Karoo town reawakens to music, street theatre and more

Cradock will be vibing to the groove of Joe van der Linden’s bass guitar at its moonlight market on Friday night at the Karoo Food Festival.

The Gqeberha musician in the battered bowler hat will be playing a mixture of old and new and a line from his 2020 single, Lockdown Grief, is likely to resonate.

Though the song says “goodbye” to those who lost their lives to Covid-19, it echoes an optimistic note with the line: “I hope we get to see each other again.”

And that is just what the festival aims to do — get  people who love country hospitality to see each other again after the pandemic forced the festival to skip a year in 2020.  

The Karoo Food Festival is back as part of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency’s province-wide initiative to revive tourism.

In addition to good food and wine, the celebrations include a moonlight carnival-type event on Market Street which will be partially closed for the festivities.

Street theatre by Makhanda-based performer Richard Antrobus is likely to be another highlight.

Antrobus, the artistic director of OddBody Theatre Company, is a regular attraction at the National Arts Festival for his physical theatre and mime.

For the Cradock festival, he will be clowning around on stilts with another giant figure, the Caltex rabbit.

On Saturday morning, the New Life Band will entertain visitors at the Farmers Market along with DJ Chris Verheul.

The market will have about 60 stalls on the sports grounds — a hub for food stalls from a variety of community chefs, action adventure outings and workshops.

The Kids’ Corner has a range of activities including icing cupcakes, face painting, boeresport and a jumping castle.

Interactive displays will focus on recycling and young entrepreneurs.

An array of products from Karoo crafters, makers and bakers will offer shoppers plenty of choice.

Karoo Food Festival visitors will be treated to tastings of spirits and wines as well as food.

Delaas meat products will present traditional favourites such as skaapstertjies (sheep tails) and liver in netvet (caul fat), as well as more regular meat straight off the spit.

On Saturday night, five Cradock restaurants will present special festival menus and, on Sunday, the programme moves to Jenkins Creek farm venue for a relaxed wind-down with food, wine, music and a mini market.

For more information, visit the Karoo Food Festival Facebook page or e-mail: karoofoodfestival@gmail.com.

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