[category]
[title]
If you missed this year’s Hilton Arts Festival, you were one of the few!
This long weekend, between 32 000 and 35 000 festival-goers spent three sunny days (7 to 9 August) wandering between theatre shows, art exhibitions, food stalls and live performances.
And it was so well-organised, the festival finished just before an extreme cold front swept across KwaZulu-Natal!
READ: Day two of the big freeze: Snow continues across KZN
A festival on the up
According to event organisers, this year’s ticket sales were up by around 40% compared with last year, with advance bookings proving particularly strong.
In fact, by the Wednesday before the festival, ticket sales had already matched the total number sold by the end of the 2025 event.
The crowds certainly reflected that enthusiasm, with cars taking up the outer sports fields for parking as audiences lined up for some quality theatre.
READ: Eat your way around the world at the Durban Street Food Festival
New additions to the programme
One of the biggest additions to this year's festival was the inaugural KZN Art Fair hosted at the Hilton College Memorial Hall, which brought contemporary art, design, craft and creative conversation into the Hilton Arts Festival mix.
READ: Hilton Arts Festival to host its first-ever art fair
Among the highlights was Making Ground, a curated showcase of KwaZulu-Natal designers, makers and craftspeople, spanning ceramics, textiles, basketry, weaving and contemporary industrial design.
The response appears to have been equally positive from the creative industry, with organisers reporting that almost all exhibitors – among them Strauss & Co. – indicated their interest in returning.
Just Geekin was another exciting new addition to the Hilton Arts Festival curated by local creatives Daniel Sheldon and Iain ‘EWOK’ Robinson. eGames, cosplay, digital art demos, and the Artists’ Alley were some of the installation highlights for visitors of all ages.
READ: Geek is chic: Take a deep dive into Durban’s thriving Geek culture (…it’s bigger than you think!)
And then there was the food.
The expanded food court areas proved popular, with organisers noting that the festival grounds remained lively throughout the weekend.
Supporting the arts community
In his speech delivered at the opening of the festival, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini celebrated the arts and its cohesive properties, saying: You do not have to speak another person's language to be moved by their music. You do not have to come from the same community as an artist to appreciate their painting.”
KZN MEC for Arts and Culture, Mntomuhle Khawula, and department representatives were in attendance at the opening, addressing pupils and reiterating the importance of arts, culture, and opportunities for young people.
The department also brought 12 high-end crafters to the festival, showcasing grassroots talent within KZN, as well as
hosting eight free performances, including marimba groups and individual artists, all of which were well-received.
With a major winter weather system bringing very cold conditions, rain, strong winds and snow to parts of KwaZulu-Natal from Sunday and into Monday, Hilton's final curtain call came just before the weather took a decidedly less festival-friendly turn.
TIME OUT DURBAN RECOMMENDS:
📍 The best things to do in Durban
🍽 The best restaurants in Durban
🏨 The best hotels in Durban
🛏️ Where to stay in Durban
📢 Latest news from Durban
Follow Time Out Durban on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok! To get the coolest news, features, and things to do straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.