Friday, 25 September – Sunday, 27 September
Redberry Farm, George
The Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival is one of the biggest family festivals in the Garden Route and is set in the magnificent farm countryside at Redberry Farm. There is a full weekend of fun and activities, which centre around and showcase the icon of the festival, delicious strawberries!
The festival has a full programme of lifestyle pursuits, which offer things to do for adults and children, as well as popular sports events. These activities include live local musicians throughout the weekend featuring Matthew Mole, Adin Walls, Daveymac and the All and All’s, a selection of good weekend food and farm products sold at some 55 stalls, strawberry and wine pairing workshops presented by Jakkalsvlei, a beer tent with Rugby World Cup matches and live crossovers by Algoa FM. The opening night on Friday 25 September is limited to 500 tickets and is a night of entertainment with comedian Gino Fabbri.
Sports events include the Redberry Farm 5km Family Fun Run and the 9km Trail Run through the strawberry fields with impressive views of the farm landscapes, mountain and dams, Moore Stephens George Berry MTB Relay which uses a 5km loop track through the farm and the Moore Stephens George Toddler Dash, a race for 2 – 6 year old kids around the strawberry field. CrossFit George host the Fittest in the Garden Route competition which is a local inter-box competition for CrossFitters and is spectator friendly.
Not to be outdone, strawberries are centre stage in the new Strawberry Emporium where visitors can choose from a selection of their favourite strawberry treats at the Strawberry Table and visit the Choc Fountain and Strawberry Scoop. The Berry Bar offers a festoon of interesting strawberry cocktails, imported strawberry beers and ciders while the Berry Cooler has non-alcoholic strawberry drinks. Of course, visitors can purchase strawberry punnets, and for the first time, the punnets are stacked according to variety so that you can peruse the nuances of each type. Visitors are also encouraged to enter the Redberry Farm Strawberry Eating Competition. Entrants must be over 16 years old and the winner will receive R1000 in cash for their efforts!
There’s a lot of fun in store for the kids. The large outdoor inflatable kids play park on the lawns will keep the children entertained and energised for hours. The play park has a fun range of inflatables and kiddies stalls with seating for mom and dad. Other children’s activities at the festival include bumper and paddle boats on the dam, water bubble ball, pony rides, miniature train rides and a wooden playground. Amusing Nestle Ice Cream kids strawberry and ice cream competitions are interspersed throughout the weekend. Moreover, make sure to get a photo with Scarlett, the impressive, giant strawberry mascot!
Other activities for the family include strawberry picking and the Redberry Farm hedge maze. Choose a picking container size and head off to the fields to select your own strawberries. The maze is the largest permanent hedge maze in the Southern Hemisphere… and if you find all seven stations hidden inside, you will have discovered the secrets of a strawberry!
The Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival is scheduled over the long weekend in September so it’s a great time for visitors to have a quick get-away weekend, with SafAir offering affordable flights between Cape Town and George.
OF NOTE
Where Geelhoutboom Road (off the R404), Blanco, George
When Friday, 25 September – Sunday, 27 September 2015
Cost Friday night opening gala R150 pp, R30 pp for Saturday
Contact +27 44 870 7123, [email protected], www.redberryfarm.co.za
[Find out what else is going down in the Mother City on the Cape Town Etc events page]