This Friday, in addition to their regular Friday evening market,  The Woodmill in Stellenbosch will be hosting a boutique beer festival, showcasing a selection of micro-breweries.

The Woodmill Boutique Beer festival is an organised indoor event during which a variety of micro breweries including Paulaner Brauhaus, Trigger Fish, Valley Brewery, Boston Breweries and Darling Brew will showcase their beers.
 
Beers will be available for tasting and purchase alongside a host of edible delicacies housed at the regular Woodmill market, which is open every Friday night.
 
Ample parking and a designated kiddie’s play area will be available.

In traditional beer fest style, there will be Oempa Band to keep things festive.

I haven’t yet been to the Woodmill Market, but if I didn’t already have plans for this Friday, I think an artisan beer tasting would have gone down very nicely indeed and been the perfect excuse to wander out thattaway.

Date & Time: Friday 3 February 2012, 5.30pm – 10pm.

Place:  The Woodmill, Vredenburg Road (off Adam Tas), Stellenbosch

Cost: The tickets are R30 which includes a Woodmill Beer Glass and 5 tastings.

limited tickets available:

Phone 0786257388 to purchase or visit the woodmill friday night market.

www.thewoodmill.co.za

The organisers of the Nitida ‘Degustazione’ Farmers Market in Durbanville have launched a new evening version of the lovely food market.

Now, in addition to the morning market, held on the last Saturday morning of every month, there is also a ‘sunset market’ which takes place the evening before. Both markets are now held at Cassia Restaurant rather than down on the lawn below.

From what I gather, the focus of the Friday evening market is on live music, prepared food and a chance to socialise and catch up with friends. The Saturday morning market is equally sociable, but with a stronger emphasis on fresh produce and the opportunity to stock up on staples.

I love the idea of night markets – they’re such a wonderful, laid-back way for people to gather without the formal environment of a restaurant. I haven’t yet been to this new Nitida offering, but I look forward to trying it out soon!

The evening market is on every last Friday of the month from 5pm to 9.30pm.

For more information, visit Nitida’s website, or contact Getha on 083 651 0699.

Time really flies. It seems like it was only a blink or two ago that I first found out about The Market Place at Hathersage Farm. But, unbelievably, the market is already celebrating its second year, and will be holding a special market this Sunday (29 January 2012) as part of the festivities:

To help us celebrate our 2nd birthday, participating traders are showing appreciation for you, our supporters, by slashing prices and throwing in a few freebies along the way! We’ll have new exhibitors and even a chance to WIN amazing hampers on the day. You’d be forgiven for thinking its Christmas!

Draws for hamper give-aways will take place on the 29th at 10am, 11am, 12pm and 1pm, and you can still enter! Just drop me an email with your name and contact number, and I’ll pop your details into our Lucky Draw Box. Winners must be present.

If you haven’t yet been, it’s quite a laid back way to spend a morning/afternoon. There’s a mix of food and more crafty items, some along the side of the river, some indoors and more out under the trees. It can get quite crowded, but if you can find a good spot on the lawn in the shade you’re on to a good thing (send out runners for champers and nibbly bits).

The market runs from 9am until 2pm. Find out more at The Market Place Facebook Page.

Location
Hathersage Farm, Gordon Road, Somerset West
GPS: 34° 5′ 0.6612″ S, 18° 52′ 3.9864″ E

I’m looking forward to checking out a new market very recently launched at the Montebello Design Centre in Newlands. The Mooi Makers Market will showcase handmade products by and for designers, makers and craft producers from South and Southern Africa. Market organisers are “striving for quality products, design and sustainable and ethical production and fair trade”.

The Mooi Makers Market will run every week on Fridays and Saturdays, weather permitting (updates on their Facebook page).  ** no market on Saturday 4 February 2012**

They had a couple of markets in December, and from the photos it looks fantastic.

And what an awesome venue for a market like this. I love Montebello (and it’s close to me) so I can already picture wandering from stall to stall, dotted about the centre’s leafy grounds… can’t wait!

Plus (and I’ve very excited about this), this goods market will soon be joined on Fridays by a new outdoor food market, run by an already very successful market organiser. Best of both worlds, in my opinion… More details as soon as I have them!

Mooi Makers Market – Event Details

Location: Montebello Design Centre, 31 Newlands Avenue, Newlands.
Dates & Times: Fridays and Saturdays, 9am-3pm.
This Friday (13 January 2012) has been cancelled, as there’s rain forecast, but Saturday’s market is currently still good to go.

A very promising looking market will be held at Gabrielskloof Estate this weekend, starting this evening at 5pm. The wine (and olives and lavender!) estate is located off the N2 not far from the Houw Hoek Pass (after the Hermanus turnoff, but before the Greyton/Genadendal exit) – just over an hour’s drive from Cape Town central.

Gabrielskloof is hosting the ‘Our Favourite Things’ market today and tomorrow, and here’s what is apparently in store for visitors:

On Friday 16 December, the “opening” night of the market will be celebrated with a super talented live gypsy jazz band from Stellenbosch – Manouche. The evening kicks of at 5pm and stallholders will be ready to welcome friends and guests with their crafts, delicacies, and fresh produce.
 
We’ve selected the very best in (as much as possible) local talent and passion – handmade chocolate by von Geuseau chocs from Greyton, amazing charcuterie from Luddite in Botriver, Genevieve MCC, oysters, ‘Food from the Karoo’, french crepes, goat’s milk cheeses from neighbouring farm “Anysbos” (and much more, and of course a fantastic selection of stylish crafts from as far as trendy design capital Cape Town.
 
We repeat all the magic on Saturday 17 December, when the market starts at 12pm and finishes around 5pm. We will have a play area for the kids with a jumping castle (and supervision, of course), so bring the whole family – including dogs

Sounds awesome – and if you’re in Hermanus, as so many Capetonians seem to be at this time of year, it’s only half an hour away!

Our Favourite Things Market – Event Details

Location: Gabrielskloof, Bot River (directions and map here)
Dates & Times: 16 December 2011, 5pm onwards; 17 December 2011, 12pm to 5pm
More info: www.gabrielskloof.co.za

One of my favourite markets in Cape Town is the Earth Fair Market in Tokai.  I love all the traders, and go almost every Wednesday, meeting my mom for a glass of organic champers and a nibble of whatever takes my fancy.  I also do quite a bit of my grocery shopping there – snapping up some of Rudi’s amazing sausages, bacon or what-have-you from Cure Deli, smoked angelfish, nuts from By Nature, berries from Sugarberry Trading (during the short but ever so sweet berry season) and more besides.

Market organisers take immense care in choosing their stallholders, and maintain a really high level of quality.  Additionally, and importantly, there’s a great feeling of friendliness which I find very welcoming and fun.  No snobbishness here – it’s all very laid back and wonderful.

Being primarily a food market, there are usually only a few handmade goods stalls – but that will all change this Friday for the Earth Fair Christmas Market – and I can’t wait to see who the organisers have chosen to participate.

On the cards for this year’s market: a range of top quality handmade goods and beautiful Christmas gifting items, including textiles, frames, jewellery, body pamper products, lights, Christmas cakes and decorations, handmade bags and more.

In between shopping, you can try something from their delicious selection of crepes, sushi, paella, wraps etc, and wash them down with real beer and organic wines (and bubbly!).   The kids corner will be ready to keep the little people entertained so bring them along and do your shopping at leisure.

See you there!

Earth Fair Christmas Market 2011 – Event Details

Location:  Earth Fair Market, South Palms, Tokai (near Builders Warehouse)
Dates & Times: Friday 16 December (public holiday) 3pm-9pm.
Cost:  Free entry.
More info:  www.earthfairmarket.co.za

Having been to quite a few festive-themed markets this year, I can honestly say that quite a few were not as interesting as I’d hoped.  Some organisers manage to add the spark that makes for a market that is not only beautiful to look at, but has a wonderful variety of carefully chosen stalls, with products made with care.

Others… do not.

But, all is forgiven, because one of my very favourite Christmas markets is coming up…

The Designer Maker Market made its debut last year and it was a big hit, as far as I was concerned.  Lovely venue, beautifully presented courtyard and stalls, quality products.

This year, the market will stretch over 3 days, instead of just one, and there will again be a carefully selected group of designers and crafters.  An improvement on last year will be the “host of food offerings” available (including The Creamery, yay!) and the fact that Jacques Erasmus’ Hemelhuijs café will be open for the duration of the market (got a bit hungry last time!).

I’m very much looking forward to this market – and can’t wait to see what beautiful creations will be on display.

Location:  Freeworld Design Centre , 71 Waterkant St (on fanwalk).
Dates & Times: Wednesday 14 December 2011 – 3.30pm until 9pm, to coincide with Carols by Candelight at the church / Thursday 15 and Friday 16 December 2011 –  10.30am until 9pm (16TH is a public holiday).
Cost:  Free entry.
More info:  Free World Design Centre website.  Contact Lauren Shantall 072 615 1560

The Neighbour Goods Market will once again be having a Christmas market this year.  Three, in fact.

Unlike in previous years, where the Neighbour Goods Market has held a separate Christmas Night Market, this year the format will be a little different.

Instead of a one-off night market, there will be a three-week ‘Advent Fest‘, running alongside the regular Saturday market. With details a little sketchy, I’m assuming that this will be in addition to the existing designer goods section of the market, not instead of it (but I stand to be corrected).

I rather liked the vibe of the night market, preferring it to the crazy-busy Saturday mornings, so I’m a bit sad about this change of plans, but hope to brave it if I can drum up the crowd-bearing courage.

Neighbourgoods Advent Fest – Event Details

Location: Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road, Salt River
Dates & Times: 10, 17, 24 December 9am-2pm.

The Edgemead Christmas Market is one of the bigger Christmas Markets in Cape Town, and always the one about which I get the most queries.  I still haven’t been, but this December I will definitely be checking it out.

In my view, there are so many good reasons to shop at markets rather than at malls, and the popularity this year of Christmas markets seems to echo this sentiment. Let’s buy local, guys!

According to organisers, each year information is sent to more than one thousand crafters throughout the Western Cape. A selection process then takes place and two hundred of the “Cape’s Finest Crafters” are selected to take part in the Edgemead Christmas Market.

You will find everything here that your heart desires from delicious foodstuffs, jewellery, handcrafted leather and wrought iron, to glassware, mosaics, teddy bears and lots more! This market only happens once a year – don’t miss it!

Credit and debit card facilities are available at all pay points.

Edgemead Christmas Market – Event Details:

When: Friday 9th – Thursday 22nd Dec 2011. Open every day 10am – 8pm, including Sundays.
Where: Community Hall in Edgemead Drive, off Bosmansdam Road, Edgemead (GPS Coordinates: 33°52’48″ S, 18°32’32″ E). Directions here.
Cost of entry: free
Contact details: Janet Hammer (Admin Manager) / edgemeadmarket@gmail.com /084 882 7546

The Gaia Market is a speciality food market, dedicated to authentic plant-based cuisine.  Here, you’ll find a fantastic array of raw foods, vegetarian specialties, organic fresh produce and a relaxed, laid back atmosphere.  The food is quite something – everything from raw pizzas (amazing!) to nut cheeses, to cut flowers and more varieties of sprouts than you could hope to grow yourself at any one time.

This Friday, the Gaia Market launches their Summer Night Markets, on every Friday evening from 5pm to 9pm for the summer season.  The format will be similar to the existing Sunday morning markets, but instead of being indoors, will be held outside in the courtyard of the Alphen Centre.

I absolutely love night markets, and Constantia can be so balmy – so I think this will make a wonderful Friday evening option!

When:  Friday 02 December 2011 (5pm-9pm)
Where:  Alphen Centre, Constantia Main Road (opposite Constantia Village)
Cost: Entry is free.

This Saturday sees the launch of a new handmade goods market for Cape Town – The Fringe Handmade Market.

Hosted by The Fringe, Cape Town’s “Design and Innovation District“ (Harrington Square), the new monthly market will feature around 200 stands showcasing the “rich design and innovation talents of the city”.

Visitors can expect a creative vibe while shopping for locally-made festive season gifts, from unusual stocking fillers to collector’s pieces that will last a lifetime. The original, hand-made products on offer include craft, pottery, fashion, jewellery, décor, accessories and more.

The Fringe Handmade market will be a friendly affair and welcomes kids and pets. The market will feature a kids’ zone, where youngsters will be able to enjoy story-telling workshops and arts and craft sessions while parents shop.

It sounds quite promising – we do have a wealth of creative talent in our beautiful city, and as long as the market organisers choose the stallholders with care, this could make for an awesome monthly shopping experience.  I’ve never visited The Fringe District – and I’m quite keen to see what’s in store.

Definitely one to add to our 2011 Christmas Market Guide.

For up to date information, see www.facebook.com/FringeDistrict, follow @fringedistrict on Twitter.

Fringe Handmade Market – Event Details

Location: The Fringe – Cape Town’s Design and Innovation District
Harrington Square (Corner of Harrington and Caledon Streets).  (parking off Canterbury Street or Grand Parade)
Dates & Times:  Launch Saturday 3 December 2011 – 10am to 6pm  (thereafter, first Saturday of the month)
Website: www.thefringe.org.za

Apart from all the regular exhibitors there will be many additional food, craft and gift stalls.

The annual steak dinner will again be held at the night market and tickets are already for sale at: 082 301 8561. Tickets are only available in advance. The cost per steak dinner will be the same as previous years (R125 per person). This includes a 300g rump steak, sauce, chips, two salads and a bottle of Eagles’ Cliff wine.

There are also a couple of special add ons to the market this year:

• Trevor Daly will do an outdoor movie screening free of charge, bring your own picnic blanket or camping chair. Only food and drinks bought at the market will be allowed.
• The South Roots group will be performing their dance routines, this show will also be free of charge. South Roots is an upliftment project – donations will be welcome.

Visit the website for more information, or contact Tharina via email – tharina@realevents.co.za

For more festive season market info, visit our Guide to Cape Town’s Christmas Markets for 2011.