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Hermanus has always been known as the Whale Centre of the World but this year it was also the host of the 10-day long Hermanus FynArts Festival from the 7 – 15 June. This festival boasted a mass of visual arts and crafts, a vast array of live musical performances, food and wine events and much more. All of this made for an unforgettable event for this small fisherman's town.
During this time, different genres of entertainment are offered on the weekends whilst courses and workshops are available during the week. These courses run throughout the day and cover topics such as photography, fine arts, literature, cooking and basic music study. To make this event even more unique, famous artists exhibit their unique and inspiring collections along the Old Harbour park and in front of the Marine Hotel. As well as these art works and pieces, photographic exhibitions, paintings and designs are on show at Sumaridge Wine Estate and several exhibitions surrounding photography, jewellery, ceramics etc. are usually on display around the Hermanus area. Artists in previous years included Tania Babb, Clementina van der Walt and Hennie Meyer.
Along with the static exhibitions, old South African and Hollywood films are screened in the Romantiques shop, whilst galleries and several wine farms along the Hemel en Aarde Wine Route (such as Hamilton Russell, Creation, La Vierge and Ataraxia) host art exhibitions and other special events such as painting classes. The musical section of the festival usually takes place in the Anglican Church on a daily basis, whilst tea parties, wine and food tastings and virtual tours are on offer to anyone passing by. For the more outdoorsy tourist, there are guided tours of our Fernkloof Nature Reserve and Cliff Path tours.
As the festival falls over the public holiday of Youth Day, the Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra takes it upon themselves to perform for the masses in remembrance of this day. There are also opera recitals and other musical genres to be found throughout the town. For the sake of the drinking public, bus routes are always set up on a “drop off and go” basis throughout town, making this festival that much more enjoyable and safe.
