Stellenbosch – The summer season of popular Stellenbosch Street Soirees is drawing to an end, with just three more left on the calendar.
For these events Drostdy Street is closed off to traffic, filled with hay bales, food vendors and representatives from surrounding wine farms.
Visitors can sip and savour the spirit of Stellenbosch from 6pm till 8pm while enjoying live entertainment. When we visited last week this was provided by the cast members of AmaZink, from South Africa’s first township dinner theatre in nearby Kayamandi.
Earlier that day we had done a walking tour of the township, which concluded at AmaZink (more about that in another Fun Finder) which apparently began as an unlicensed tavern which was nearly demolished before it was developed into a venue with a weekly musical production, performed by artists who live in Kayamandi.
“The entire AmaZink Live cast is assembled from Kayamandi residents with no previous performing experience. We then audition, train, workshop and sculpt these amateurs into solid gold stars before venturing on to the theatre stage,” said performer and theatre director Ramaine Barreiro-Lloyd.
They certainly added a sparkle to the evening, singing a selection of South African classics.
The soirees are well attended and I advise you to get there early, pay your R50, get your glass and start tasting. Each event features a different selection of cellars and eateries.
The action is not only in Drostdy Street itself; the whole town comes on board with many surrounding shops staying open late, as well as restaurants, bars, wine tasting rooms, and coffee shops. It’s a wonderful, relaxed, cosmopolitan atmosphere which encourages you to stroll around and enjoy what Stellenbosch has to offer. Once the soiree wraps up, restaurants are inundated, so it’s a good idea to make a booking somewhere.
Weekend Argus
Stellenbosch Street Soirees take place on Wednesday, and March 11 and 25, weather permitting. For more information call 021 886 4310, visit www.wineroute.co.za follow Stellenbosch Wine Routes on Twitter @StellWineRoute, or like them on Facebook at STBStreetSoirees.