SPRING ON 'THE MOUNTAIN' .... A Celebration in Full Bloom

Every year, around the end of September, something quietly miraculous happens in Magoebaskloof and the small town of Haenertsburg.  The air shifts and the sun lingers a little longer. And then, almost overnight, the hillsides, gardens and village verges erupt into colour. Cherry blossoms blush, crab-apples burst into bloom and azaleas unfurl in every shade of pink, red, white and purple. It’s spring… and up here, we celebrate it properly.  

Throughout September and early October, Cheerio Gardens is blooming lovely with its winding paths and vibrant borders. Savour the spring display reflected in the scenic dam with a light meal at Cheerio Café. Or head to Kuhestan Garden, where terraced walkways overlook the forest edge and fragrant herbs dance in the breeze. For something truly timeless, make your way down ‘The Mountain’ and up again to Kings Walden Garden Manor in Agatha, a place where old-world charm meets magnificent views and the garden seems to spill straight into the sky.

To kick off Spring, The Magoebaskloof Hotel, under dynamic new management, will be hosting a Spring Weekend Extravaganza from 29 August.  You can expect an Artisan market, family-friendly entertainment and a Saturday night Spring dance.  The Pot ‘n Plow will celebrate with live music from Jahworx on 31 August, followed by the incredible Bacchus Nel on 7 September. Along with delicious food and cold beer, they also have a killer lineup of local Musos each Spring Sunday.  There will be a festive vibe at Zwakala Brewery too. 

On the weekend of 27 and 28 September you can enjoy all sorts of celebrations in the area.  There’s the Haenertsburg Spring Festival with stalls in the streets, live music and a feel-good atmosphere centred around the Pennefather Complex and Inni-Berg Coffee Shop. If you enjoyed the Christmas or Winter Festivals organised by the Haenertsburg Happenings team , then you will know you’re in for a good time for the whole family. 

Just down the main road on the Village Green, the beloved Haenertsburg Howzit Market will be in full swing that weekend too, offering everything homegrown and handmade. This is where the spirit of the mountain really shines: warm, generous, and joyfully eccentric.  You can lose track of time, meet a stranger who feels like a friend and leave with a basket full of local goodness.  Or keep the festive feeling going at the Iron Crown Pub where they will have a beer tent and live music too.

But Haenertsburg is not the only place to celebrate - the Spring Festival at Blueberry Heights offers a weekend of mountain magic on 27 and 28 September.  Think live music, great food, colourful cocktails, craft beer or trail-runs through the blooms and along Stanford Lake.  So grab your friends and make a booking for Spring celebrations that will shake off the winter blues and shift you into the season of colour, creativity and throwing caution to the wind!