Showcasing all aspects of art including visual, literary, music, film, culinary, lifestyle and performing arts, the Toyota SU Woordfees 2023 is back bigger, bolder and brighter than ever. The jam-packed ‘effervescent’ programme which is themed around the concept of “Bubble”, is spread over nine days (7–15 October), compared to the seven in 2022.

Here are some of the highlights:
  • Writer’s Festival - Woordfees began as a book festival and the Writers’ Festival still lies at the heart of the programme. Visitors can choose from 54 book discussions in which more than 90 well-known writers and others will participate.
  • Theatre - more than 37 productions, of which 13 debut at the festival.
  • Fringe / Children’s Festival - 13 plays, four of which are debuts, on the Fringe and another four on the DANS programme. This is an opportunity for young artists to experiment and for festivalgoers to discover exciting, emerging talent. The Children's Festival line-up has eight shows that promise great, educational entertainment and fun for younger visitors and their parents.
  • Classical Music - a wide and rich variety of styles and works are showcased in the 23 concerts.
  • Toyota Musical Festival - from stadium productions to small intimate performances, from picnic concerts at Van der Stel Sports Grounds to cabaret and gigs with jazz, rock, rumba, hip-hop and pop, the 46 items on the contemporary music programme has something for everyone.
  • Lifestyle - more than 50 events to explore, taste, sip, learn and experience.
  • Visual arts.
Tickets for the approximately 640 unique productions in 50 venues in and around Stellenbosch, are on sale now from Quicket. The good news is that the organisers have done everything in their power to lessen the burden on cash-strapped patrons by offering as many of the presentations as possible, free of charge. Most of the exhibitions on the Visual Arts programme for example are free – only the shuttle for the Artists’ Studio visits requires a small fee.

Courtesy of headline sponsor Toyota, shuttle ticket prices have been kept to a minimum and it saves you the headache of trying to find a parking space: R15 per ride; R50 for a day ticket and R150 for a ticket for the entire week of the festival. (Shuttles run from the festival centre and the parking areas at Stellenbosch High School and Koch Street between all venues where festival events are scheduled.)

The full programme is now available for download at https://woordfees.co.za/en/. A free printed festival guide (Afrikaans only) is available now from the Woordfees offices in Erfurthuis - 37 Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch.