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Traditional South African Dishes - South Africa Food Culture By Traditional Dishes

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The sound of the drums, guitars, and the piano, and the aroma of fresh food and wine, and the chatter amongst friends, festivals in South Africa are like a family get-together. With everyone on the streets to enjoy international artists perform, there is always some festival that is scheduled for any given time! From themes to historic, you will find music festivals in South Africa as well as South African traditional festivals, all celebrated with the same zest here. Be a part to some of the world's best art, jazz, culinary, and family-oriented festivals on your trip to South Africa. Here are some of the most enjoyable events in the country!
15 Best Festivals In South Africa

Take a look at the best South Africa festivals which are must-attend events as you'll get acquainted with its culture in the best way!

1. The National Arts Festival
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Out of all the art festivals in South Africa, the National Arts Festival stands out/. Famous for being one of the greatest gatherings of artists from all over the world, this event is one of the best in the country. With a no restraint rule, you will get to see some of the most incredible art pieces here.

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2. Cape Town Jazz Festival
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An event that needs no introduction, the Cape Town Jazz Festival is one of the most prestigious jazz festivals in South Africa. It is the fourth largest jazz festival in the world and musicians from all over the world come together to bring the best of this genre of music.

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3. Oppikoppi Bushveld Music Festival
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One of the biggest music festivals in South Africa is the Oppikoppi Bushveld Music Festival. While it started off as a rock music event, it has slowly graduated to a variety of genres being played over a couple of days.

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4. Knysna Oyster Festival
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Often termed as the 'Best 10 Days of Your Winter', the Knysna Oyster Festival is one of the best outdoor family and community events of South Africa. The two most popular events of this event are Pick n Pay Cape Times Forest Marathon and the Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Cycle Tour.

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5. Splashy Fen Music Festival
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Of all the events of the list of music festivals in South Africa, Splashy Fen Music Festival is the longest one. With artists performing on the stage, the event also includes a number of other things like craft stalls, food carts, and other events for children too.

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6. Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK)
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One of the famous art festivals in South Africa is the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK). While this tradition began in the year 1994, it has grown exponentially to become nothing less than a movement. Visual and performing arts of South Africa are celebrated here.

7. Cape Town Minstrel Carnival
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Also known as Kaapse Klopse, the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival is amongst the top 10 festivals in South Africa. More than 10,000 minstrels come down to the streets for celebration, and put on a beautiful sight with costumes, umbrellas, a variety of musical instruments, and of course, traditional songs.

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8. Ficksburg Cherry Festival
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The Ficksburg Cherry Festival is renowned for being the oldest crop festival in South Africa. Apart from cherry product competitions, this event also organises cherry tours, marathons, exhibitions, and more. Stalls of food and beverages, along with games are also available.

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9. South African Cheese Festival
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One of the top events in South Africa, the South African Cheese Festival is the best opportunity presented to culinary experts to showcase their talents. Celebrity chefs as well as beginners are part of this celebration of food. The only main thing is that the star of the show is cheese!

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10. Hermanus Whale Festival
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One of the first and probably the only eco-marine festival of South Africa, the Hermanus Whale Festival celebrates the ocean and its majestic habitants. September is the best time to go whale watching, with the famous Southern Right Whales putting up quite a show.

11. Prince Albert Olive Festival

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Out of all the culinary festivals celebrated in South Africa, Prince Albert Olive Festival is a shade more special. Paying homage to the wonderful produce of the valleys of Swartberg Mountain Range, this fest is a competition amongst the locals on who has the best food stall!

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12. Thai Poosam Kavady festival
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Dedicated to the Tamil god, Lord Murugan, Thai Poosam Kavady festival is an important religious festival in South Africa. Tamils from all over South Africa come together to celebrate this event with music, dance, art, and of course, food!

13. Robertson Wacky Wine Weekend
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Head to the best of the wine festivals in South Africa, the Robertson Wacky Wine Weekend. Just as it sounds, it is one of the most happening and fun events to be a part of. Not only are the exquisite wines celebrated here, but couple that with multi cuisine delicacies, and you are in for a treat!

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14. Royal Reed Dance
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Also known as Umkhosi Mhlanga, the Royal Reed Dance is performed by girls from all over the country. Since it is a royal dance, there are some rules. While some of the customs have recently been changed, it is the attire and the traditional dance which is beautiful to say the least!

15. Arts Alive Festival
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Another one of the major festivals in South Africa is the Arts Alive Festival. A blend of the best of art, craft, dance, music, and theatre, this 4-day festival is only just a glimpse of the treasure of art that the country carries.

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So, here are the top 15 festivals in South Africa. From the best of art to the intriguing history and religion, there is much to see and learn here. A few honorable mentions of some more festivals would include Jacaranda Festival, Johannesburg International Mozart Festival, and Cape Town Pride. So, plan a trip to South Africa and attend these festivals for a vibrant holiday.
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15 Best Festivals In South Africa To Treat The Culture Vulture In You!

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The sound of the drums, guitars, and the piano, and the aroma of fresh food and wine, and the chatter amongst friends, festivals in South Africa are like a family get-together. With everyone on the streets to enjoy international artists perform, there is always some festival that is scheduled for any given time!

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We're off to a place bursting with wonderful wildlife, rich culture and mind-blowing history! Check out our fascinating facts about South Africa ...

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of South Africa
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Republic
CAPITALS: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
POPULATION: 55, 489, 975
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: Afrikans, English, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, Northern Sotho, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga
MONEY: Rand
AREA: 1,219,089 square kilometres
MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Drakensberg
MAJOR RIVERS: Limpopo, Orange

Most of South Africa's landscape is made up of high, flat areas called plateaus. These lands are covered with rolling grasslands, called highveld, and tree-dotted plains, called bushveld.

To the east, south and west of the plateau lands is a mountainous region called the Great Escarpment. The eastern range, called the Drakensberg or Dragon's Mountain, is filled with jagged peaks, some reaching more than 3,475 meters high!

It might sound strange, but did you know South Africa has another country within its borders? Nestled in the Drakensberg is the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho. Much of South Africa's water comes from the snow-capped peaks of this tiny, landlocked nation. Also known as the " Kingdom of the Sky ", Lesotho is the only country in the world to lie entirely over 1,000m above sea level.

From aardvarks to zebras, South Africa is bursting with wonderful wildlife! Although the country only makes up about one percent of the Earth's land surface, it's home to almost ten percent of the world's known bird, fish and plant species, and about six percent of its mammal and reptile species.

The seas around South Africa are also full of incredible creatures - in fact, around 2,000 marine species visit South African waters at some point during the year. What's more, this magnificent country gets to enjoy one of nature's most spectacular underwater events, the " sardine run "! Every June, millions of sardines travel up the east coast, creating a phenomenal feeding frenzy for thousands of hungry sharks, dolphins and birds!

South Africa works hard to preserve its wildlife. There are dozens of protected land and marine areas, including the famous Kruger National Park in the north, as well as nearly 9,000 privately-owned game reserves throughout the country. Nevertheless, many of South Africa's animals are threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss, and dozens of species are in danger of extinction - including the black rhinoceros, the cheetah and the African wild dog.

In northern South Africa near Johannesburg lies a cave formation called the Sterkfontein. Within these caves, archaeologists have uncovered some of the earliest human fossils ever found - some are more than two million years old! The fascinating find earned the region the nickname " Cradle of Humankind ".

About 24,000 years ago, tribes of hunter-gatherers known as the San, or Bushmen, began moving into South Africa. To this day, many San still live around the Kalahari Desert in the northwest, much as their ancestors did.

In the 1400s, European ships heading to the Far East began stopping on the South African coast for supplies. In 1652, the Netherlands established the southern city of Cape Town, and Dutch farmers, called Boers, began settling in the areas around the city.

In 1806, wars in Europe left the British in control of the Cape Town colony. In 1910, the British united four colonies in the region and created South Africa. They established laws that separated whites from black South Africans, a practice of segregation called apartheid, which led to decades of conflict.

In 1963, Nelson Mandela, the head of the anti-apartheid African National Congress, was given a life sentence in jail for "terrorist" activities. In 1990, after 27 years behind bars, Mandela was freed by President F.W. de Klerk, and in 1994, he was elected president of South Africa. That same year, apartheid was officially abolished.

Many different peoples make up South Africa, each with their own language and history. The country has 11 official languages, and many more unofficial languages. This colourful mix of cultures gives South Africa its nickname " rainbow nation ".

South Africans are passionate about music, often using song and dance to express social and political ideas. They're also known worldwide for their skill in sports, including rugby, cricket, golf and soccer. In 2010, South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup. Goal!

Credits

Map of South Africa: National Geographic Maps. Johannesburg skyline in South Africa: Luke Schmidt, Dreamstime. African penguins on Boulders Beach, Cape Town: Andrea Willmore, Dreamstime. All other pictures: Getty Images UK

What did you make of our facts about South Africa? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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South Africa facts! - National Geographic Kids

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Facts about South Africa for kids: learn about South Africa, with facts about South African history, culture, wildlife and geography, and a map of South Africa.

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The Big Hole, Kimberley

Kimberley was put on the mining map when it became clear, it the late 1860s, that the area is rich in diamonds. Massive excavations started in 1871 and the aptly named Big Hole and its surrounding buildings are what remains of the diamond rush.

The Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town

One of the oldest buildings in South Africa, Castle of Good Hope, completed in 1666, was the hub of political and military activity in the country. The Castle is to this day, one of the best examples of 17th-century Dutch East India Company architecture in the world.

Isandlwana Battlefield, Isandlwana

The Battle of Isandlwana took place on January 22, 1879, when approximately 20,000 Zulu warriors, under King Cetshwayo's command, successfully ambushed and defeated a British camp. This was a major, yet unexpected, moment in the history of the Zulu nation.

Nelson Mandela Capture Site, KwaZulu-Natal

Nelson Mandela 's arrest occurred on August 5, 1962, at this spot in KwaZulu-Natal after which The Rivonia Treason Trial followed. Its infamous adjudication sentenced Mandela to 27 years in prison, until his release on February 11, 1990.

The Cradle of Humankind, Maropeng

The Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the Sterkfontein Caves, and could very well be the birthplace of mankind as we know it. This famous excavation site is where an approximately 3.5 million-year-old hominid fossil, Australopithecus Africanus, ('Mrs. Ples'), was found in 1947.

Robben Island, Cape Town

Former South African president Nelson Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island for 18 of his sentenced 27 years. The original jail building still remains and three tours are conducted daily, some by former political prisoners.

The Afrikaans Language Monument, Paarl

The Huguenot Memorial Monument, Franschhoek

The Huguenots immigrated to South Africa during the 17th and 18th centuries and had a major impact on traditional Afrikaans culture. This monument, inaugurated in 1948, is dedicated to this influence and the history of the Afrikaner nation.

Union Buildings, Pretoria

The Union Buildings in Pretoria, designed by star architect Sir Herbert Baker, is the official seat of the South African government and contains the president's office. The complex boasts beautiful surrounding gardens, rolling lawns and panoramic views over the city.

Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria

The Voortrekker Monument, situated in a Pretoria nature reserve, won the Trip Advisor Traveller's Choice award for 2016. The granite edifice, which opened in 1949, honours the pioneer history of South Africa, as well as that of Afrikaners, and boasts the world's longest historical marble frieze.

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10 Historical Landmarks to See in South Africa

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The Big Hole, Kimberley Kimberley was put on the mining map when it became clear, it the late 1860s, that the area is rich in diamonds. Massive excavations started in 1871 and the aptly named Big Hole and its surrounding buildings are what remains of the diamond rush.