the farm location offers an ideal setting for night-time entertainment with a line-up of DJs and bands in indoor and outdoor spaces.
Also, because it is on a farm, there will be less noise disturbance.
Some of the highlights this year include performances by YoungstaCPT, Francois van Coke, Matthew Mole, Chunda Munki, Jeremy Loops, Spoegwolf and Kyle Cassim, to name a few.
Klugman said this year people were especially feeling the economic pinch, which was why they had introduced a system called LayUp, which allowed ragers to pay off their tickets in monthly instalments.
The first commercialised Rage, started by Klugman, took place 25 years ago on a Sunday night at The Cave.
It was a low-key event.
Since then, it has become something of a rite of passage for school-leavers.
DJs from Cape Town had entertained attendees during the small affair.
In those days, there was no social media and news of the event was spread by word of mouth while some of Klugman’s organisers distributed flyers along the beaches and streets.
Tickets were priced at just R25 for general access and R30 for VIP access.
By 2001, the event had expanded to three or four nights across various venues in Plett and Ballito, traditionally held in the first weeks of December.
“Rage looks vastly different from its roots in the 2000s as 18- to 21-year-olds have greater access to local and international music, attend more of the events and can look forward to an entertainment-rich and safe environment,” Klugman said.
Rage organisers collaborate closely with the Bitou Municipality and Plett Tourism to ensure the beaches remain clean and traffic is effectively managed.
According to the organisers, this year’s festivalgoers can expect enhanced décor, upgraded stage set-ups and a bespoke line-up of established, local and up-and-coming artists.
There are also VIP ticket perks, on-site competitions, professional photo opportunities, an improved transportation system, and a wide choice of cuisine in the food court.
Klugman said there was a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and driving or even drinking and walking.
Rage has maintained a strong partnership with local taxi associations, with each participating taxi branded with the Rage logo and colour corresponding to designated routes.
There are also independent transport marshals to keep an eye on the students.
“Our Plett Shepherds, Red Frogs and Amplified teams are also available to ensure a safe festival.
“They are on night patrol and are trained to assist ragers,” he said.
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