The end of April will see Land Rover of all shapes, sizes and age get together for the annual LandyFest.
Hosted by LR Classic founder André Verster and his LandyFest partner, Rocco le Roux, this family-focused event will be held at Rust de Winter ATV 4x4 Club’s grounds east of Pretoria – from Thursday 27 April to Monday 1 May, including both public holidays, making it a 6-day/5-night extra-long weekend.
A new item on the programme will be the LMC Extreme 4x4 event scheduled for Friday 28 April where visitors can get a stint behind the wheel of high-performance specially designed Discovery II vehicles that look like something out of the Dakar Rally – for a fee.
However, this is not a 4x4 challenge event – it’s is all about fun and games, and the vehicles are merely used to get from one game activity to the next – no points at play for driving, so no vehicles should be damaged in trying to beat the clock over rough terrain.
The 2023 LandyFest will again host a products exhibition arena, food stalls, children’s playing areas with a host of activities for the young ones, and entertainment – all aimed at the whole family, Land Rover enthusiasts, the 4x4 and overlanding fraternity and “normal” outdoor fanatics.
Land Rover owners can enter their vehicles for the fun and games 4x4 activities such as the exclusive Series Games for leaf-sprung Landies only (on the Saturday) or the Live-Axle Classic on the Sunday (any Land Rover).
The event starts on Thursday 27 April when campers – whether they are LR owners or not – arrive and set up camp. If you are not the self-catering type, a variety of food stalls serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks of all kinds will cater for all your culinary needs.
The Series Games event is not a vehicle or speed test – it is based on families taking part in their vintage Land Rovers on a moderate 4x4 route with the occupants of the car taking part in fun games such as ketty target shooting, Hoola Hoop throwing, archery, a treasure hunt and many more. Points are scored for completing the games, not driving the vehicle. This popular event is limited to 45 vehicles with two or more occupants (friends, couples or mom and dad and the kids).
The Live-axle Classic event offers similar activities as the Series Games, with lots of valuable prizes to be won in both challenges.
Back in the exhibitors’ arena, everyone – day visitors included – will be challenged to enter the “Crank your Landy Challenge” on Saturday after the Series Games, where teams (family) work together to remove the spare wheel off the bonnet of a Land Rover Series vehicle, get the crank handle out the back, swing the motor, shut it down, replace the crank and spare wheel and return to the starting point. The record to be broken stands at less than 45 seconds, set at the LandyFest 2022.
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