Once a year, the beach city of Knysna hosts a family-friendly sport and food festival known as the Knysna Oyster Festival in South Africa. The 10-day festival is typically held from the end of June to early July.
It revolves around the region’s famous oysters, paired with a wine festival, but also features a variety of challenging competitions from races to scuba diving, with something new to try each day.
Thousands of people make the journey to idyllic Knysna each June. They may come for the oysters, but stay for the wide range of activities during the fest.
The food
As the oyster festival name suggests, the dishes at this South Africa fest revolve around Knysna’s specialty. Tens of thousands of these oysters are slurped down over the duration of the ten day festival.
Restaurants set up food stands offering oysters grilled, broiled or dropped in tapas dishes. The shellfish plates can be paired with 200+ wines from the Knysna Wine Festival that also takes place at the same time. This may be the tastiest festival in South Africa.
The competitions
While the oysters are the main draw, there are activities for all ages during the festival. Whether you’re competitive or just like to watch, there will always be something to do at this festival. A half-marathon and marathon are offered through the Knysna forest. The Knysna cycle tour offers both a road and mountain bike race.
Located on South Africa’s Garden Route, Knysna offers beautiful cliffs and hiking trails. The routes for each race promise a view of the lagoon or the vast and lush landscape. Golfing is popular as well, with the Pezula Championship Course hugging the rocky edge of the lagoon
For kids, there are plenty of “fun runs,” along with bouncy houses and arts and craft stands. Each day, smaller competitions like oyster shucking and scuba diving take place around the town of Knysna. From relay races to murder mystery dinners, these days are action-packed.
Exploring Knysna
The family-owned and operated Lofts Boutique Hotel is nestled on the edge of the Knysna lagoon where you can go kayaking. Powered by natural geysers and solar power, Pumula Lodge is a responsibly managed, family-owned eco lodge located between the town of Knysna and Kynsna Heads.
Unwind and hike through the Garden Route National Park that offers stunning coastal views and trails with a variety of difficulty levels. Explore the indigenous forests that have a 2,000 year old history to discover.
Glide on “monster size” ziplines over the gorge at the Kranshoek Sanparks picnic site with Knysna Ziplines.
ANNIE LANCASTER