Delicious delights at this year's Oyster, Wine & Food Festival

Crowned as Gauteng’s largest oyster festival, this event promises to deliver foodies with a variety of succulent oysters from the West Coast, and the Eastern Cape supplied by the Knysna Oyster Company – the oldest oyster farm in South Africa established in 1949.

The festival will feature other culinary delights, which include braaied prawns and 50+ gourmet outlets. The event will be joined by 40 wine estates, six international wine brands, six Méthode Cap Classique producers, craft beer breweries, and gin and brandy societies. Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to taste and savour all vendors’ offerings before they buy wine and gourmet food to take home. For those that want to take advantage of the cellar door wine prices, the festival will be supplying a Wine Wagon Service from the Wine Circle to your car.

Oysters, which range from medium to large and extra-large, will be served from five outlets, which will facilitate easier redeeming of vouchers for two free oysters (included in the purchase price of each ticket). Fresh oysters, along with grilled prawns will be available for festivalgoers, with oysters being sold at R 20 (medium) and R 35 (extra-large). Festival specials, when redeeming your ticket, include six medium oysters for only R80.

Hub for food and wine enthusiasts

“This is the third Oyster, Wine & Food Festival that we’re delighted to be hosting at Montecasino. It’s a real win for us as we’ve developed a healthy reputation as a hub for food and drink enthusiasts in Gauteng. This festival brings with it the flavour of the ocean to our doorstep, adding exciting tastes and experiences to our offering. We look forward to welcoming patrons to the festival, which promises to be the perfect way to herald in the new Spring season. We’ve no doubt that once again, the Oyster, Wine & Food Festival at Montecasino will be a thoroughly enjoyable success for everyone,” says Mike Page, operations director and general manager of Montecasino.

“This year we are proud to be associated with the Smile Foundation. A non-governmental South African organisation dedicated to transforming the lives of children living with facial conditions in South Africa. A platform will be created for the organisation, at the festival, for the purpose of creating awareness for this worthwhile organisation and raising funds. A portion of the ticket sales will also be donated to this worthwhile charity who together with our country’s top Academic Hospitals help children in need of surgery for treatable facial anomalies such as cleft lip, cleft palate, nose and ear conditions, facial paralysis (Moebius Syndrome), burn wounds and craniofacial abnormalities,” says Judith Lee, organiser of the Oyster Wine and Food Festival, “

This year, the organisers are adding a Wine Theatre to the festival – this is an opportunity for festivalgoers to learn and understand more about wine and the wine industry. The presentations will be entertaining and informative. Wine makers and wine enthusiasts will share their vision of wine and talk about the history and economy of the wine industry and ongoing information on the different wine estates that are represented at the event, as well as how to taste and judge wine. The sessions are free but limited to 40 seats per session.

Festival entertainment for all

Johannesburg’s multi award-winning Hot 91.9 is partnering with for the Oyster Wine & Food Festival.

“Our association with the Oyster Wine & Food Festival is a natural fit and further underscores Hot 91.9’s ongoing commitment to the broader Johannesburg community,” said Lloyd Madurai, managing director.

New to the festival this year is the Pop-Up Club VIP Lounge – entrance to the festival is via a celebrity, VIP and media fast track portal. The Pop-Up Club VIP Lounge hospitality package includes six oysters with a glass of bubbly, gourmet vouchers redeemable at the wine and food vendors and a bottle of wine to take home. This package is available online and is priced at R495 per person or R450 per person for a group booking of 10 persons and over.

Whether you have a passion for these delectable bivalves of the sea or you wish to taste diverse and interesting wines, sip some bubbly, enjoy a craft beer, or just laze around and catch some fine tunes, be assured there is bound to be something for you.

Tickets are available at the door - entrance Fee R135 per person which includes two oysters and a wine tasting glass. Tickets are also available online through TicketPro at R120 per person. Children 14-18 years R90 per person - entrance only. Children 13 years and younger enter for free. All under 18-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. Covered pay-on-entry parking available at R10 per car.

For more details follow the Oyster, Wine & Food Festival on Facebook or check out the website for lineup updates.

Alcohol not for sale to persons under the age of 18 years.