Northglen 50+: uMhlanga festival evolves over the decades
As we mark the 51st anniversary of the Northglen News in 2025, it’s a moment to reflect on the journey from our first edition, published in 1974, to the vibrant local presence we are today. To celebrate this milestone, we will feature some of the most loyal and supportive readers and businesses. This month we chatted to the trail running stalwart Buzz Bolton and former chairman of Umhlanga Tourism, Peter Rose.
UMHLANGA has always had the reputation of one of the most idyllic holiday destinations in KZN with its pristine beaches and its village feel.
While the uMhlanga CBD has changed in recent years with new developments, a key part of the village’s growth has been the Umhlanga Festival.
And that has reflected across the 51 years that the Northglen News has covered the event which has put the spotlight on uMhlanga.
In the 1970s, the Umhlanga Festival Queen Contest to crown Miss Umhlanga was a coveted title and over the years the festival has gone through different iterations.
While the Miss Umhlanga pageant carried through to the late 2000s, the competition has been done away with in favour of other spectacles.
In the 1980s and 1990s, a massive drawcard was the Umhlanga Festival Ski-Boat Tournament which saw scores of boats launch at Grannies Pool in what was then considered the world’s largest off-shore angling competition.
There were also other activities that came along with the festival, including a Soap Box Derby race, a motorcycle and go-kart race through Chartwell Drive and Lagoon Drive which drew in the crowds.
Nowadays, the festival is split over two parts of the year, the Umhlanga Summer Festival and the Easter Festival with a pivot towards markets, Carols by Candlelight and trail running.
Peter Rose, a former chairman of the Umhlanga Toursim Organisation for 15 years, explained the idea behind the event.
“In the early 1990s there was a dip in the numbers of people visiting uMhlanga between January and April. A key aspect of the festival was to draw locals in. I remember there used to be a motorcycle race and the Soap Box Derby race in the village at the time which would bring in the crowds.
“In my tenure as chairman, I was keen on anything that would bring more attention to uMhlanga in an effort to boost tourism. That was fundamental to our mission. In time we pivoted to two traditional holiday breaks which were the Easter holidays and the festive season with the festival. It was also through this that we began introducing trail running as part of the activities to do during the Easter and festive period. I have no doubt the festival brought an enormous amount of growth to the area,” he said.
As with every festival, they evolve over time and one person who has been a part of that evolution is trail running stalwart Buzz Bolton.
“I approached Peter in 2010 in an effort to put trail running on the map and included in the festival and I have to say that introduction led to a massive growth of the sport. The trails made use of what uMhlanga had to offer, including the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve and the uMhlanga Lagoon. There were a few setbacks which included the Covid-19 pandemic and the riots in 2021 which led to a chemical spill that forced the closure of the reserve.
“While we’ve seen a dip in the recent years we’ve evolved by shifting the trails around Sibaya and Dube Tradeport, while still being an active driver for the festival with visitors and locals. As a resident myself, I’ve always looked forward to the festival because of its tradition. My hope is that in years to come the festival will continue to promote tourism while showcasing the beauty of uMhlanga,” Bolton said.
Current chairperson of the Umhlanga Tourism Organisation, Jeannie Sarno, echoed those comments.
“The Umhlanga Festival is back and it had an amazing turnout in the 2024 festive seaosn. This festival has been around for many years and used to be held down in the village, but with the construction of the Oceans Mall a new venue had to be located and this followed the Covid-19 lockdown which caused a lot of confusion and chaos to say the least. However, now Umhlanga Tourism is ‘on board’ with the Umhlanga Ski-Boat Club and things will only get better and better for the years to come. My message to residents and visitors is that if you missed last year’s event then you have to make sure not to miss this year’s festival,” she said.
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