The 2010 Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show will be officially opened by Premier Helen Zille on the 26th August at 18h00 and the public are cordially invited to attend. The show is open from the 27th August to the 1st September from 08h30 to 18h00 daily and the entry fee is R25 for adults, R20 for pensioners and R5 for children. Various exciting activities are on offer throughout the Clanwilliam Wild Flower show which promises the whole family a fun-filled time that will not be forgotten.
The landscape exhibit will represent the 5 major vegetation types found in the Clanwilliam district and how these occur in different landscapes, which are in turn caused by the varied geology of the district. The show will reveal the geology by displaying a cross-section from the coast to the Tankwa. For more information contact the Clanwilliam Tourism office on 027 482 2024 or cederberg@lando.co.za

Families and professional athletes are now able to enter for the 24th annual Freshpak Fitness Festival, taking place on Saturday, 2 October 2010. The Freshpak Fitness Festival takes place in the beautiful surrounds of Clanwilliam in the Cederberg of the Western Cape and it open to both novices and professionals. The picture perfect surroundings create a great getaway where friends and family can spend time and participate in the events on the day. For all outdoor enthusiasts, the Freshpak Fitness Festival hosts a variety of events, for all fitness levels, which comprises running, cycling and swimming.
On the day, contestants can participate in a variety of events including the 3 km or 1.5 km long swim, duathlon (5 km run, 20 km cylce, 2.5 km run), biathlon (5 km run, 20 km cycle) and triathlon (800 m swim, 20 km cycle, 5 km run), which are open to individual participants or teams. Younger fitness fanatics can participate in the FITKIDS 1 km run, 200 m swim and 1 km run.
For more information contact Clare Dodd at clarelin@telkomsa.net or Colleen Jacka at csjacka@mweb.co.za. To enter visit www.entrytime.co.za

The Clanwilliam Agricultural Show, which will take place from the 15th till the 17th of April 2010 has changed its name to “Clanwilliam Expo”, the main reason for this is that the main sponsor for this event is “Agri Expo”. And it’s not only the name that has changed, the committee of the Clanwilliam Expo has put a lot of work and effort in making the Expo “More, Better, Bigger”. With Potjiekos competitions and steakbraais,  artists like Amoré, Andries Vermeulen, Michael Gilman, Alwie & Anerie and Kenny Pritchard taking care of the music entertainment in the Wine Garden and jumping castles and slippy slides for the little ones it will surely be a day full of fun and laughter for the whole family, you have to come and see for yourself.  For more information contact Boeta Genis on clanwilliamskou@nashuaisp.co.za

The Cederberg region is exhibiting at the inaugural Destinations Expo to be held at the Convention Centre in Cape Town from Thursday 22nd  October to Sunday 25th October. We have a stunning stand with our classic mountain backdrop and we look forward to telling visitors all about what they can do and see in the Cederberg. Please come and visit us!

We are delighted to announce that Clanwilliam has won the Dorp van die Jaar competition sponsored by Kaap Rapport and Van Loveren wines. The judges said that they were particularly impressed with:

• Our community projects such as the Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project, Cederberg Heritage Trail and the Donkey Cart Excursions which both offering visitors an exciting experience and create jobs for local people
• Clanwilliam offers a friendly warm hospitality with a down to earth authentic experience
• Clanwilliam is adept at offering families and couples an affordable holiday in self-catering or B&Bs which is especially important in today’s economic climate

We invite everyone to come and help us celebrate with a Street Party on Saturday 14th Nov with live music, stalls and prizes to give away.

Clanwilliam in the northern Cederberg is one of the top three finalists in Kaap Rapport’s Dorp Van Die Jaar. We entertained the judges last week with an active visit including horse-riding to some rock art sites, donkey cart excursions in the mountains, a visit to one of our Rooibos tea farms, a demonstration of bouldering at De Pakhuys, enjoying a boat cruise on the Clanwilliam Dam ending in a braai by the side of the Dam and of course  sampling our wonderful restaurants.

Please help us to become Dorp Van die Jaar by voting by SMS. Kindly send your sms to 35714 as follows “KR Clanwilliam + Your Name”. The winner will be announced on the 11th October 2009. The winning town will have a festival of celebration with famous artists performing and Van Louveren wines sponsoring the event.

Cederberg Tourism attended the recent Getaway Show in Johannesburg and gave a Four Night Cederberg Getaway Prize. The prize winner was Trudie van Rensburg. Trudie and her husband have won a Four Night Getaway including 2 nights at Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat in the northern Cederberg, 2 nights at Ndedema Lodge in Clanwilliam, car rental from Cape Town and escorted tours. The Getaway Show was a great success with lots of people at our stand seeing our presentation of the area and sampling products such as our Rooibos tea and related Rooibos products.

Sunday 13th September saw the annual lantern festival take place in the streets of Clanwilliam. The University of Cape Town, together with Jazzart Dance Company presented the culmination of a week long arts programme involving the community of Clanwilliam. The procession was a spectacular performance of fire, dance, storytelling and screen puppets at the Cederberg Primer Skool. The project aims to return the lost heritage of the San stories to the local community.

Rooibos is currently one of South Africa’s biggest export products and approximately 7,000 tons of Rooibos is exported annually, about 60% of the total Rooibos sales.

The 26th August saw the end of the nine day Trail Guiding course for the guides of the Cederberg Heritage Route in the northern Cederberg. In all ten guides successfully completed the intensive course and received their accreditation which is a huge success. Once they have received their first aid course they will be the first official Trail Guides in the northern Cederberg. The Cederberg Heritage Route comprises 3, 4 or 5 night walking trails through pristine mountain fynbos in the Cederberg. Walkers are guided by members of the local community (who have now become accredited trail guides) and stay overnight at the picturesque mission villages of Heuningvlei, Brugkraal and Wupperthals as well as Clanwilliam. See the Cederberg Heritage Route website for more info…