Our 6 Favourite Winter Festivals in South Africa: the Best Local Events for Music, Wine, Arts & More

South Africa's winters run from April to September and are relatively mild and dry in most parts of the country. This makes the winter months ideal for festivals, so get your camping gear ready and go experience our 6 best winter festivals in South Africa (and Eswatini) - from music festivals to wine weekends and major arts events.

#1. Afrikaburn, Tankwa Karoo - Northern & Western Cape Provinces

End of April

A must-do winter festival for creatives, Afrikaburn in the Tankwa Karoo (Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces) is a celebration of the weird and wonderful. 

Based on the guiding principles of the world-renowned Burning Man Festival, Afrika Burn is set in the remote desert landscape of the Tankwa Karoo and is a celebration of performance, art and self-expression.

A quick browse through the website's guiding principles – radical inclusion, leave no trace, gifting and recommodification  – will give you an idea of what to expect. Participants must work hard to have their creations accepted by the festival, and once there live solely by their own wits and means.

It's a totally different experience that is difficult to describe, that hinges on an ethos of participation, consciousness and self-reliance. Central to "The Burn" is the ritual of setting fire to a massive effigy. You won't forget this festival in a hurry!

Oh, and don’t forget to stop over at the Tankwa Padstal, you’ll know it when you see it.

#2. The Grahamstown National Festival of the Arts, Makhanda - Eastern Cape

End June and early July

Makhanda, previously known as Grahamstown, is a small town in the Eastern Cape about 110km northeast of Gqebehra, formerly known as Port Elizabeth. It's most notable as a student town and is the home of Rhodes University.

Once a year, since 1974, the premier festival in South Africa transforms Makhanda into a bustling arts mecca. The National Arts Festival brings such a profusion of visitors that tents are pitched on rugby fields to accommodate all the festival goers, who throng the cold streets night and day.

Complementing the main shows, The National Arts Festival Fringe is characterized by a diverse collection of works that range from pure entertainment to complex experimentation. Over the years The Fringe has been the launch pad of many artists’ careers.

Despite the infrastructure challenges Makhanda faces, the festival is still very much alive and kicking. It makes millions for the town and has several programmes dedicated to the upliftment of the local communities.  

#3. The Knysna Oyster Festival, Garden Route - Western Cape

Mid-July

Get ready to shuck 'n roll at the Knysna Oyster Festival, which is celebrating 40 years of existence in 2024. Running for a week in July, this South African festival is a magnet for sporty folk, families and those looking to just relax, eat amazing food and soak up the atmosphere.

Visitors can expect to have a whale of a time, as the festival coincides with the thrilling whale-watching season in Knysna, and the Knysna Wine Festival happens just before the Oyster Festival.

Outdoor enthusiasts can compete in or watch marathons, half-marathons, cycle tours and trail runs, and don't forget zip-lining through the treetops, kayaking in the rivers and lagoons, and mountain biking along scenic trails. These are complemented by kids' sports challenges and events. Evening offerings include live music and comedy nights, but it's the culinary experience of wining and dining on the lagoon that the oyster festival in Knysna is most famous for.

The Garden Route is world famous for its natural beauty and to get away from the bustle and activity of the festival, you need only venture a little further up or down the N2. Storms River, Tsitsikamma National Park, Wilderness and Plettenberg Bay are just a few of the beautiful destinations on offer.

#4. Wacky Wine Weekend, Overberg - Western Cape

Early June

It's become so popular that the Wacky Wine Weekend has been extended from the conventional weekend experience to now include four festive days, with each day boasting its unique signature wine theme.

Embracing the towns of Ashton, Bonnievale, McGregor and Robertson, the wine festival does not have a central venue  –  instead, visitors either drive between venues or make use of festival shuttles and taxi services – but these days there's zero tolerance for drunk driving, so best stick to the transport provided. 

Now in its 20th year, the wine festival has vineyard tractor trips, river cruises, sunset game drives, street theatre, live music, a fireworks display, the usual half-marathon and mountain bike challenge and a mountain of gourmet delights.

The real festival however centers around the multitude of wine estates that offer tutored wine tasting, cellar tours and evenings of wine pairing. For experts and connoisseurs of every vintage, this is the wacky weekend for you.

#5. Innibos, Mbombela - Mpumalanga Province

Late June

Started in 2003, Innibos Festival is an Afrikaans arts festival that takes place in Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit) in the beautiful Mpumalanga province. A showcase of Afrikaans music, Innibos also focuses on theatre and children’s theatre, cabaret, literature, dancing and drama. 

This South African festival is large and receives over 100,000 visitors, with hundreds of stalls open for its entire duration, which spans four days. The cream of the Afrikaans crop performs here, such as Bok van Blerk, Francois van Coke, Spoegwolf, Bernice West and Elandré.

Be ready for a full-on Afrikaans experience where you can indulge in the best of South Africa’s food, sample unique local arts and crafts and generally just soak up the vibes of the culture. There are plenty of competitions: if you fancy yourself a braai master, you can compete to become the Lowveld Braai King, an all-day event that turns the burning of beef and boerewors into an art form all of its own.

#6. MTN Bushfire Festival, Mbabane - Eswatini

End May, early June

While technically not a winter festival in South Africa, this musical delight in Southern Africa is a must, so we've included it. Tucked away in the Malkerns Valley just outside Mbabane, capital of Eswatini, the MTN Bushfire Festival is the largest event on the tiny kingdom's calendar. Nevertheless, it's a small festival as far as music festivals go, and that special intimacy is a potent drawcard.  

Between acts festival goers can wander around the delightfully quirky buildings of House on Fire, built by a community of in-house artists and nurtured by festival organiser Jiggs Thorne. Bushfire has earned itself a loyal following because those who have attended once usually become instantly addicted to the place, set on the lush background of sugarcane fields and gently rolling hills of what was once called Swaziland. 

But it's the outstanding line-up of performance artists that really makes Bushfire stand out from other festivals in Southern Africa. Chosen from not only the region but also Africa and across the world, the indigenous and traditional musicians rub shoulders with top contemporary acts in shows that keep the audience ecstatically leaping between the large to tiny stages. There's a lot of kids' entertainment, workshops for the curious and a great mix of colours and nationalities.  

The folk of Eswatini are so friendly that you can feel the difference the moment you cross the border. Make sure you arrive early to avoid the queues that Bushfire creates at the border crossings and don't bother with setting your phone to roaming: wait till you find an area with WiFi to send photos home. If you want a quiet night's rest after a hard day of dancing, there are plenty of guest houses nearby in Malkerns Valley.

For more, see The Best Eswatini Festivals.

These are just a few of our winter festivals in South Africa and Eswatini, with many more events, celebrations and festivals on the go. For more about local events you can enjoy during your trip to South Africa and Eswatini, contact African Budget Safaris.