Glimlag Fees marks its sixth anniversary in 2026 with CFAO Mobility coming on board as the festival’s new headline sponsor and official mobility partner.
Taking place on Saturday, 3 October, at the Benoni Northerns Sports Grounds, the festival has grown from its beginnings into a recognised fixture on the East Rand entertainment calendar. This year, it continues to stand out as one of the region’s few festivals of its kind.
CFAO Mobility Brings Major Automotive Brands To The Festival
CFAO Mobility’s involvement brings several well-known automotive brands together under one umbrella at the festival. As part of the partnership, the CFAO Mobility Carnival dealership portfolio will enjoy exclusivity within the automotive category and includes Volkswagen, Suzuki, Omoda/Jaecoo, Kia, Renault, and CFAO Mobility Toyota East Rand.
According to Wian Smith-Venter, founder and CEO of The Marketing Zoo, the team behind Glimlag Fees, the new partnership reflects the festival’s evolution over the past six years.
“Glimlag Fees started with a simple idea: to bring people together through music and entertainment. Six years later, it has developed into a platform where festivalgoers, artists, major brands, local businesses and entrepreneurs all form part of the same experience,” says Smith-Venter.
“Welcoming CFAO Mobility as our headline sponsor this year is an important next step for us. It enables us to invest further in the experience we create for festivalgoers and to continue building a festival that has earned its place on the East Rand.”
The Growing Value Of Live Brand Experiences
The partnership also reflects the growing value brands place on experiences and face-to-face engagement with consumers.
Large public events offer brands something traditional advertising cannot always provide: the opportunity to become part of an experience and engage directly with people within their target market.
CFAO Mobility will therefore not only be visible through brand exposure at Glimlag Fees. The group’s vehicle portfolio will form part of the broader campaign in the lead-up to the festival, as well as the experience on the day itself.
A Festival Supported By A Growing Local Network
The growth of Glimlag Fees has also created a broader network around the annual event.
Long before the first artist takes to the stage on 3 October, technical crews, security services, logistics providers, marketers, décor suppliers, food vendors, stallholders and other service providers are already involved in bringing the festival to life.
For many entrepreneurs and small businesses, the festival also provides access to thousands of potential customers in a single day.
“What happens on stage is only the part people see,” says Smith-Venter.
“Behind the festival is a large group of people working to make it possible. Every time the festival grows, that network grows with it – from the people who build the site to the stallholder trading on the day. Wherever we can source locally and involve local people and businesses, we try to do so.”
Taking Glimlag Fees Into The Community
This local involvement also extends beyond the festival day itself. School visits, local promotions and opportunities for emerging talent form part of the Glimlag Fees campaign, with the aim of bringing the festival to life within the community long before October.
The festival also supports the Smile Foundation, which facilitates life-changing surgeries and medical care for children with facial differences and other medical challenges.
Looking Beyond A Single Festival Day
“Ultimately, Glimlag Fees should, of course, be a day where people enjoy incredible music and spend quality time with family and friends,” says Smith-Venter.
“But six years later, we can also see how far the impact surrounding that one day extends. It is important to us that the festival grows alongside Benoni and that its value is felt by more than just the people inside the festival gates.”
Spoegwolf, Kurt Darren, and More Head To Benoni
This year’s artist line-up includes Spoegwolf, Kurt Darren, Demi Lee Moore, Steve Hofmeyr, Tamlyn Wessels, Dirk van der Westhuizen, Danny Smoke and Martin Bester.
Festivalgoers can also look forward to stalls, children’s entertainment, a beer garden, food and a variety of brand experiences.
Glimlag Fees 2026 Returns To Benoni In October
Glimlag Fees 2026 takes place on Saturday, 3 October at the Benoni Northerns Sports Grounds. Tickets are available through Tixsa.
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