Dates to diarise*
WESTERN CAPE Swartlandskou MOORREESBURG 6–9 September
Visitors to the largest agricultural show in the Western Cape, now in its 89th year, can once again admire the finest horses, cattle, sheep, poultry and machinery. Highlights on the programme include an agricultural seminar, a formal dance, live music, market stalls, a wine garden, good food, and mountain-bike challenges over 10 km, 40 km and 60 km. A large part of the arena will be transformed into a play area and petting farm for children.
Tickets Prices vary depending on the day and specific events; buy tickets via TicketPro
Contact 022 433 1607 swartlandskou.co.za info@swartlandskou.co.za SwartlandSkou Moorreesburg
Riebeek Valley Motor Show RIEBEEKKASTEEL 9 September
Marvel at classic, vintage, veteran and antique cars, motorbikes and tractors, as well as the latest technology from, among others, Ford,
WESTERN CAPE
Waterblommetjie Festival
WINDMEUL CELLAR, DOMAINE BRAHMS & RHEBOKSKLOOF WINE ESTATE, PAARL 2 September
The humble waterblommetjie is the star of this annual festival, where you can enjoy this indigenous veld food prepared in traditional and innovative ways. The classic waterblommetjie stew will always be a hit, but you might be interested in trying waterblommetjie ice cream or pizza, or finding out which wines go well with waterblommetjies. Endemic to the Western Cape, this aquatic plant is rich in vitamin C and was traditionally used as food and for medicinal purposes in the Khoekhoe culture.
Windmeul will host a potjiekos competition and there will be a farmer’s market on the day. At Domaine Brahms you can eat, taste wine and browse a treasure trove of collectibles while the kids enjoy the play area. And Rhebokskloof offers play areas and entertainment, expansive lawns, and great food and wines. Festivalgoers can also take part in a trail run called Run the Vines and enjoy live music.
Admission is free, but everyone is asked to bring along a tin of non-perishable food as a donation for the Athlone House of Strength, a shelter for abused women and children in Paarl.
Contact wines@windmeul.com Waterblommetjie Fees @waterblommetjiefees 021 869 8100
Porsche and Bentley at the Riebeek Valley Motor Show, hosted by the Rotary Club. It will be held on the grounds of the Riebeek-Kasteel Primary School. There will be market stalls selling everything from die-cast dinky toy cars and old car parts to delicious food and wines. The gates open at 10:00 and close at 16:00. Tickets R100 (adults), R50 (learners) from howler. co.za (free entry for children under 6)
Contact riebeekvalley motorshow.co.za
Succulent Festival CALITZDORP 15–17 September
The Calitzdorp Succulent Society is hosting its fifth Succulent Festival this year. It’s a great opportunity to find out more about the special endemic succulents of the Little Karoo, talk to growers and buy plants. Programme highlights include an exhibition of botanical art, a rare plant auction, a walk in the veld and a gala dinner. Admission Free, but fees are payable for workshops, guided tours and certain special events.
Contact info@vetplant. co.za Calitzdorp Succulent Society vetplant.co.za
Whisky Weekend MCGREGOR 15–17 September
McGregor’ s thriving whisky society hosted this gathering for the first time last year, and after the resounding success and heaps of fun, this year’s instalment promises even more excellent whiskies to taste. The main event will be held at the nearby Lords Winery on the Saturday. Be sure to secure your place at the table by booking early. Tickets from R450 per person, via Quicket Contact McGregor Whisky Weekend 083 282 2797 (Jon) mcgregorwhiskyweekend.co.za
Open weekend at Utopia Clivias
SEDGEFIELD
15–17 and
22–24 September
Come to enjoy the tranquillity of the clivia garden in full bloom or visit the nursery daily between 09:00 and 17:00, where numerous varieties will be for sale. You can also buy online. Contact utopiaclivias.co.za Clivia at Utopia Clivias @utopia.clivias utopiaclivias@gmail.com 083 343 1288
Veld & Sea Flower Workshop
CAPE PENINSULA
16 & 30 September and 1, 8 & 21 October
This special experience offers the opportunity to see wildflowers in a new light. Create your own flower crown and sip herbal tea before you take a stroll through the garden to pick edible flowers. After the day’s experimentation, you’ll have new insight into how to use flowers in food and drinks. The organisers ask that you wear comfortable shoes and bring an extra bunch of colourful flowers with you – and don’t forget your sense of humour and a healthy appetite! Tickets R1 200 per person, via Quicket
Contact veldandsea.com veldandsea@gmail.com 072 234 4804
Herb Festival MONTAGU 22–25 September
The Montagu Museum again hosts South Africa’s only herb festival over the Heritage Day long weekend, with talks, workshops, guided tours, special herbal menus at all the restaurants in town, and a market where, among other things, plants, essential oils, skincare products, and
GAUTENG
Joy of Jazz SANDTON 22–24 September
herbal teas and remedies will be for sale. The five themes are medicinal herbs, edible herbs, mushrooms, healing traditions and healing landscapes.
Tickets montagumuseum. co.za/herb-festival-2023 Contact montagumuseum. co.za Montagu Herb Festival mherbfest@ gmail.com 084 451 2942
Lamb and Olive Festival MERWEVILLE
22–25 September
Op Friday’s programme is a “Let’s taste” dinner, ghost tour and star-gazing. Saturday kicks off with a fun run, a mountain-bike race, a potjiekos competition and a pickleball tournament, and ends with a dung-spitting contest, a spit braai and a snoek braai
Celebrate the Heritage Day long weekend in style at this showcase of the best jazz talent from South Africa and abroad. This weekend-long party is always a highlight on the Gauteng live music calendar.
Tickets Computicket
Contact joyofjazz.co.za Standard Bank Joy Of Jazz
011 326 0141
Contact 076 437 5509
lamenolyffees@gmail. com Merweville Lam- en Olyffees
Earthskills Gathering GREYTON
22–25 September
Celebrate Heritage Day weekend at this familyfriendly gathering with workshops on leathercraft, felt-making, woodcarving, traditional Xhosa basketry and mat-making, forging, wild medicinals, bushcraft, eco-printing and plenty of activities for children. In the evening there will be campfires, storytelling and music.
Tickets Quicket (prices vary)
Contact earthskills africa.org/gathering events@earthskillsafrica.org
082 328 4901
De Rust Open Studios DE RUST
23 & 24 September
De Rust’s local artists, craftspeople, gardeners and galleries open their doors for the third time this year, and invite people from all over to visit their homes and studios. Moreover, the oldworld charm of this Victorian town with its iconic Karoo architecture is best explored on foot.
Contact 084 701 4566 (Marita) or
083 268 6708 (Carol) >
Celebration of Fynbos FERNKLOOF NATURE RESERVE, HERMANUS 23–25 September
The Hermanus Botanical Society invites visitors to celebrate the wonders of fynbos. A display titled “Patterns in Nature” will give you a new appreciation for our indigenous vegetation. There will also be engaging children’s activities and various items for sale, including books on plants, local wines, delectable food… and plants, of course. Contact fernkloof.org.za
botsochermanus@ gmail.com Hermanus Botanical Society & Fernkloof Indigenous Nursery
Melkbos Feesmark
NG CHURCH, MELKBOSSTRAND 29 September – 7 October
This market has become a regular fixture on the Platteland calendar thanks to the wide variety of gifts, toys, decor items, homeware, and delicious goodies and meals on offer. There will be more than a hundred exhibitors, so make sure you have enough time to browse all the market stalls.
Contact 082 552 0301 Melkbos Feesmark melkboskersmark@gmail. com (Juanita)
Barrydale in Bloom BARRYDALE
6–8 October
This year, the Barrydale in Bloom Open Gardens Safari incorporates more than 25 gardens – including veld, medicinal and vegetable gardens – in Barrydale and Smitsville. The proceeds will go to the Barrydale Hospice. Activities on the full weekend programme include a scarecrow competition; a Mad Hatter’s G&Tea party; a flower arranging workshop; a garden market with food stalls and a tea garden; a long-table botanical meal; talks by Dr Ernst van Jaarsveld, Yvette Anderson (see page 108) and Gordon Aeschliman; an exhibition of botanical art at the Karoo Art Hotel; and a guided walk in one of the seven labyrinths in and around the town. Tickets Weekend tickets cost R600 per person. Quicket Contact Barrydale in Bloom
Wine and Patat Spring Festival NAPIER 28 October
It’s the 30th anniversary of this festival, and the celebration promises to be a big bash. The people of this characterful Overberg village are pulling out all the stops to offer visitors delicious food and wine. Pop in at restaurants, tuck into snoek and sweet potato, and browse market stallss. Contact 082 596 5681 napierwinepatatfees.co.za
napierpatatfees@gmail. com @napierwine patatfees
GAUTENG
FNB Art Joburg SANDTON CONVENTION CENTRE
8–10 September
Africa’s leading and longest running contemporary art fair, now in its 16th year, is a showcase of the best contemporary art talent on the continent.
Tickets via Tixsa Contact artjoburg.com
Muddy Puppy event PAWS & BOOTS COUNTRY DOG PARK, MIDRAND 1 October
Dog owners are invited to bring their fur kids to spend some quality time walking, running and completing obstacles, taking on mud and water, and just enjoying the 2–3 km course together. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to SAVA-CVC, a non-profit organisation that provides veterinary health care to animals from disadvantaged communities. Tickets R210 per person on the day; R170 per person if you book in advance; R90 per child under 12; dogs free; buy tickets via Quicket Contact Paws & Boots Country Dog Park @paws andbootscountrydogpark
info@pawsandboots. co.za 083 566 7009
WineX Wine Festival SANDTON CONFERENCE CENTRE
25–27 October
South Africa’s premier wine festival will feature more than 150 exhibitors offering more than 800 wines for tasting this year. It’s the place to be to meet and mingle with winemakers and wine enthusiasts, and to taste the latest vintages.
Tickets via Webtickets Contact winex.co.za
WineX 011 482 5936
EASTERN CAPE
African Brew craft beer festival RICHMOND HILL BREWING CO., GQEBERHA
3–5 November
This touring craft beer festival will be held in Gqeberha this year. Africa Brew brings together
amateur and commercial brewers from all over Africa to network and exchange ideas. The brewery chosen to host the festival is also tasked with making the official Africa Brew beer – a base recipe with the host’s own twist. The proceeds from beer sales are always donated to a local charity. Tickets from R250 per person, via Plankton Contact africabrew.co.za
Africa Brew - Brewers Unite @africabrew
info@africabrew.co.za
KWAZULU-NATAL Spring Leap Fest THE OLD MUSHROOM FARM, HOWICK 2 September
This festival is a celebration of holistic health, fitness and wellbeing. Enjoy the day’s line-up of yoga sessions, meditation, live music, dance, mountainbiking, inspiring talks and interactive demonstrations in a beautiful, serene setting. Tickets R300 per person via Quicket
Contact 060 470 1218
theoldmushroomfarm. co.za info@theold mushroomfarm.co.za
NORTHERN CAPE
Weg! Ry & Sleep Bull Run
VAN WYKSVLEI 5–8 October
This fun event, hosted by our sister publication, has been described as “a matric holiday for adults”. Prepare yourself for an actionpacked long weekend in the Northern Cape with classic cars, great entertainment and even better company. There will be live music to entertain spectators as the brave drivers compete on the dirt roads and the dusty pan. Don’t miss the Saturday evening’s prize-giving and final get-together, where a rollicking good time is guaranteed.
Tickets The price for spectators is R1 575 per person, via Quicket Contact Weg Ry & Sleep Bull Run
gerrie@dustmedia.co.za
KWAZULU-NATAL
Durban Street Food Festival
THE PAVILION SHOPPING CENTRE, DURBAN 22–25 September
Indulge in a culinary adventure and discover new experiences and flavours at Durban’s largest food and music event. Explore exotic dishes and be enchanted by local fare. There will be a food truck arena, live music, craft and fashion stalls, and a children’s play area – it’s an event that the whole family will enjoy. And if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the dessert extravaganza.
Tickets from R60 per person per day, via Quicket Contact durbanstreetfoodfestival@gmail.com Durban Street Food Festival
064 809 2066 (Georgios)
NORTH WEST
Aardklop National Arts Festival POTCHEFSTROOM 3–8 October
Potch’s beloved arts festival returns to its home ground after 2022’s pop-up events in three different locations. The programme features music performances, theatre productions, art exhibitions and topical discussions. You’ll find the full programme on the website. Tickets from R50, via Ticketpro
Contact aardklop.co.za
MPUMALANGA Dullstroom Country Festival 30 September
This food, music and lifestyle festival, held at Dunkeld Country & Equestrian Estate, returns for the fourth time, promising the same winning combination of local talent, great food, craft stalls and craft beer – against the backdrop of a magnificent mountain range. Various activities for the little ones make it a great day out for the whole family.
Tickets R125 per child aged 3 and older; R195 per teenager aged 13–17; R295 per adult, via Quicket Contact Dullstroom Country Festival
info@dullstroomcountry festival.co.za