The XTN Fig Festival is a first of its kind celebration of this wonderful fruit in South Africa, and will take place on the Eksteen Family Farm, Uitkijk, Voor-Paardeberg, North of Paarl, on Saturday April 1 and Sunday April 2, from 10.30am to 6pm.
Visitors can look forward to a relaxing good time on this traditional working farm. The little ones will have their own play area with a jumping castle or two and will also be able to get up-close and personal with some two- and four-legged locals like sheep, goats, ducks and even alpacas.
For the less adventurous young ones, there will be face painting and everyone can enjoy some lovely handmade treats. The whole family can get on the trailer to be transported to the fig orchards via tractor, where the fig picking process will be explained to them, before they can fill up their additional box with figs.
For the active adults and teens, a Run the Vines farm run is offered for the Saturday morning, covering either 5km, 10km or 17km (the first start at 8am, runners can book at www.runthevines.co.za).
And for the keen mountain bikers, there will be a Ride the Vines mountain bike ride on the Sunday morning over 12km, 23km or 42km (the first starts at 8am, book at at www.ridethevines.co.za).
A number of community stalls will offer delectable treats such as fig jam, fig chutney, dried figs and even fig juice.
Tasty fig burgers and fresh boerewors rolls made with a peppered fig boerewors and a fig and cheese pork sausage will help ease the hunger pains. Other food offerings include a food truck or two. A proper fig tasting of a few fig varietals will also be offered.
The highlight for beer lovers, and only to be had at the festival, is that they can enjoy South Africa’s first official fig beer.
Those preferring something lighter can enjoy the first fig cider, and wine lovers can treat their pallets to some wonderful local wines from the Paardeberg region.
All these foods and drinks can be enjoyed in the covered tented area while savouring the sounds of some of SA’s best musicians.
The line-up includes Chris Rain, Oh Jack!, the duo Twee and the four piece band of Newton & Co.
Sunday sees Chris Rain, Gerry Liberty, Oh Jack! and Bottomless Coffee taking the stage for some soulful sounds.
Tickets cost R150 (R50 entry for children aged six to 18), available at www.computicket.com
All proceeds of this family event will go towards establishing a youth and community development center on the farm for use by the XTN Foundation.
