Knysna Oyster Festival
Knysna Oyster Festival takes place Expected late Jun - early Jul 2027 (ten days; 2026 edition ran Jul 3 - 12) in Knysna, South Africa. The dress code is Casual and warm for the South African winter; sporty kit if entering the marathon or cycle events. Free to attend; budget up to 60 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
A ten-day winter festival on South Africa's Garden Route pairing fresh Knysna oysters with a packed sporting program - the Forest Marathon and Knysna Cycle Tour - plus lagoon-side feasting and food markets. A beloved family tradition timed to the winter school holidays, it fills the lagoon town with runners, riders and oyster lovers alike.
- When
- Expected late Jun - early Jul 2027 (ten days; 2026 edition ran Jul 3 - 12)
- Where
- Knysna, South Africa
- Dress code
- Casual and warm for the South African winter; sporty kit if entering the marathon or cycle events
- Cost
- Free to attend; budget up to 60 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
- Weather
- 8 - 19C, mild days, cool evenings, occasional winter rain
- When to book
- Sporting entries (Forest Marathon, Cycle Tour) open months ahead and fill; book Knysna lodging early for the school-holiday window
- Getting there
- GRJ (George), 1 hr drive to Knysna
- Where to stay
- The Turbine Boutique Hotel & Spa, Kanonkop House, The Rex Hotel
- Official site
- https://www.knysnaoysterfestival.co.za/
How to attend
Most events are free or low-cost; book sporting entries and oyster experiences via knysnaoysterfestival.co.za, and reserve restaurant tables for the big weekends. Reach Knysna by road from George airport (about an hour) or as part of a Garden Route drive from Cape Town. Fully open to the public, but beds book out for the holiday period.
Most of the festival is free to attend, and the 2027 programme with its individual race entries and oyster experiences has not been published yet, so there is nothing to book.
Insider tip
Book an oyster-and-bubbly cruise on the lagoon early in your stay, then plan meals around the waterfront festival marquees - the wild-caught Knysna oysters are the ones to order over the cultivated.
Get inside Knysna Oyster Festival
Booking matters here: sporting entries (Forest Marathon, Cycle Tour) open months ahead and fill; book Knysna lodging early for the school-holiday window. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.