Each July, local and international oyster connoisseurs descend on the seaside town of Knysna to slurp down approximately 200 000 oysters, quaff Champagne and have a ball. Served raw with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a splash of vodka or spicy Tobasco, the mouth-watering molluscs, grown in Knysna’s own lagoon, are the festivals main attraction.
‘The Best 10 Days of Your Winter’
Promising 10 exhilarating days of food, entertainment, sea and sport, there is something for everyone at the Pick ‘n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival. Besides eating and drinking at one of the 29 participating venues around Knysna, there is the Oyster & Wine Mardi Gras, where a record number of over 15 500 oysters have been eaten within 3 hours. The Festival also caters to sports enthusiasts with a Cycle Expo and the Knysna Sports Fair.
After competing with your friends for who can eat the most oysters you may feel the urge to hit the road for a bit of exercise. Enter the Pick ‘n Pay Cape Times Kynsna Forest Marathon and join 500 fellow runners or even cycle the Pick ‘n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour – the biggest South African mountain bike event.
Find your Oyster Bed
Accommodation for the festival should be booked in advance as an estimated 58 000 people can be expected over the 10 day event. Knysna has a wide selection of B&B’s, hotels, backpacker’s and self-catering apartments for you to choose from, many of which have spectacular views and offer activities in the surrounds. Festival tour packages are also available. 
Get Out of Your Shell
Twice voted South Africa’s favourite town Knysna has much to offer. Expect lush forests, lazy seaside living, heritage sites such as the Knysna Museum, and a wide range of adventure activities like golfing, paragliding and mountain biking.
The Knysna Oyster Festival will take place from 3 – 12 July 2009.
Photographs are courtesy and copyright of Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival
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