Category: News

There will be more to the Sasfin Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival than the main weekend event on Central Beach. In the week leading up to the main extravaganza, Plett has planned a selection of sporting events, music and entertainment – just adding more reasons to visit Plett in October and book for the second Sasfin Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival.

Thu 01 October: Cat Simoni at The White House
Sat 03 – Sun 11 October: Plett Winelands Estates host luncheons, tastings, picnics and cycling events
Sat 03 October: Robberg Xpress Trail Run in the Robberg Nature Reserve
Sat 03 October: Jason Hartman and Sam Hartman at the Beach House
Wed 07 October: Plettenvale Masquerade at The Equinox restaurant
Thu 08 October: Sasfin Plett Classic golf at the Plettenberg Bay Country Club
Fri 09 October: Sasfin Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival
Sat 10 October: Sasfin Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival
Sat 10 October: Tour de Plett MTB

-www.thegremlin.co.za•

Following the success of last year’s Knysna Art Route featuring only visual fine arts, a four day festival is to be staged that will include a varied array of arts and entertainment in intimate venues scattered throughout Knysna.

Highlights of the event will be:-

· An official Opening Function on Wednesday 7th October, and a Gala Evening on Thursday 8th October, a variety of live visual art, music, drama &
community entertainment is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

· Visual Arts Painting, Sculpture, Woodwork, Pottery, Printing
and Photography including Community Arts and Tours;

· Performing Arts Music, Dance and Theatre including School
Choirs

· Knysna Natter Readings, Talks and Debates involving both
current and historical topics;

· Demonstrations Live Art Demo’s and a variety of
workshops.

This event, which is sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty Knysna, will host some special guests and promises to bring out the very best that Knysna has to offer.

For those of you not yet artfully convinced, there are other festivals that will be taking place in Knysna during the same period namely, The Knysna Timber Festival and the Mitchells Brewery October Fest.

So, plan your visit now and avoid accommodation disappointment!

The full festival program can be viewed http://www.slideshare.net/VisitKnysna/knysna-arts-fest-2015-programme•

In celebration of Knysna Municipality offering the Old Gaol premises in Queen Street to the Green Chefs, a Knysna & Partners’ initiative to develop as a Coffee Shop / Bistro, Glendyrr Fick, Knysna & Partners; Trade and Development presented a Culture journey to stakeholders and friends on Thursday, September 10.

“I am so excited that we will now be able to offer our past finalists an opportunity to serve their food to the public and gain invaluable experience in what running a successful restaurant entails,” said a smiling and proud Fick.

“I could not be more proud of Glendyrr and her team. She had a vision of finally assisting the Green Chefs in running their own restaurant, being responsible for their own business plan and everything else entailed in running a business. With the kind offer of the Knysna Municipality her and the Green Chefs dream can start taking shape, once the formalities have been finalised.” said Knysna & Partners CEO, Greg Vogt.

Knysna loved and respected resident, Municipal Speaker and Knysna & Partners board member, Eleanore Bouw-Spies welcomed guests to Fick’s Knysna Cultural Journey at the Old Gaol inviting guests to enjoy the evening celebrating Knysna’s rich culture.

To start the evening the Imbongi or Praise Singers entered the Old Goal singing the praises of Knysna in their unmistakable high-pitched voices and vigorous performance. Traditionally the Imbongi, the official to the court of a Chief’s role included the recording of praise-names, victories and laudable characteristics of that Chief. They would then recite a praise poem, known as the Izibongo in praise of the Chief at public events.

The Green Chefs prepared a delicious three course meal that allowed for a main course choice of mutton stew, vegetarian curry and tripe and trotters potjie. Local author and tourism blogger, Martin Hatchuel said that it was the best vegetarian curry that he had ever eaten.

During the soup starter, Siya Maginana, a local Knysna actor performed a moving monologue that spoke of a man who had found the love of his life. Just to lose her as a result of his insecurities and alcohol addiction. The emotions that Magninana’s passionate art evoked was clearly visible.

Bouw-Spies introduced the Kranshoek Griqua People’s Kranshoek Riel Dancer and said: “The Griqua are a racially and culturally mixed people who originated in the intermarriages and sexual relations between European colonists in the Cape and the Khoikhoi living during the 17th and 18th centuries. They have a strong cultural identity, and enjoy First Nation status with the United Nations.”

She added that the Rieldance group travelled from the Kranshoek Community, an original Griqua Settlement. “It is inspiring to see how the youth embrace their culture, and bring it to life for everyone to appreciate,” said Bouw-Spies.

After loud ululation in appreciation of the Rieldancers, Bouw-Spies smiled and explained that what she thought was their performance, was actually a warm up dance. Without much ado the Rieldancers took to the performance area and performed another beautiful Riel Dance, recognised as part of their cultural expression.

“It is said that if you have ever stood in the middle of a dusty arena, surrounded by jiving and jinking Riel dancers in the throes of an ancient courtship ritual, you can consider yourself as been privileged to be part of a special cultural event that has been revived throughout the Karoo and Cederberg region,” said Bouw-Spies.

“Born out of traditional Khoi and San ceremonial dances around the fire, it has been practiced by descendants of the indigenous South African cultures for many years, most of whom were sheep shearers and farm workers from across the Cape. It is interesting to note that each Xhoi-San group has their own Riel dance style,” explained Fick, a proud Griqua herself.

The details surrounding the Green Chefs proposed pop-up restaurant are not yet finalised. “Keep a close eye on the media. We are sure to release the final details soon,” concluded Fick.

In closing Vogt expressed his appreciation for the artists saying that this new Green Chef pop-up restaurant / Coffee Shop is going to go a long way in enhancing the town’s visitors experience. “This venue lends itself perfectly to poetry nights with the local communities and so much more. I am really excited about this new venture and wish Glendyrr and all involved only the best.”•

The Rim of Africa experience Starting in the Cederberg east of Clanwilliam and following the crests and valleys of the Cape Fold Mountain range for 650km until the hike’s end in the Outeniqua mountains outside George, this is one truly epic hiking experience.

Each spring is Rim of Africa trail season – this is the best time to be in the mountains. Good water, amazing flowers in the fynbos, cool days and views that stretch forever. The trail season is marked by the annual Thru-Hike – the option for committed adventure hikers to take off 56 days and walk the route from end to end in one go. Not everyone can do that and most people who hike the route break it up into 9 week-long sections.

Theme trails are also on offer for those who wish to explore storytelling when walking, or get an insight into the botanical wonders of the mountains, for Matrics and youth we offer an inspiring programme to get youth into our hills. Rim of Africa is helping to make the Cape Mountains accessible in a managed and responsible manner.

“This hike is an epic, long-distance experience of a lifetime, traversing some of the wildest parts of the Cape over eight weeks. Since the route was created, only a handful of hikers have completed the full Thru-Hike, most people choose to hike a few sections at a time,” says Saintz.

“We have hikers from across the world coming back every year to hike different sections, depending on their fitness levels and particular interests.” The original ridgeline route, aptly called the Skyline, is reserved for seasoned and experienced hikers, who are looking to complete one of the world’s toughest and more technical hiking routes. According to Saintz, it is arguably one of the world’s more extreme hiking experiences: “This is no walk in the park, but an opportunity to get deep into the rugged mountain wilderness the Cape has to offer.” “The average week’s traverse covers anywhere between 60km to 100km, depending on the difficulty of the terrain and the terrain is a challenge – we often hike off path and weather can be extreme. We run the trail from September to November to avoid the wet and cold of winter and the searing heat of summer in the mountains.” “The vast World Heritage Site of the Cape Floral Kingdom is at the heart of this initiative, as it follows the Cape range from the North to the East. The landscape is breathtaking and the plant diversity is a botanist’s dream – it’s time for South Africans to step up and support this initiative and celebrate its value for present and future generations.” The Rim of Africa is vast in its vision and is racking up some impressive firsts. It is South Africa’s first internationally recognised Friendship Trail, the longest mountain traverse of its kind in Africa and was trekked by a National Geographic Young Explorer from end to end in 2012.

Last year the South African Nightjar Adventurer of The Year, Bernie Theron, a 20 year old from Pretoria completed a scouting mission for a new proposed Valley Route. The Valley Route will allow hikers to walk without guides if desired and stay in B&Bs and farmstays along the way – similar to walking the Camino in Spain. “We know that the Rim of Africa offers a most inspiring hike experience and is comparable to the iconic Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail in America or the Te Araoa in New Zealand – albeit a little more extreme and we are certain in time it will be recognised as Africa’s great mountain traverse,” says Saintz.

For more information:
http://www.rimofafrica.org/