George (21 July 2015) – After serious consideration the date of the Wilderness Cheese & Wine Festival was moved from 11 – 13 September to 13 – 15 May 2016.
“It was not an easy decision,” said Lynette Whittaker of Omni Marketing.
The Vodacom George Cheese Festival has been a highlight on the George annual calendar for the past 12 years. The festival previously was organised by Outeniqua Primary School as a fundraising event until 2014 where-after they decided not to continue with the event.
New organisers Omni Marketing enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to build on the successes of the George Cheese Festival, which attracted 7000 visitors and 85 stalls last year.
“We are planning a festival of outstanding quality that will take the tradition of the Cheese & Wine Festival to new heights,” said Whittaker.
“The Wilderness Cheese & Wine Festival will focus on cheese and wine products. Several well-known chefs have already indicated their willingness to bring their food expertise to the festival to ensure a culinary experience second to none.”
“We would like to realize the expectations of regular visitors to the George Cheese Festival. We also do not want to undo the hard work of Outeniqua Primary volunteers who contributed to the original festival’s success, but rather build on it.”
Instead of presenting the Wilderness Cheese Festival at an inopportune moment and thereby demolishing the excellent image it has gained over more than a decade, it was decided to rather postpone it.
“We decided to turn the Wilderness Cheese & Wine Festival into an Autumn festival where visitors from all over the country can replenish their cheese and wine stocks before the onset of winter.”
The picturesque village of Wilderness on the N2 provides an excellent alternative venue. The Wilderness Hotel will house the main venue and food stalls, while the garden and lawns surrounding the sparkling pool will provide a superb background for activities. More stalls will spill over onto the commons, where ample parking is available. Wilderness residents and local businesses have already indicated that they are keen to participate in the Festival in order to make it a truly memorable community project.
“We are looking forward to welcome visitors to the Wilderness Cheese & Wine Festival on 13 May 2016. We are set to create a new sustainable tradition.”
