After being postponed for four years due to Covid-19, the much loved Cape Town Festival of Beer (CTFB) is back.
Started a decade ago, the event features more than 200 beers from many nations, including several brews made by microbrewers, many of them from Cape Town. In addition to providing a venue for local artists to display their skills, the festival allowed small food entrepreneurs to sell their goods.
Jason Slinger, organiser of the CTFB, said the event this year will start slightly differently from the traditional festival, as it will include horse racing when it kicks off on October 29 in Durbanville.
He said with the upcoming event, which is called The Durbanville FestiVille, they have partnered with Cape Racing to give a unique experience to the festival.
The festival goers will watch horse racing while enjoying ice-cold international and local beer, premium red, white, and sparkling wines, and performances from local music legend Kurt Darren.
“We’re making sure there’s something for everyone, with cider from Hunters and Savannah, wine from Durbanville Hills, sparkling wine from Pongracz, and spirits from Klipdrift Brandy, Cruz Vodka, and Bain’s Whisky. Doors open at 11 a.m, and it’s going to be a good time right out of the gates with exhilarating horse racing. Experience the thrill of feature races like the Cape Classic, with gourmet food trucks offering a mouth-watering selection of artisanal food to pair with your choice of beer. Live music begins after the races,” said Slinger.
He said Covid-19 was a devastating experience for the industry, as many microbreweries have never resurfaced since then, and many of their partners lost their businesses.
“We are excited about returning with fresh ideas. Covid has made us think of new ideas and do things differently; hence, with the start of our event, we have forged new partnerships to give people a unique experience such as horse racing.”
He said they are planning to fully return to the traditional beer festival early next year, only this time by showcasing as many craft beers as possible.
“We are looking at finding a much bigger venue where we can accommodate as many people. We have come to realise that the festival is not only for Capetonians but also for other people across the country who visit Cape Town,” said Slinger.
Thulani Msolo, who is a craft beer lover and was once a craft beer producer, said he is very excited for the return of the festival, as this means people like him can once again dream of being microbrewers.
“It’s the biggest event that can afford many small beer producers an opportunity to showcase their craft and, most importantly, to learn from other microbreweries as to how they run their businesses,” said Msolo.