A Guide to the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees

October is springtime in the Boland. After a grey, miserable, wet winter, there is nothing more mood uplifting than spending a day or two in Stellenbosch. The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees takes place this year from 28 September to 6 October. Irrespective of whether your Afrikaans is fluent, a little rickety, mostly made up of “Ja-nee” and “lekker” or completely non-existent, you will find a myriad things to do, see and experience at the Woordfees.

You don’t need a phrase book or an interpreter. Just come along and join in a celebration of art, performance, music, food and enjoy a day or more of old-fashioned hospitality and “geselligheid” (sociability – but much more fun) 

Reasons to visit the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees this Spring

Visual Art at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees

Art doesn’t require words.  You won’t need a word of Afrikaans to visit the many galleries and exhibitions that are open to the public during the festival – all of them free. 

Classical Music Programme

World class musicians, singers and conductors bring the drama, sensitivity and timeless passion of classical music to the Woordfees. Come and listen to favourites such as Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Grieg, Ravel, Brahms, Gershwin, Piazzola, Vivaldi, Huyssen, Chopin, Haydn, Handel and so many more and take a chance on something that you have not heard before.  There are over 35 classical music productions, most of which are performed in the acoustically exceptional Standard Bank Endler concert venue and Fismer Hall.

If you have never experienced a Charl du Plessis concert – an exceptional musical gift awaits you.  If you have – you probably already have your tickets. Along with Werner Spies (bass) and Peter Auret (drums) the Charles du Plessis Trio’s Rhapsody in Blue promises to be a premier Woordfees event and tickets sell out really fast. Expect to add Charl du Plessis and Gershwin to your Spotify playlist in a “japtrap” (really fast ).

Bejazzle is piano virtuoso Nina Schumann’s dip into the waters of jazz and shows that classical music and jazz make excellent bedfellows. The excitement of Klavier-extravaganza (Piano Extravaganza) features 10 pianos, 20 pianists and 200 fingers, will turn the Standard Bank Endler Hall into a playground of virtuosity, melody and a whole lot of fun.

Your ticket to Sonic Place 20:24 buys you a place at two short concerts of 24 minutes each held at the homes of Stellenbosch residents, a glass of wine and a very short walk between venues.  Jazz, classical, free improvisation and acoustic experimentation are all to be found in these six performances and you will have the opportunity to talk to some of the musicians.

The string is the thing. Several presentations on the Woordfees Classical Music programme revere the beauty of string instruments like Strings Attached, Stryk-en klarinet palet (Strings and Clarinet) and The Wits Trio. 

Choral music has a considerable following in South Africa and there are no fewer than six presentations on the Classical Music programme that feature the following choirs: The Stellenbosch University Choir , Voces Cordis , The Cape Choral Academy, The Cape Town Chamber Choir, Schola Cantorum in Die Schöpfung (The Creation) and The Cape Town Opera Chorus in Horizons.

EasyEquities Writers’ Festival

For those who have some Afrikaans there are a variety of talks about books that cover everything from politics to travel, from memoire to fiction, from poetry to autobiography and a few more things in-between that are conducted in both English and Afrikaans.  

For English-speakers there are 7 discussions that will take place entirely in English: 

  • South Africa’s Soul in the Time of Super Cadres:  Waldimer Pelser talks to authors Pieter du Toit and Oyama Mabandla (political non-fiction).
  • A Tale of Two Cities: Anna Stroud and Nick Clelland talk to Jaco Adriaanse (fiction).
  • God’s Pocket: Sven Axelrad talks about his book, God’s Pocket (magical realism).
  • Queer and Quotable: with Alastair Mackay and Siya Khumalo
  • Bullsh!t: 50 Fibs that made SA: Jonathan Ancer’s book has a dazzling array of lies, myths, untruths and made up stories that tell the story of our country’s history.  (non-fiction).
  • How to (Un)F*ck a Country:  How do we get our country out of the mess post State Capture? Dr Roy Havemann has a six-point plan (politics).
  • Ryan Sandes: Run. Risk. Reward: Legendary South African ultra-trail runner Ryan Sandes talks about his breathtaking adventures.

Laugh out Loud:  Stand-Up at the Woordfees

Three of South Africa’s top comedians bring two shows to the Woordfees that crisscross many cultures (and a few of our 11 official languages) to bring you humour that is ultimately proudly South African.   

Nik Rabinowitz brings his inimitable sense of humour and hilarious observations about South Africans and the world to the Woordfees – in English.
Alfred Adriaan and Marc Lottering team up for two hours of hilarity, madness and a fair bit of nonsense. Mostly in English but with some Afrikaans. 

Things to ponder:  The Woordfees Discussion Programme

The popular and though provoking Discussion programme tackles issues that affect all South Africans. Whether you want to know more about politics, science, finance and investing, theatre makers, or what concerns students right now, there is a probing discussion with experts that you can attend. Some are solely in Afrikaans, but many are bilingual and for those with limited Afrikaans there are several discussions conducted in English and most of it is free.

Toyota Music Festival

The Toyota Music Festival brings the best of contemporary South African music to Stellenbosch. You will need more than one night, book a few days.

Five open-air concerts are set to rock Stellenbosch during the festival.  Take a chance and experience the “gees”* (rollicking spirit) provided by Ricus Nel, Neon Dreams, Blackbyrd & Elandre, Matthew Mole and Emo Adams and Dr. Victor and the Rasta Rebels. Call some friends, throw on comfortable clothes, pack a blanket and forget about all your cares. Food and beverages will be available at stalls in the grounds.

Stellenbosch – hold onto your hats.  Mandisi Dyantyis is in the house!  No-one should the miss the opportunity to experience this outstanding South African musician in performance. Also, don’t miss performances by Ramon Alexander, Schalk Joubert, Alwyn Dyers, Melisize Plaatjie and many more. 

And if you are staying late, wander over to Petites Bulles, the gorgeous champagne and music bar, for late night jazzy vibes where great South African talent, both new and legendary, can be experienced for free. 

The play is the thing

Theatre at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees is always a highlight. Don’t miss the internationally awarded South African production of Othello, Isidlamlilo/The fire Eater with Mpume Mthombeni, Why do moths fly like crazy kcufs in the night? with Sue Pam-Grant, The Return of Elvis du Pisanie with Ashley Dowds and the charming The King of Broken Things. 

Where to find the programme

Be sure to grab a copy of the festival guide, absolutely free at most Exclusive Book Stores, so that you can plan your visit. The full festival programme is also available as a downloadable pdf – in both English and Afrikaans – on woordfees.co.za.