The Nederburg Arts Festival
Regardless of what time of the year you decide to visit Knysna, there are always a wide variety of art shops worth visiting. The lives of those living in Knysna is strongly influenced by a variety of arts and crafts and the resulting culture gives the town a unique and vibrant feel.
Knysna can definitely be considered the ‘entertainment city’ on the Garden Route; there seems to be no end to the festivals and events held here. During the year there are at least three different types of festivals held in the town and each of these attract thousands of people to the area. One of the more popular festivals is the Nederburg Arts Festival, which is held in September every year.
As one can imagine, a festival associated with the name ‘Nederburg’ can only mean one thing: this festival will feature a lot of good wine, wine tasting and imbibing. But this is not all that the festival is about. For ten days Knysna experiences an art and culture explosion with an assortment of theatrical productions and performances worth seeing. Of course the event would not be an ‘Art’ festival if there was no art so you can expect to see plenty of creative masterpieces included in this concoction of cultural activities.
Many local artists from Knysna and the surrounding areas take this opportunity to show off their artwork. There is something for everyone; you can find paintings ranging from inexpensive prints to expensive oil paintings. There are also a variety of sculptures to choose from. The Nederburg Art festival also focuses people’s attention on the stunning natural environment surrounding them.
Quite a few ecotourism outings are arranged during this period so that visitors can really get a sense of what sort of state the environment is in at the moment. There are also classes that one can attend to learn about the ins and outs of flower arranging if you are interested in this enjoyable hobby.
In between all the shows, outings and shopping expeditions it is highly recommended that you take the time to eat out at one of the many restaurants in Knysna. If you are looking for something different, you should definitely try the oysters. These are locally harvested and a real treat to eat. If that is not your thing, be assured that there will be something else tasty on the menu which you can enjoy with a glass of one of Nederburg’s fine wines.
