Wendy Gumede leads the way at the inaugural I Am Dark and Lovely Festival

Spring has sprung, and festival season is in full swing, meaning every other weekend there is an event to attend. 

Hair care brand Dark and Lovely has entered the group chat and announced their own festival, I Am Dark and Lovely Festival, taking place on November 8, 2025, at 1 Fox Street.

With so many festivals in South Africa, it’s not surprising to wonder what makes this one different.

“It's Dark and Lovely's first festival ever, and we're just really excited to get all our girls together, in a different kind of vibe. We do masterclasses, and we tell our girls how to do their hair. 

“This time, we're telling them to let their hair down,” shared the face of Dark and Lovely's Relaxed Hair Care Range, Wendy Gumede.

Gumede's long-term partnership with haircare giant Dark and Lovely began last year and she has been enjoying the journey. "It has been incredible. I was already using the product, and now we're basically in a marriage," she exclaimed.

Besides her work with the haircare giant, Gumede is a Film and TV Writer, with her most recent work being Netflix's "Meet The Khumalos."

"I started writing when I was really young, and it's really hard to crack into the industry. It's really niche, and to be in a place where I get to write comedy and get to write drama and express myself as a writer in so many ways, I think it's beautiful, and I'm really grateful and blessed

African superstar DJ Uncle Waffles will be delivering her signature global groove as the headline act at the I Am Dark and Lovely Festival.

The lineup features South Africa’s top performers Nasty C, Young Stunna, Mörda,  DJ Lag, Cassper Nyovest, Major League DJs, DJ Zinhle, Kabza de Small, Kamo Mphela, Zee Nxumalo, and Lelowhatsgood.

“It's an entire day's worth of fun. 12 people on a line up, I think they're going to keep us on our feet the whole day, which is good,” added Gumede.

Bongi Manqele, Brand Business Lead for Dark and Lovely, explained to IOL that the festival is about rewarding the consumer.

“We want to actually say thank you in essence for the support that you've given us. You get to the festival and it's just a great time for you exploring more dark and lovely and then getting a full performance of 12 artists.”

Many beauty festivals often have consumers standing in a queue to complete some task to get free products or merchandise. Manqele says there will be lots of games happening, keeping things interactive. “Everyone is going to walk away with something; it's a fun time.”

Manqele added that the brand has been working on the festival since last year, and the experience has left them with a profound sense of understanding for people in the entertainment industry who plan festivals.

Manqele shared that the lineup was curated based on what’s trending at the moment and wanted to showcase how amazing the artists are, with their platform.

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