2021’s “Limited Edition” has been re-imagined to be fully level four compliant, while still bringing households world-class activities across the Greater Knysna Area. Why work from home (WFH) when you can work from Knysna (#WFK)?
Stay, work and play in the jewel of the Garden Route, with daily experiences to keep the whole family entertained. Taking place from 9-18 July, now’s the time to plan a fun, safe, family-friendly winter getaway.
Colleen Durant, Visit Knysna General Manager, says, “We are pioneering a new approach with this year’s “Limited Edition” experience, with the compliance of our operators and the safety of our visitors and local community being of utmost importance to us. Although the programme looks different and you will have to 'curate your own festival' within the offerings, we can guarantee quality experiences for the whole family to enjoy within the wide-open spaces of Knysna and the greater Knysna area.”
Andrew Finn, Festival Coordinator, adds, “The economic boost that the Knysna Oyster Festival brings to our beloved seaside village and surrounding towns is significant. We are proud of the programme we’ve been able to compile within the re-imagined framework of the “Limited Edition”. We encourage travellers to escape for the full ten days and even more, by making our town your office and enjoying the experiences in your downtime. If you’re unable to make it down the Garden Route physically this year, we encourage you to peruse our virtual experiences that can be enjoyed from anywhere in the world!”
Here are some of the highlights to look forward to this year:
Cultural tours with local tourist guides, including the Rasta community: Tourist guides have been hard-hit by the lockdowns. The Knysna Oyster Festival "Limited Edition" is providing much-needed work and a chance for households to enjoy private tours of some of the region’s treasures, including a Thesen Harbour heritage walk, Knysna historical buildings, or even exclusive boat building factory tours. If starry nights are more your thing, enjoy a beautiful Moonlight Meander (9th and 10th July) by the light of the full moon on Sedgefield’s famed Swartvlei Beach.
Virtual sports: From the KYC Virtual J70 Regatta for sailing fans and the Garden Route Trail Park Strava Challenge for mountain bikers and trail runners to the Virtual Urban X Trail Run and Obstacle Course (trail runs with fun obstacle courses set in local properties you can overnight at), the Knysna Forest Virtual Race, and Virtual Knysna Cycle Tour, there’s something for all sporting enthusiasts. We encourage you to come to Knysna to do your virtual events.
Knysna E-sports Cup: An online competition for all Fortnite enthusiasts, which takes place over six qualifying rounds from 5-10 July, with the finals on 16 July. The series is hosted by the Elite Pro Series, and features the country’s youngest professional Fortnite player, RoMike, and his team.
Aquatic adventures: Select from myriad boat tours including catamaran, mono hull yachts and lagoon cruises, or try to catch sight of the majestic sea life in a guided dolphin or whale watching tour. Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards will be available for rent for those wanting to commandeer their own tours.
Food, glorious food: It’s what the Knysna Oyster Festival is known for! Sizzling steaks, sensational seafood, beefy burgers, fiery Mexican, Sunday roasts and of course oysters – indulge in a variety of locally crafted cuisine by selecting from an array of take-away offerings that are available.
“Treat yourself and the family to a well-earned mid-year break. Offering the right amount of adventure to keep the kids entertained, coupled with world-class outdoor experiences to relax and recharge the batteries – come and enjoy this historical “Limited Edition” experience. For those unable to take leave, pack the laptop and maximise a staycation by curating an itinerary around your work day. #WFK this July and Travel for Good!” concludes Wesgro’s Chief Marketing Officer, Monika Iuel.
For more information on this year's Stay | Work | Play edition, visit www.knysnaoysterfestival.co.za.