5 things to know about the Knysna Oyster Festival
It's all about a shucking good time at this year's Knysna Oyster Festival. Foodies from all over will be jetting in for the 42nd leg of the festival for a good fill of coastal fun. The annual event brings fans of sports, food and entertainment to the quaint Garden Route town.
With a bevy of entertaining events and treats to try, this year's theme is to 'come out of your shell'. And if you're coming out from under a rock, here's a look at five things you can expect at this year's fest.
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The Citizen
19 hours ago
- The Citizen
Unleash your inner oyster in Knysna
July festival is not for weightwatchers. There are a million good reasons, most of them packed in shells and tasting delightfully of the sea, for visiting the Knysna Oyster Festival (KOF) next month, but wanting to lose weight is not one of them. Oysters themselves are not fattening and are packed with nutrients but, serve them fried and smothered in a bacon and blue cheese sauce, you can almost hear the calorie-counter going berserk. And that's just for starters. A two-day media visit last week to preview the 42nd annual festival, from 4-13 July, began fairly virtuously; oysters in the half shell accompanied only by lemon, black pepper, peri-peri sauce and a glass of Leopard's Leap bubbly at Sirocco. It was, so to say, a shucking good time. Things went south that evening when we decamped to Wildside Beach, a shack-style diner on the rocks at Buffels Bay – included, along with Sedgefield and Reenendal, in the Knysna municipal district – for sundowners and dinner. Sunset was accompanied by a full moon almost as spectacular as dinner of creamy mussels, garlic-butter prawns, deepfried hake and panko-crumbed calamari. Nothing slimming about that… what followed was a Weight Watchers' nightmare. Tammy Coby, one of the Knysna Oyster Festival organisers, placed three mini-puddings in front of us and told us to score each out of 10. Picture: Jim Freeman ALSO READ: Bin huggers are just plane rude Chocolate dreams and dessert wars This, she said, was the premise of Dessert War Fair. Promising this would be the sweetest happening of the festival – it takes place on 9 July, tickets from Quicket – 'where talented chefs and bakers showcase their most scrumptious creations' in a contest to find the most epic dessert, Tammy offered another tempting morsel. She introduced us to one of last year's winners. Kirsten Walters is the owner and founder of Ile de Chocolat ('Island of Chocolate') and is a Swisstrained chocolatier with her manufacturing studio at the five-star Pezula Hotel and a retail outlet at Thesen Harbour Town. She is not affiliated to nearby Ile de Pain ('Island of Bread'), the renowned artisanal bakery where we had breakfast the next morning. 'I am a trained pastry chef who indulged her passion by studying at the International School of Chocolate Art in Zurich, where I finished as valedictorian in 2006. 'South Africans at the time did not have much of a chocolate culture – they basically knew Beacon, Nestlé and Cadbury – and I wanted to introduce them to the 'proper' stuff only the wealthy had encountered through international travel. 'I had the mad idea of producing chocolate on site in a retail environment where people could watch the process and it was Brian Coppin who was building his flagship Food Lover's Market in Tyger Valley (Cape Town) who gave me the break. He said 'we're opening in a week, can you be ready?' We were literally an island of chocolate in the middle of this huge, magnificent store,' said Walters. Apart from giving the business ( its name, it was the proverbial springboard to success. Picture: Jim Freeman 'We were in seven stores around the country within a year but business came to a screeching halt two-and-a-half years later when I gave birth to twins,' she said. The Walters family moved to the Garden Route three years ago for a life that was less hectic, but just as sweet. 'Our speciality, my pride and joy, is truffles. I love developing new fillings and have about 50 flavours. 'There are your traditional hazelnut, almond and creamy chocolate fillings before going fruity with raspberry and mango. We do a whole alcohol range; Kirschwasser with a maraschino cherry is the most popular but I also do whisky, Van der Hum and Amarula. 'More extreme flavours include rosemary and pear, chili and I've even dabbled with curry on occasion.' The KOF caters to gourmands as well as gourmets. Picture: Jim Freeman From forest runs to fine wines There's a carbo-loading pasta evening on 4 July, the night before the Knysna Forest Marathon, that's not restricted to runners; a burger and beer extravaganza on 5 July; and a 'pizza-eating showdown not for the faint-hearted' on 9 July. For those on a liquid diet, Stella Artois is one of the sponsors and there will be several beery hotspots around the KOF, notably at Wildside Beach in Buffels which does not have a liquor licence. If you don't like beer with your fish and chips, the restaurant doesn't charge corkage. The Knysna Fine Wine Festival takes place at Simola Hotel on 4 and 5 July, and several estates will be serving their best vintages at the oyster cooking and shucking championships on 8 July. As the organisers say, 'Come hungry, come happy – and come out of your shell!' The forest marathon might be the festival's signature sporting event, but there's also the Knysna Cycle Tour on 12-13 July. Physicality is as physicality does… there's live music and (of course) dancing throughout the 10-day event. There are also adventure offerings, including guided and self-guided canoeing and hiking. For the latter, visit the Pledge Nature Reserve in the centre of town for a gentle uphill stroll that will reward hikers with wonderful views of the Knysna Heads and lagoon. Petrol-heads can wander around the Eden Classic Car and Motorcycle Show at Sedgefield's Scarab Arts and Crafts Village on 9 July. Picture: Jim Freeman NOW READ: Ford powers leopard conservation efforts
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- TimesLIVE
5 things to know about the Knysna Oyster Festival
It's all about a shucking good time at this year's Knysna Oyster Festival. Foodies from all over will be jetting in for the 42nd leg of the festival for a good fill of coastal fun. The annual event brings fans of sports, food and entertainment to the quaint Garden Route town. With a bevy of entertaining events and treats to try, this year's theme is to 'come out of your shell'. And if you're coming out from under a rock, here's a look at five things you can expect at this year's fest.
The South African
10-06-2025
- The South African
Keep warm with these upcoming Western Cape food festivals
We're not short on winter food festivals in the Western Cape. Perhaps that's no surprise since there's nothing like hearty food to get through an icy day or a below-freezing evening. And it's not just food that these gatherings serve. Live music, craft stalls and outdoor adventures are on the menu, too. So, if a plate of oysters and a glass of wine sounds like a good recipe to you, here are the top winter food festivals in the Western Cape. For those who really love their fish (and sweet potatoes), this little festival in South Africa could be a dream come true. It's hosted by the tiny village of Goedverwacht, which is just 90 minutes from Cape Town. The highlight of this festival is, of course, the snoek, which is marinated in various flavours and braaied on a big open fire. Visitors can also browse craft stalls and enjoy live local music. 27-29 June Raaswater Farm, Goedverwacht Knysna, famous for its lagoon and forests, will again show off its culinary side this July. The Knysna Oyster Festival will see foodies flock to the town, all in pursuit of the perfect oyster. But it's not only the mollusc that's on the menu at this Western Cape food festival. Festival-goers can enjoy tastings of South Africa's best teas and chocolates. There's also plenty of live music, crafts and outdoor adventures on the programme. Certainly, this annual event is not to be missed this winter. 4-13 July across Knysna, Garden Route Charming Franschhoek will once again embrace its French roots with the return of its Bastille Day celebrations. In the winelands, this holiday is all about the food. Expect glasses and glasses of the area's best wines, as well as cheeses and other gourmet French fare. Don't forget to don your best beret and dress in blue, white and red because there will be a Best Dressed Competition! 12-13 July central Franschhoek Not to be outdone by its Winelands rival Franschhoek, Stellenbosch also hosts one of the Western Cape's top winter food festivals. This one is all about the wine: 60 of the country's top vineyards will serve over 200 premier wines. This year's festival also celebrates the centenary of the pinotage. Alongside the wines will be a traditional harvest table with small servings of different appetisers and delicacies. In the lead-up to the actual gathering, wine lovers can also enjoy a variety of events at wine estates in the area. These promise unique access to the best vineyards around the town. 2-3 August Stellenbosch Town Hall Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
