Our door is open: Barberton and beyond

There is something rather special about the way small towns and bigger neighbours work together.

Barberton has always had a close relationship with Nelspruit. Many of us travel “over the mountain” regularly, whether it’s for work, shopping, medical appointments, sport, a school event, a good cup of coffee, a meal with friends at a popular restaurant or just for a change of scenery. It’s part of life here in the De Kaap Valley.

Over the past year, De Kaap Echo has grown into a digital platform that celebrates the people, stories, events and businesses of Barberton. What started as a local initiative has quietly found readers far beyond our town borders. In fact, a significant portion of our followers now come from Nelspruit.

To those readers, we would like to say: welcome and thank you for being part of our community, reading our stories and leaving your comments.

One of the new features we added this year and are especially excited about is the community calendar on our website.

The idea is simple: a central place where Barberton residents can see what is happening in and around the area, from markets and fundraisers to school events, sports days, church gatherings, club activities, and cultural happenings.

The calendar was created due to requests from our readers to help people stay informed and to support local organisers, clubs, schools, etc. It will also prevent many events taking place on the same day, if you know ahead that something is already booked for that specific day. Yet, like many good ideas, it only works if people use it.

Here is our friendly invitation.

If you are part of a school, church, club, business, or organisation in Nelspruit, and you have an upcoming event, you are more than welcome to send us the details. Many Barberton residents travel to Nelspruit regularly and would appreciate knowing what is happening there. Likewise, visitors from Nelspruit often find themselves in Barberton for festivals, markets, and weekend outings.

In other words, the more we share, the stronger the regional community becomes.

Think of it as a neighbourly exchange: you tell us what’s happening your side of the mountain, and we’ll keep you informed about the stories and events that make Barberton such a special place.

After all, good news travels fast, but only if someone shares it.

So, whether you’re planning a market, hosting a fundraiser, organising a sports tournament, or putting together a community event, send us the details and we’ll gladly add it to the calendar. All we need is the event's name, date, time, where and a contact number.

WhatsApp your event information to Lynette: +27 82 473 1570

Our door is open. The kettle is on, and there is plenty of room on our calendar. Let's keep the Lowveld connected, one event at a time.

𝓛𝔂𝓷𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮.