Events Calendar

Nine years ago, Woodland School in Magaliesberg approached Cellar Rats Wine Tasting Club to assist them with an annual fund raising event, and the Cellar Rats Spring Wine Festival was born. Last year whilst tasting some wonderful fortified wines, we realized that there is no festival in Joburg to showcase these great wines produced in South Africa, so we decided to produce a Port and Sherry festival.

Now in its 2nd year, the Cellar Rats Port & Sherry Festival, promotes an ethos of "good living".

We are very happy to announce that Radio Today have come on board as our Radio Partner for this show.

This family festival will once again be held at the historic “Old Mill", on the banks of the picturesque Magalies River, approx. 35 minutes from Jhb's Northern Suburbs. The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial, and several bonfires will be provided around the venue for warming you up once the sun starts setting and for toasting marshmallows.

Our emphasis is on tasting South Africa's best fortified wines in a great outdoor setting. To this end, more than 40 wine producers will present in excess of 100 wines for your enjoyment. Some wines that will be on show are: Aliança Vinhos de Portugal; Alvi's Drift; Axehill; Caves Messias; Deetleffs; Gerardo Cesari Fine Wines of Verona; Ira wines; Kaapzicht; Muratie; My Wyn; Nixan Wines; Ntinga wines; Opstal; Savignac De Versailles Potstill Brandy; Sogrape Vinhos; Stellenbosch Hills; Uplands; Wilderer Grappas; Willow Drift Olives, and many more.

Saturday 29th May 2010 - Gates open at 13h00. The festival runs from 13h00 to 16h00.
Relax and taste these great Fortified wines, while your kids have fun in the great outdoors! Jumping Castles & Supervised Entertainment for children will be available.

Gluhwein competition
A feature at the Cellar Rats Port & Sherry Festival is the Kaapzicht South African National Glühwein Making competition. All participants will be given the same base red wine provided by Kaapzicht Wine Estate, however, they will all be required to provide their own secret Gluhwein ingredients (no ready-made sachets are permitted). The finished product will be tasted blind by a panel of judges, and the public is also allowed to try the various Gluhweins.
Cellar Rats will declare the “Kaapzicht 2010 South African National Glühwein Making Champion” who will be presented with a trophy to commemorate the victory.

Interested parties need to pre-register with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Children’s activities
Jumping castle and supervised entertainment for children arranged by Happy Acres, including a snake display; sport activities; crab catching; animal & plant displays and much more.

Other
A big screen will be provided for the Super 14 final match should it be scheduled for this afternoon.

Designated Drivers
At our inaugural festival in 2001, Cellar Rats Wine Club introduced the policy that Designated Drivers get in free. To our knowledge we are still the only wine festival who offers this to our patrons.

Accommodation Special Offer:
Should festival goers wish to stay in Magaliesburg on the Friday and / or Saturday evenings, The Valley Lodge, which is conveniently situated very close to the festival and who supports our "don't drink and drive" initiative has offered a 50% discount on accommodation for the duration of the weekend for those going to the Wine Festival. For further information contact reservations on 014 577 1301 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Meal Information
Food and Refreshments will be available at the venue.
Delicious hot foods (curry and rice, meat & vegetarian soups, etc) are sold to raise funds for the Woodland school.

Price Information
Adult Taster : R88.00 (includes complimentary tasting glass) / R100 at the entrance
Children’s Activities: R14.50 (Children under 12 - unlimited access to Jumping castles and other supervised entertainment)

ALL tickets available through COMPUTICKET – book online at www.computicket.com / call centre 083 915 8000

Directions & more information: www.winefestival.co.za / 082 8800 184 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Disabled facilities
There is a drop off facility for Disabled or elderly at main entrance by prior arrangement with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please Note
In support of the school fundraising, no cooler boxes, picnic baskets or braais will be allowed in - Refreshments & food will be on sale. Blankets & chairs & sun umbrellas are allowed.

Woodland School
Woodland school is a non-subsidised, Non-profit rural school in Magaliesberg. This community run school was established in 1999 and has delivered excellent education to the children in Magaliesberg, Tarlton and Hekpoort area since its inception. Woodland has received a number of awards for cultural subjects like music art and dance. Their results for the 2005 conquest nationwide academic Olympiads placed the school in the top 20 schools for 6 of their subjects. This is an annual assessment for 750 of South Africa’s top schools.

Woodland school has a total of 115 students from grade 00 to grade 7. The school has a bursary system and at the moment there are 5 children on a full bursary and 6 on a partial bursary.

The purpose of this fundraiser is to support the development of the school. In the past proceeds from this fundraiser has enabled the school to:

• build and furnish new classrooms
• In 2002 and 2003 they built and equipped a computer centre
• Another major drive was the library, which has been constantly stocked with books over the last four years
• They have also bought very good textbooks and readers for the children at the school

All of these projects would have been impossible to tackle with out fundraising money. The results of this fundraiser has had a major effect on the over all educational experience for the children at Woodland school.

Woodland school also has a very strong environmental awareness program, as their location in the beautiful Magaliesberg surroundings lends itself to an appreciation for environmental issues.

Directions:
GPS Coordinates: S26° 00.485’ , E27° 33.913’

From Johannesburg Northern Suburbs
1. Take Beyers Naude (ex-DF Malan) north past Honeydew.
2. Take the N14 highway (extension of R28), towards Krugersdorp
3. At traffic lights turn RIGHT to stay on the N14.
4. Follow N14 for 10km until T-junction (opp. Oak Tree Garage).
5. Turn RIGHT. At Fork in road keep right, following the Hekpoort Road and Maropeng signs.
6. Continue up steep hill, and then turn left towards MAROPENG CRADLE OF HUMAN KIND.
7. Continue on this road, passing Maropeng on RHS. At stop street turn right onto R24.
8. Pass Corriloch Fish Farm on left hand side.
9. Look for “PARKING” signs on right hand side of road as you go through sharp bend (opposite Happy Acres).
10. Turn right into PARKING. Park and follow directions to CELLAR RATS WINE FESTIVAL

From Pretoria

1. Take N14 towards Krugersdorp. Follow from Step 3 above.