Verkykerskop October Fest
Verkykerskop Tourism is planning our festival for this year, an annual event that has been running since 2004.
The Autumn festivals had tricked us weather wise, so this year we decided on a German October Fest, with preliminary date for 2 - 4 October 2009. This particular weekend was chosen not only for weather reasons but to ride on the back of other tourist attractions planned for the area that weekend.
Firstly, Cycling SA hosts their 6th MTN National Marathon in Clarens on Saturday 3 October 2009. Secondly, the Harrismith Platberg Marathon is taking place on the Saturday. Thirdly the Harrismith Angling Club holds a competition on Callie da Silva's dam near Verkykerskop every year in spring. Lastly, the national gymkhana tournament takes place the preceding week in Newcastle.
To enhance (not to compete) with these events and to offer something extra to all the tourists that will be traveling through our area, we are working to have the angling competition on the Saturday morning of the Festival (Verkykerskop is en route to the dam). Secondly we are talking to the Verkykerskop Gymkhana Club to do a casual participative event on the Saturday afternoon. Thirdly we are working with the Harrismith cycling club to organize a fun ride for the family from Harrismith to Verkykerskop (45km along the R722) on Sunday morning, followed by a mountain bike fun ride on Aansluit Landgoed (right next to the village) late morning. So, just imagine, finishing off your Clarens mountainbike marathon or your Platberg jogging marathon or angling competition with a visit to the Verkykerskop Fest.
There will be lots of food at Smileys restaurant and food stalls on the "dorpsplein", which will all go on the German theme with things like worst, craut and cheese; and of course the beer will be flowing in the sports pub as well as in the beer garden where the Umpa band will be encouraging consumption. We will have a tea garden, petting zoo, pony rides, small bike and quad rides for juniors, jumping castle, and lots more. Our main attractions every year however remain the top class performers who will be throwing their shows in the skuur. This could turn out the biggest festival we have had to date, and we set ourselves the objective to be in a position to market a few stands during the festival as well. We will keep you posted with more firm details closer to spring.