This annual Karoo festival celebrates the harvest of olives  ...  and has become a regular feature which attracts visitors from far and wide! 

Here you can discover the secrets of the Karoo when Prince Alberters open up their town for visitors to experience the Karoo first hand.

In 2008 the festival showcased some of Prince Albert's treasures, including the people, the homes in which they live and their gardens.

The Karoo nurtures a creative spirit and this is reflected in the homes in Prince Albert. Some opened for viewing had special architectural features peculiar to the Karoo . Some were elegant Victorian ladies, others are just plain funky.

Gardens too, were selected for their special features. Many of the gardens are waterwise with owners using unusual and clever designs, incorporating indigenous plantings and hard landscaping to cope with the hot dry conditions of our long summers. We boast beautiful Victorian gardens, too with white roses and highly scented lavenders and herbs that somehow seem to thrive in the heat. These old fashioned gardens often have elderly quince and pomegranate trees that could share a story or two.

A town meander took in the arts, crafts, unusual shops and amazing collections not normally open to the public.  One such collection was that of dolls from all over the world, some older than a lot of us.  The mapped route was followed at leisure on foot, by bike or car, depending on the participants' level of fitness. 

On Saturday a Karoo-style street parade took place, Cape Minstrels, our drum majorettes and young chess players joined the procession.

Antoinette Pienaar told Karoo stories and our own Story Weaver took crowds on the Ghost Walk, late at night. Brian Finch entertained at a late night venue and we held a film festival.

An Olive Spitting Competition, photographic competitions and Miss and Master Olive Festival for the littlies, added to the fun. There was a Fun Run,  visits to fruit and olive farms and vineyards, a tractor-drawn trailer took visitors across the Karoo and Astrotours offered stargazing on Gordon's Koppie.

There were historical tours, archeological and botanical walks and discussions with resident experts in their fields.

As usual, Karoo food was a major feature of the festival, giving people a chance to try Karoo lamb and ostrich, organically-grown fresh produce, prize-winning cheeses, and of course olives and olive oil and wines from the area.

Food stalls, coffee shops and restaurants offered everything from fine cuisine to local specialties such as vetkoek and roosterkoek.   Which, for the brave of heart, was washed down by the locally produced witzblitz.

2009 promises to be just as much fun!

click here for the Prince Albert Town & Olive Festival 2008 programme

For enquiries about the festival & accommodation,

 e-mail: princealberttourism@intekom.co.za