The arts of literature and winemaking will meet this weekend when the Stellenbosch American Express Wine Route teams up with the 2012 Stellenbosch University Woordfees (Festival of the Word) for a Word-and-Wine Celebration.

Activities on Friday 9 March include lunch at Morgenhof Estate with award-winning writer Annelie Botes; a wine-and-dine date with business mogul Jannie Mouton at Uitkyk to talk about his recently published autobiography; dinner at Delheim with Riaan Cruywagen; and a snoekbraai and adventure story-telling at Kanonkop with Johan and Christiaan Bakkes.

On Saturday 10 March, Muratie Estate will haul out the barrels for a harvest festival. Families are invited to bring their picnic baskets for an afternoon of live music by the Kitchen Jammin Blues Band, grape stomping and estate wines on sale.

The festival will conclude on Sunday 11 March with the Simonsberg Wine Route Market Day at Delvera. The market will offer wines from the Simonsberg area, country food, craft stalls, live jazzy music from Manouche, harvest activities and horse rides. For the young ones, there will be a play corner, go-cart rides, a trampoline, jungle gym and a kids’ theatre.

What: Stellenbosch Word-and-Wine Celebration.
When: Friday 9 March 2012 to Sunday 11 March 2012.
Where: Various wine farms in the Simonsberg area.
Cost: Depends on activities chosen. Entry to the Sunday market is free.
Book: Friday and Saturday event bookings are essential, but there’s no need to book for Sunday’s market.
Contact: +27218868275 or visit www.wineroute.co.za for more information.

See our events page for more happenings in your area. Have we left out your favourite festival? Send an email with more details to info@eatout.co.za.

Images by Jonathan Hoeglund and Robert S Donovan