South Africa Blog

Wineries of Bot River celebrate together from 9 to 11 September 2011:  A fabulous weekend celebrating the advent of Spring for wine lovers, nature lovers and families to get together for the good-time event of the year with gastronomy, tastings, entertaining activities , local artists and so much more. Our line up this year kicks off with the Winemakers Selection on the 9th September 2011 to be held at  Kol Kol Mountain Lodge, Botrivier, tranquil with sweeping views of fynbos. Winemakers will be showcasing their wines revealing unique perspective on vine-to-glass progression and the personality of Bot River terroir complemented by culinary delights.  (Tickets cost R100.00).

Throughout the weekend participating Wine Estates and restaurants will announce their involvement by placing pink barrels at their entrances. Entertainment varies from horse riding, fly fishing, wine and olive oil tastings and blending, sumptuous meals, live music, pottery and art exhibitions. Entry Free. Saturday 10:00 -18:00 / Sunday 10:00 -15:00

Partygoers can shunt their cabooses over to the Bot River Station on Saturday 10th September for the Botriviera Spectacle. The theme is ‘carnival’, an excuse for guests to puff up their feathers and pimp their style for an evening of other-worldly and downright surreal entertainment. The party will be fuelled by DJ Charl who returns this year to rock the rails and steam up the venue. The loco-motion starts at 7 pm and the party will go on till late.  Tickets cost R100 and includes entry to the lucky draw and amazing giveaways.

Tickets available at Shuntin’ Shed.  Bot River is only 1.15 hours from Cape Town so whether one is visiting for a day or spending the weekend on one of the participating estates the Botriviera Spring Weekend provides an opportunity to discover and explore this fascinating area, meet the merry winemakers and enjoy their wines!

Join us and explore something out of the ordinary!
Find a place to stay at Botrivier Accommodation or see Cape Overberg accommodation for lodges nearby.

The his­toric Cape Winelands town of Tulbagh is host­ing a Spring Arts Festival over the week­end of 26–28 August 2011, cel­eb­rat­ing the arts in all their var­ied forms. The fest­ival also coin­cides with the spring wild­flowers, which include sev­eral vari­et­ies of rare endemic bulbs that only flower in the Tulbagh val­ley. It is aimed at rais­ing funds for the Tulbagh Community Gardens and Galgeheuwel Reserve ini­ti­at­ive, which will cre­ate a pub­lic pleas­ure garden for the enjoy­ment of all in his­toric Church Street.

The Tulbagh Spring Arts Festival is head­lining with the open­ing of the Christo Coetzee House Museum and Gallery (post renov­a­tion of the dilap­id­ated barn, where Coetzee painted from 1973 until his death in 2000, and the Rhenish mis­sion­ary house where he lived behind the stu­dio.) For the dur­a­tion of the fest­ival the work of past, present and future mas­ters of the val­ley will be on display.

Christo Coetzee is obvi­ously our past mas­ter. The South African Encyclopedia says about Coetzee’s work: “He has broadened art in the sense that he con­trib­uted to the fad­ing of the tra­di­tional bound­ar­ies between paint­ing and sculp­ture and because he insisted on viewer par­ti­cip­a­tion in the cre­at­ive pro­cess. (more…)

Cape Town is gearing up for festival season with many carnivals, creative and music events coming up later this month and throughout March.

Infecting the City, an annual public arts initiative, presented by The Africa Centre, offers free performance art happenings in public spaces in the City that are relevant to the theme and significant for Cape Town. This year’s theme, Treasure, engages its audiences with free street experiences such as Xhosa stick-fighting, a Goema Symphony, Ratiep, and flash mobs by inspirational artists from 21 – 26 February 2011. (www.infectingthecity.com)

Cape Town Pride, the City’s next ‘pink’ festival is scheduled for 24 February – 6 March 2011 with an eleven day celebration incorporating events such as a Mr. and Ms. Cape Town Pride pageant, a Pink Ball and the Pride Parade. The different aspects of this combinative event will take place across the city from Cape Town Stadium and gay-friendly suburb, De Waterkant, to Mzoli’s in Khayelitsha. (http://capetownpride.org)

Amongst many community festivals presented by the ‘One City, Many Cultures Project’ during the month of March, the annual Cape Town Festival is set to take place from 19 – 21 March 2011 in the Company Gardens. The Cape Town Festival is in its twelfth year of celebrating National Human Rights Day with music performances by diverse local bands over the three-day period. (www.capetownfestival.co.za) (more…)

The Cape Town Festival’s (CTF) multi-dimensional street festival Night Vision is back by popular demand on Saturday, 12 March from 6pm till midnight.

It will take place at the newly revamped Cape Town Station Forecourt, extending festivities into Adderley Street between Strand Street and the fountain. The CTF, incorporating the One City, Many Cultures (1CMC) Project, is supported by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).

After a three-year break, Cape Town’s nocturnal urban street festival, Night Vision, is back with a bang, only this time bigger and better than ever before! Night Vision promises to dominate the city night life with a party-thumping arts and entertainment extravaganza. The event will lead up to a climax of explosive live on-stage performances by iconic bands such as High Voltage Collective featuring EJ Von LYRIK, Theba Shumba and D.form; 340ml; The Dirty Skirts and headline act, 2010 SAMA Award Winners, Big NUZ who will take the party well into midnight. (more…)

The Brightwater Commons, in conjunction with the Chinese Embassy in South Africa will be hosting a celebration of the Chinese New Year on Saturday 12th February 2011. To start at 11am, this event will feature a variety of vibrant cultural performances as well as colourful exhibitions that will allow visitors to experience the beauty and diversity of the Chinese culture.

Whilst the exhibitions and stalls will open at 11am, the entertainment programme will begin at 1pm with an official opening ceremony. This will be followed by the ever popular and spectacular Lion and Dragon dances. Other performances that will dazzle and delight visitors will include an acrobatics, contortion and fire act; traditional Umbrella and Fan dancing, as well as demonstrations of martial arts.

The event’s highlight will be a set of acts by the talented Yunnan Arts Troupe originating from Yunnan, which is regarded as China’s most culturally diverse province. The professional 14 member troupe will reflect the colour and culture of the province through the dances of the region’s different ethnic minorities. They will also present a delightful magic show and Tibetan songs.

Visitors can also see a variety of cultural exhibitions, from arts and crafts all the way to clothing; and enjoy lunch on the commons as there will be numerous food stalls specializing in different kinds of delicious Chinese cuisine ranging from stir-fried dishes to sweet treats. The celebrations will close at 5pm.

According to the Chinese Zodiac calendar, 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. To the Chinese people, speed, strength and kindness of heart are traits associated with the rabbit. They therefore believe that those born in the Year of the Rabbit are clever, romantic, modest and merciful. The rabbit is the 4th animal on the calendar, which dates back to more than 2000 years ago. There are 12 animals on the calendar which works in 12 year cycles. The Chinese believe that these animals appeared before Buddha or the Jade Emperor. The animals are listed on the calendar in their order of arrival, starting with the rat and followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

For more information on the Chinese New Year Celebrations at The Brightwater Commons contact Francois on 011 789 5052.

See Randburg Accommodation to find a place to stay for this event.

It’s out with the old and in with the new in typical Decorex Durban style. And yet, this time around it’s with a sensational new twist!

From 18 – 21 March 2011, at the Durban Exhibition Centre, Decorex SA in collaboration with the KSA Kitchen & Bathroom Faire will play proud hosts to an all new and totally fabulous décor, design and lifestyle exhibition. With the launch of Trends & Tastes 2011 Durban’s décor and design fundis can look forward to a veritable feast of design trends, delightful décor and the very best in good living.

Expertly conceptualised and created to offer a fusion of the finest in everything about the home, living and lifestyle, Trends & Tastes 2011 will look to provide the answers to those in search of ultimate sophistication. Give insight into what defines uber-chic and open doors to preciously guarded, exquisite pieces. All within a sophisticated yet relaxed environment that gives you the time and space to indulge the senses and defy sensibility – even if for a moment.

Cairey Slater, Decorex SA General Manager Exhibitions & Events is confident and excited about the launch of this all new show for Durban, “Trends & Tastes 2011 is an original offering that will bring a fashionable mix of home, décor, design and living under one very glam roof. We are super-excited about the variety and uniqueness on offer and we’re aiming to rock Durban by creating a relaxed yet cosmopolitan and forward-thinking experience. The beauty of Trends & Tastes 2011 has to be that there will be something for everyone. It’s all about a great day out and an opportunity to find the way of creating the space and life that you love.”

Here’s a sneak peak into what Durbanites [and those wanting to visit SA’s newest and hottest show!] can expect from Trends & Tastes 2011:

Trendy Décor & Design: A showcase of top décor and design talent from Durban’s amazing gene-pool and the promise of impressive heavy weights’ is on the cards. If it’s décor you’re into this is one show you don’t want to miss! From decorators and designers, to inspiring room settings, furniture, stylish accessories and fabric houses we’ve got the trendiest décor and design line-up in town!

Kitchens & Bathrooms: Our range of kitchens will make even the novice want to whip out their wok and our bathrooms will provide pure inspiration! The KSA are back in full force and Trend’s & Tastes promises to showcase the country’s largest, leading collaboration of specialist spaces!

Tantalising Tastes: Enjoy our organic food market and all things delectable in District Delicious. For foodies and those that love to roll up their sleeves, keep an eye out for an awesome schedule of free sessions and be sure to make a date with our line-up of big name stars and international guests. We’ll also be featuring a range of Durban’s top restaurants and a feast of delish delights to savour while at the show, so make sure you come hungry!

Expert Advice: From Plascon’s launch of their ‘love’ inspired 2011 colour forecast to the Living Green House – where an entire home is created and everything from frames to flooring ease our environmental footprint make sure you get the most of out of the free consultation you need to get you on track with your interior project. Make a date to spend time in our DStv Theatre of Ideas or Ask the Experts area and come away with all the tools, insights and inspiration that you need for your very own home. Whether your creation is gourmet artwork on a plate or a tastefully recycled ‘Louis’, a paradise of demonstrations and interactive sessions awaits!

A Great Day Out: The Good Living Pavilion incorporating a range of attractive options for lifestyle estates as well as an invigorating wellness arena promise to make it an entertaining and fabulous day for the family. Live entertainment, with food and drinks from some of Durban’s best restaurateurs further add to this great day out. Keep an eye out for amazing prizes and competitions that we’ll be running during the show and stand a chance of winning thousands in trendy home décor, design and lifestyle items!

With a line-up of show-stopping fashionable ‘home-wear’, the best in design and décor talent, a twist of lifestyle enablers, all things trendy and tasteful and a splash of fabulous family entertainment, Durban’s new show Trends & Tastes 2011 is set to top even its predecessor is certainly one not to be missed! Visit www.decorex.co.za for more. Trends and Tastes is proudly sponsored by Plascon, with DStv as media partner.

Links: To find a place to stay see Durban Accommodation.

From 19 – 21 March 2011 Wellington dons its festive costume when this quaint Boland town which was named 2010 SA Terroir Top Wine Area celebrates the bounty of the harvest at the 5th Wine Harvest Festival. Spend the day or make sure you don’t miss any of the action and book in for the weekend for an extraordinary array of fun-filled activities for the whole family.

Big names like Steve Hofmeyr, Adam Tas and the newly crowned Idols winner Elvis Blue will get your hands clapping, while opera lovers can experience a cultural evening around a piece of Wellington history, the Black Countess. Live music will follow you wherever you go throughout the day.

Treat your taste buds with the region’s premium wines, out of the box food parings such as vodka and sushi, and brandy and chocolate, or oysters and bubbly on a topless bus. Buy slow food from the country market; or show your prowess with the potjie in the international potjiekos competition.

The adrenalin junkies will be spoilt for choice with the quad bike trail, the Bain’s trail run or even just a messy round of grape stomping. Take it a bit slower while still breathing the fresh autumn air – join the Wine-on-foot@Blouvlei 5km long vineyard walk in the Bovlei area. Make sure to bring the kids for the tractor and pony rides, and an endless supply of ice-cream.

Only R60 (kids under 13 enter free) promises a full weekend of fun and laughter and lip-smacking taste experiences for the whole family. Festival armbands, your entry ticket, are available from all participating farms and the Wellington Information Office. Special Monday armbands are available at R30 per person.

For more information, the full programme and a list of participating farms contact Emma at tel 021 873 4604, email info@wellington.co.za or visit www.harvestfestival.co.za

Emma Follett-Botha
Tourism Officer
Wellington Tourism
(021) 873 4604

As the summer season hits it`s peak so does the festival circuit. RAMfest is upon us once more.

This year, RAMfest, boasts 3 venues in 3 cities, over 5 days, across 6 stages. That’s right! RAMfest will be visiting 3 major cities in 2011. This helps to cement the event`s reputation as one of South Africa’s Ultimate Rock Festivals.

We are happy to announce that this year`s line up includes two international bands: Alkaline Trio (USA) and Funeral for a Friend. (UK) Biographies and photos attached. Die Antwoord, Van Coke Kartel and Zebra and Giraffe are the local acts that will be performing at all three RAMfest events. For the rest of the regional line ups, see listing below.

John Vlismas will be the host for RAMfest all round in all three the provinces. Here are the dates:

CPT: Nekkies Holiday Resort, Worcester: 4 – 6 March.
DBN: WaveHouse: Wed 9 March.
JHB: Riversands Farm, Fourways: Sat 12 March.

RAMfest has left a permanent footprint on the live music scene……Celebrating 5 years of Rock n Roll, the festival is set to raise the bar yet again. Not only are we going to deliver the music that you all love, we’re also breaking into some new genres that we feel deserve showcasing. If you thought the festival was good, great, fun, mind-blowing or any other positive adjective that you might want to use, then how do we prepare you for what’s about to come?

We’re adding a bigger Dance stage, more and better camping facilities and we have a couple of surprises up our sleeve. Fasten your seatbelts for the thrills that are about jolt you right out of your seat and into the most super-rad party mood.

Calling all fearless warriors, emotionally stunted, corporate sucks, internet tycoons, recently single ready to mingle, goody-two-shoes, rebels with and without a cause, black sheep, white sheep; this means YOU!! Hell we’re even calling the little green men out in space if they can hear us.

Come to Ramfest with us!

LINE UP CAPE TOWN:
MAIN STAGE:
Alkaline Trio (USA), Funeral for a Friend (UK), Die Antwoord, Gazelle, Zebra and Giraffe, Van Coke Kartel, The Revelators, Blk Jks, Ashtray Electric, Desmond & The Tutu’s, Mr Cat & The Jackal,Stepdog, Pretty Blue Guns, The Great Apes, Tumi, Ree-Burth, Dance! You’re on Fire, The Sleepers, Isochronous, Not My Dog, Lonely Dave Ferguson, Wrestlerish, 7th Son, Bittereinder, Mix n Blend.

ALTERNATIVE STAGE:
Down on the first, Moment of Clarity, Knave, Mind Assault, Contrast The Water, The Broken Result, Infanteria, Haggis & Bong, Symphonic Schizophrenia, Juggernaught, Sabertooth, Enmity, Theatre Runs Red, a Walk with the Wicked, The Dead Will Tell, Axxon.

ELECTRONIC STAGE:
Jam Jar, Psydstep, Bruce Willis?, P.H Fat, Niskerone, Counterstrike, Hyphen, SFR, Mr Bong, Fletcher, Sedge Warbler, Toby2Shoes, Kennedy, Battle Beyond The Stars, Ill Tastic, El Gordo, Enough Weapons, Haezer, TOM DELUXX (FRA), Double Adapter, Liver, B-Team and more.

BEACH PARTY:
Haasbroek, Tommygun, FunaFuji, Mr. Sakitumi.

LINE UP JOHANNESBURG:
MAIN STAGE:
Alkaline Trio (USA), Funeral For A Friend (UK), Not My Dog, Die Antwoord, Zebra & Giraffe, Van Coke Kartel, Pestroy, Dance Your’re on Fire, Isochronous, Knave, Pity The Fool, Blk Jks, Desmond & The Tutu’s, The Shadowclub.

DANCE STAGE:
RudeOne, Deeziak, CutKeyLow,Tasha Baxter, Ambush, Bittereinder, Benson

LINE UP DURBAN:
Alkaline Trio (USA), Funeral For A Friend (UK), Die Antwoord, Zebra & Giraffe, Van Coke Kartel.

FACILITIES:

ENTERTAINMENT AREA
Stages, bars and stalls will be inside a fenced off entertainment area.

BEER GARDEN
LARGE TENTED bar areas, with tables, benches and parasols = BEER GARDEN.

PARKING
first come first served, you may camp at your cars. Gate opening times: See at www.ramfest.co.za

ATM’s
…will be placed around the entertainment area.

MARKET
We strive to bring you the best in festival foods, affordable yet healthy and delicious. Catering for everybody’s needs, clothing and other festival paraphernalia also.
a Merchandise stand with credit/debit card facilities will be there again.

To book stalls please contact:
Cape Town: mari@ramfest.co.za
Johannesburg: ingeborg@hilltoplive.co.za

MEDICS
We have professional medics on site, with all necessary emergency equipment, bring your own headache tablets and please PARTY SAFE!

GREEN
Please help to keep us as environmentally friendly as possible. Bring rubbish bags to keep your area clean. All rubbish bags will be collected by our cleaners and sorted into the relevant recycling bins. PLEASE LEAVE GLASS AT HOME!!

SNOW CAFE – MULTIMEDIA CITY – Cape Town only.
Snow Café is a multimedia tented area offering various forms of entertainment. Drop in, relax and blow off some steam. Our friendly staff will make you feel right at home and will ensure you are energized for that next round.

What is on offer:
* Lost & Found
* Information centre
* Phone charging
* Slush & Snack Bar

CAMPING and SWIMMING – Cape Town only.
RAM is a full weekend camping outing, bring your tents caravan’s and camping gear. It is HOT that time of the year so bring extra shade i.e. Gazebo’s stretch tents, sun hats, umbrellas. There is a river and Swimmingpool for cooling off, don’t forget your inflatables. NO open fires will be tolerated.

KREEF HOTEL (Cape Town only) is happy to announce that they will be setting up their point five star festival tent hotel at the RAMfest 2011. Pre-pitched bow tents with mattresses & locks. Secure parking, lighting & 24-hour security. Luggage porters (to help you rest your case), daily breakfast, coffee on tap, cell-phone (cameras, laptops) charging facilities and even a private little bar just for you. Clean toilets (a ply within) & our famous hot showers, exclusively for Kreef guests. All this and more super service crawling distance from the RAMfest stages, at a price to fit your pocket. Rock Hard, Sleep Soft… KREEF HOTEL …the calm thing is to remain important… BOOK NOW

Cape Town only: There are daily trains leaving from CPT to Worcester. Once at Worcester catch a taxi ride to the festival.

TICKETS:
Tickets available from Ticketbreak.co.za

Cape Town:
3 day wk/end pass: R450 presales. R500 at gate.
Sat/Sun pass: R450 presales. R500 at gate.
1 day Sunday pass: R100 gate only (entry from 08:00)

Johannesburg:
Presales: R250.00 and R300 at gate.

Durban:
Presales: R200 and R250 at gate.

STRICTLY NO:Under16′s. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult over 21, Glass bottles (please decant your drinks into plastic bottles), Littering (Leave No Trace, remove your camping litter!), Fireworks, Domestic animals, Graffiti, Bad attitudes, Weapons, Independent sound systems, illegal substances, Don’t drink & drive; P:L:U:R.

RIGHT OF ADMISSION RESERVED. Entry is entirely at your own risk. The promoters accept no responsibility whatsoever for injury, death, loss or damage of any nature to persons, vehicles & belongings. This applies even to negligence of any kind by the promoters, venue and contractors. All rights reserved.

Seven-time Dusi Marathon winner and Spur Adventure ambassador Martin Dreyer is participating in the Spur Adventure Charity Challenge over the months of April and May. Dreyer is encouraging everyone to join him as all proceeds from the challenge go to Joint Aid Management (JAM), a non-profit humanitarian relief and development organisation that currently assists more than 498,000 children through nutritional feeding, health and social welfare programmes.

“Most of us would agree that there’s nothing better than a weekend of adventure spent outdoors navigating your way through nature on foot or bicycle,” says Dreyer. “Now you can enjoy your outdoor pursuits and do something good for JAM while you’re getting wet and having fun in the process.”

In addition to supporting JAM through this initiative, athletes from Dreyer’s grassroots’ initiative ‘Change a Life’ will also participate in the Spur Adventure Charity Challenge.

According to Dreyer, the Adventure Challenge consists of a 20km mountain bike trail ride (two 10km loops) and 5km trail (two 2.5km loops) dash through nature with natural obstacles and water crossings. Teams can participate in the long or short courses and for the less energetically inclined there’s a scenic 6-7km circular route nature hike.

Dreyer, who recently became a first-time father, says there is also a bush baby trail that has been developed specifically for kids between the ages of 6-10years. “It kicks off with a ‘sak resies’ (bag race) and then children are guided along a marked trail on foot, negotiating a number of obstacles and surprises that include live demonstrations and discussions on birds, snakes and other flora and fauna.”

Spur Group Managing Director Pierre van Tonder says the Spur Adventure Charity Challenge is an outdoor experience for the whole family. “Spur Adventure is a celebration of all things South African’ an event that makes the most of our great weather, our scenic surrounds and the simple pleasure of spending time with family and friends.”

The Spur Adventure Challenges takes place on the following dates:
Cape Town (Lourensford) – 18 April 2010;
Pretoria (Groenkloof) – 24 April 2010;
Durban (Shongweni Dam) – 2 May 2010.

For training tips and more information contact Quantum Adventures on 021 789 0188.
See more events at South Africa Events

THE CONSTANTIA VALLEY ASSOCIATION PRESENTS
CRUSH ON CONSTANTIA
18TH APRIL 2010
11.30AM TO 6.30PM
THE CRICKET OVAL, CONSTANTIA UITSIG WINE ESTATE

If spending a Sunday afternoon in the company of good friends, sipping fine wine and sampling dishes prepared by Constantia’s highly acclaimed Chefs’ then The Crush on Constantia is definitely an event for you!

Now in its third year, this grand garden party with live entertainment and a lifestyle market to browse through is truly a celebration of all things Constantia.

One of the highlights of the day will be the hotly contested competition for the best dressed couple title that will see the winners and runners-up walk away with sensational prizes. These prizes will only be awarded to those who have truly embraced the Grand Garden Glamour Theme!

TICKET PRICES: R130.00 PER PERSON (INCLUDES 8 WINE TASTINGS)
For more information:
Tel: 021 794 0542

Having tantalised tastebuds in Cape Town for the past two years, the Taste of Cape Town festival is back from the 24 – 28 March at Rhodes High School, Mowbray (follow signs from Liesbeek Parkway into Durban Road). This stylish event will once again bring together the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and carefully selected exhibitors to attract Cape Town’s most dedicated and sophisticated foodies.

Celebrated chefs from 19 of the Cape’s most renowned and awarded restaurants will join together to serve their fabulous, trend-setting signature dishes to an audience with a taste for unbelievable food. Taste of Cape Town is a fantastic opportunity to try new destinations, explore different cuisines and plan a whole year of dining out!

Justine Drake, Taste Festival Director, comments: “Taste of Cape Town is a much awaited highlight on the city’s social calendar. It’s a one-stop shop for the best food, wine and gourmet goodies the Cape has to offer.” With nine new restaurants, top chefs and exciting features, the reputation of Taste of Cape Town has grown into the most celebrated food festival the Mother City has ever experienced. “Each Taste festival is better than the last and this year will be no exception,” she says.

This year’s show has so much for you to taste and experience including:

The Pick ‘n Pay Fresh Living Chef’s Theatre
Fun, fabulous and informative, this is an opportunity to see the Cape’s top chefs showcased and in action on stage, featuring demos, culinary challenges, entertaining tutorials and enlightening Q&A sessions.

The Checkers Wine Route
Back by popular demand, this year’s Checkers Wine Route Taste Experience is set to rock Cape Town. Clive Torr, along with some of South Africa’s leading wine makers, will be hosting a selection of wines from more than 80 top wine estates in South Africa. The Checkers Wine Route will feature a daily programme of wine tastings, tutorials and advice on wine and food pairing.

The Grolsch Beer Academy
Featuring Beer Masterclasses by a renowned brew master followed by a quenching of the ‘thirst buds’ in the comfortable and stylish surrounds of the outdoor Grolsch Beer Experience area.

Fresh Producers Market
This new feature will showcase some of Cape Town’s local food heroes. From delicious, hand-made cheeses, biltong, sweets to exotic ingredients, herbs and chocolates – to name just a few – the Fresh Producers Market at the Taste of Cape Town is guaranteed to inspire and tantalise with real, wholesome, fresh foods and produce.

Johnnie Walker Whisky Theatre
This year at the Festival, The House of Johnnie Walker invites you on a journey to explore the flavours of the world’s greatest whisky house. Taste the bold, vibrant, Red Label, the deep and smoky Black Label, the flagship House of Johnnie Walker blend, and the enigmatic natural flavours of Green Label blended malt whisky.

Taste and Buy Experiential Exhibitors
You’ll discover a mouthwatering array of gourmet food suppliers at Taste of Cape Town. Browse the stalls and try delicious speciality food and ingredients to buy and enjoy at home.

Kidz Zone
We haven’t forgotten about kids at this year’s Festival. Clamber Club will ensure that the young ones are entertained with a host of activities for all ages. With professional entertainers keeping kiddies busy and happy, parents can relax and enjoy the festivities that Taste of Cape Town has to offer.

Make a date with Taste of Cape Town – a world-class event where visitors who are passionate about food and drinks can indulge in their passion in the company of like-minded individuals.

There are a limited number of tickets available and bookings are advised. Book through Computicket on 083 915 8000 or www.computicket.com. Entrance is free for children under 12.

R80 Standard ticket – Entrance and free access to P’nP Fresh Living Chef’s Theatre, Checkers Wine Route wine and cheese tastings, Grolsch Beer Academy and various other features at the Festival.
R170 Premium ticket – Including the above plus R100 worth of Taste of Cape Town CROWNS.

Festival times
Wed 24th March 2010: 18h30 – 22h30
Thur 25th March 2010: 18h30 – 22h30
Fri 26th March 2010: 18h30 – 22h30
Sat 27th March 2010: 13h00 – 17h00; 18h30 – 22h30
Sun 28th March 2010: 12h00 – 17h00

2010 Participating restaurants
Bistro Sixteen82
Cape Colony at The Mount Nelson Hotel
Ginja and Myoga
GOLD restaurant
The Restaurant at Grande Provence
Il Leone Mastrantonio
Jardine Restaurant
Le Quartier Francais and Bread and Wine
Maze by Gordon Ramsay
Nobu Cape Town
Overture
Signal at Cape Grace
Reuben’s and Reuben’s @ The Robertson Small Hotel
Societi Bistro
The Greenhouse
Wang Thai

Knysna, February 25, 2010 – The popular Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival will take place as usual this July (2-11), despite the 2010 World Cup. That’s the message from the festival team which is already working to put together a bumper programme for visitors to the 10-day event.

“It’s business as usual for the Oyster Festival”, says festival manager Nicci Rousseau-Schmidt, “and we’re ready to show South Africans that Knysna is the perfect place to be during the long holidays that schools will enjoy this year. “Our sponsors are on board and we’ve already had our first Joint Operations Committee meeting. We have no doubt that this year’s festival is going to be a great one.”

Rousseau-Schmidt said that Knysna was very excited to be hosting both the French and Danish football teams during the World Cup, the final games of which will overlap with the festival. “We are planning to add some French and Danish cultural events to the festival programme. However, from the end of June the final World Cup games will be played in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg and if the French and Danes qualify, that’s where they’ll have to be. So the Oyster Festival will be a great opportunity to escape from the soccer madness to Knysna.”

Rousseau-Schmidt said that Knysna Tourism has been working with its members to ensure that there will be accommodation available at reasonable rates over the period of the Oyster Festival. “Most establishments have undertaken not to hike rates over this period”.

The festival has grown considerably in the last few years, specifically since 2004 when Pick n Pay signed a five-year partnership agreement with Knysna Tourism, which is the custodian of the festival. This agreement was renewed in 2009 for a further five years until 2013.

Today the festival programme has over 100 events and attracts more than 13,000 cyclists and runners who participate in the two main sporting events, the Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour and the Pick n Pay Cape Times Knysna Marathon and Half Marathon. Last year the festival raised a record R1, 189,957 for local charities.

To find a place to stay visit Knysna accommodation and for more information about the festival visit www.oysterfestival.co.za.

Durbanville Wine Valley Feast of the Grape on Sunday, 21 March 2010: Harvesting the bounty of the vineyards is one of the most important moments in the making of good wine. The Durbanville Wine Valley celebrates ‘Feast of the Grape’, its annual Harvest Festival on Sunday, 21 March, signaling the end of the grape season and the beginning of autumn. Delight your senses with our complete package of wine, great food, fine music and other vendange activities.

SEE … natural beauty of the countryside, breathtaking views of the ocean and rolling hills

HEAR …you are spoilt for choice with stirring rhythms and soulful jazz as well as Jakkie Louw’s biggest festival hit “Drie pikkewyne”

TOUCH …get your hands dirty and join in the grape picking and traditional stomping of grapes

TASTE …the finest regional produce, grape inspired dishes, grape must and award winning wines

SMELL …the wonderful aromas and flavours wafting from the various food stalls, to nose the concentrated aromas of the magnificent range of intense, fruit driven yet elegant wines as different from each other as the slopes that create them.

From the vineyards to the Altydgedacht Cellar. Bring friends and the whole family along for a fun-filled day on this historic working farm in the green heart of Durbanville. Go on a vineyard tour, taste grape must (a rare treat only available at harvest time); enjoy wine tastings and indulge in delicious vintner’s picnic baskets available to order or harvest platters served from the restaurant.

Bloemendal Wine Estate once again shows its legendary knack for hosting fun-filled festivities under the famed poplar trees and calming lily pond. Join in the grape picking, traditional stomping of the grapes and making of wine in the cellar. Then linger for the wine tastings and fabulous lunch.

Toast the turn of the seasons with the world’s nr. 1 celebratory drink at De Grendel Estate. Join their festive harvest table for a decadent bubbly brunch. And have you ever wondered why they call their De Grendel Pinot Noir OP DIE BERG? Experience a vertical tasting with 4 De Grendel Pinot Noir vintages, paired with a Burgundy inspired dish. Boules can be played on their lawns around the cellar and platters will be available.

Diemersdal Estate is an idyllic spot for the whole family to get together and celebrate the wine valley’s harvest heritage. Bring your own picnic basket, blanket and enjoy a leisurely day under the shade trees of the farm. Drink in the natural beauty of the countryside; take a stroll through the vineyards, enjoy wine tastings or stomp grapes.

Catch the glorious aromas of a Sunday lunch spitbraai at D’Aria; enjoy the exhilarating experience of grape stomping, followed by a taste of wines from D’Aria Winery.Bookings are essential as space is limited and in high demand. Price includes lunch and grape stomping, but wines are excluded.

Celebrate the harvest at Durbanville Hills with its breathtaking views on the ocean and rolling hills. Moms, Dads, Grandma and Grandpa will be delighted with the amazing entertainment for the kids, from a jumping castle and water slide to sand art, piñatas and more. Drink in the fiesta atmosphere and flavours wafting from the various food stalls where delicious food can be bought. All this to the rhythms and sounds of the dj.

Be carried away by the live music on the sprawling lawns in our stunning quarry at Hillcrest Estate Suitable for the whole family with grape stomping, winemaking kits to take home, wine tasting and Jakkie Louw to end the day’s festivities. Concert goers can bring their picnic blankets and baskets along for an epic afternoon of Hillcrest Wines, Music and Dance. Wine and food will be on sale.

Meerendal is looking forward to spoil 50 energetic amateur wine makers with a fun day of grape picking, grape stomping – like in the old days by feet – and learning all the secrets of wine making with their cellar master Liza Goodwin. Included in the package is a sumptuous breakfast (you cannot work on an empty stomach!), all the grape picking and wine making activities and a vintner’s lunch platter with lots of Meerendal wine to enjoy! This activity is ideal for the whole family or a group of friends.

Spend the day in the company of the Vellers – owners of Nitida Cellars & enjoy award winning wines & carnival style foods. You pick & pay for what you feel like eating!

Deatails:
No entrance fee – plenty to do for the little’ies…sand art, candle making & a jumping castle. Rene van Reenen will entertain you with her repertoire of jazz & many other styles of live music. This will add the special touch to a relaxing day in our company.

Durbanville Wine Valley’s Feast of the Grape will be held at participating wine farms on Sunday, 21March 2010.

Bookings are essential! Contact the following participating farms directly: Altydgedacht, Bloemendal, D’Aria, De Grendel, Diemersdal, Durbanville Hills, Hillcrest, Meerendal and Nitida.

Contact details:
Altydgedacht: 021 975 7815
Bloemendal: 021 976 2682
D’Aria: 021 801 6772
De Grendel: 021 558 6280
Diemersdal: 021 976 3361
Durbanville Hills: 021 558 1300
Hillcrest: 021 975 2346 / 021 976 1110
Meerendal: 021 975 1655
Nitida: 021 976 1110

Splashy Fen celebrates its 21st festival this Easter and with the coming of age, comes greater awareness and responsibility. With this in mind, the organisers of South Africa’s longest-running annual music festival have joined forces with The Green Depot and the Corner Café in Durban to create an eco village that will give festival-goers an opportunity to see green initiatives in action and encourage a more sustainable lifestyle.

Powered solely by wind, water and solar energy, the village will offer zero-waste, eco-friendly camping, product displays, an environmental film festival, as well as the cool cuisine and fabulous coffee of the Corner Café eco-restaurant.

All food prepared by the Corner Café will be purchased from farmers in the community and eaten using 100% biodegradable utensils. Organic waste will be fed into a giant worm farm, while other recyclable matter will be disposed of by YES (Your Environment Spotless), a waste collection and recycling company that aims to create a culture of environmentally responsible South Africans.

“We’re very excited at the prospect of having an eco village at Splashy, where people can either camp or come in as day visitors to experience practical, everyday ways of protecting the environment,” says Andrew Payne of The Green Depot.

“We’re also fortunate to have the support of suppliers and sponsors like Freight Max, which has kindly provided an 8-ton truck to transport the wind turbines and other equipment to the festival in one load, as opposed to many smaller vehicles doing multiple trips. This will help reduce our carbon footprint.”

Payne is quick to point out that while environmental issues are serious business, the eco village promises to be hip and happening, with live music, a wine bar and a host of other activities. For those willing to try something a little different, there’ll even be daily scuba workshops down at the river, presented by UKZN Underwater Club.

People wishing to camp in the eco village (situated on the riverbank, below the main festival site) can contact sales@thegreendepot.co.za or buy their tickets directly from the Corner Café at 197 Brand Road, Glenwood. The cost is R425 per person, which includes your Splashy Fen entrance ticket.

Alternatively, day visitor tickets will be available at the festival for only R10, which also secures you entry into a daily draw to win a range of great prizes like free coffee for a year and trips to eco-friendly holiday destinations. For more information about the eco village or if you’d like to get involved in the project, contact Andrew Payne at 083 263 3382.

Supported by Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, the Splashy Fen Music Festival is held on a farm near Underberg in the southern Drakensberg and runs from April 1-5. It offers a four-day line-up of some of the country’s hottest acts, as well as fun outdoor activities for the whole family, arts and crafts, a wide variety of food and drink outlets and various camping and accommodation options. Artists confirmed so far include the likes of Prime Circle, Hot Water, Fokofpolisiekar, Plush, Tidal Waves, Ard Matthews, the Albert Frost Trio, Haggis and Bong, New Holland and Syd Kitchen.

More details at www.splashyfen.co.za.
Find a place to stay at Drakensberg accommodation.

This coming Harvest Festival, Wellington cannot wait to treat you to all the delicacies on offer at its 26-member compact wine route which is a mere 45 minutes from Cape Town, and within spitting distance of Stellenbosch and Franschoek. Come and celebrate the harvest with remarkable and award-winning wines, wine walks, mountain biking, wholesome family fun, footstomping music and lip-smacking food.

Dates: 20, 21, 22 March 2010
Entry for the 3-day festival is R60.
Armbands will be available at the information office for participating farms.
Kids under 12 are free.
Contact Wellington Tourism on Tel: 021 873 4604
To find a place to stay see Wellington Accommodation