This year’s Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival – held from 28 June to 7 July 2013 – sounds positively insane. Not only will Knysna’s flagship festival be offering guests all new oyster-related entertainment, there will be a host of activities varied enough to please any group of family or friends. These include, amongst others, a bridge tournament, canoeing, bowls, dog agility champs, sand art, a skate park, a forest marathon, inflatable rides and kids’ cooking classes.

South African comedian Nik Rabinowitz will host the Tabasco-sponsored oyster shucking and eating competition on Thursday 4 July at the main festival grounds. R80 will get guests through the door, and the price includes a voucher for six oysters, a beer or glass of wine, and a soft drink. Get your tickets early to avoid missing out on the action, though we think it may be safer to maintain a little distance from the stage. 

Festival attendees can savour the versatility of this shellfish at the Pick n Pay Flavours of Knysna event, at which restaurants in the area will present their best oyster dishes – made using unique and innovative recipes – to the judges and public. Visitors are also invited to sample raw and cooked oysters at designated oyster hotspot restaurants throughout the festival.

Two varieties of oyster will be on offer: cultivated oysters, some of which are farmed in the Knysna estuary; and the wild, coastal variety that grows along the coast. The latter are large and fleshy, are best eaten raw with a bit of black pepper and lemon juice, according to festival manager Nicci Rousseau-Schmidt. Due to the immense demand during the festival, organisers might also import oysters from Saldanha Bay and Port Elizabeth.

Other food events include the cap classique and oyster tasting on Saturday 29 June; the night market on Monday 1 July and Tuesday 2 July; a food market and Oude Molen Brandy tasting and dinner at Cruise Cafe on Thursday 4 July; and the Glenfiddich food pairing evening and the Admiral's Ball on Friday 5 July.

Going with friends but not a huge fan of the shellfish themselves? Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty to keep you busy. The varied event schedule includes:

• The Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour.
• The Pick n Pay Cape Times Knysna Forest Marathon.
• The Pick n Pay Women’s Walk.
• SA Dog Agility Championships.
• A bridge tournament (in four sessions over the course of the festival).
• Township tours.
• A netball tournament.
• Rastafarian Earth Music Splash (we’re not sure what this is either).
• Canoe race incorporating Knysna Heads, Thesen Island and Waterfront.
• A bowls tournament.
• Cross country races.
• Kids’ pavement art competition.
• Inflatables to slide and ride, with team competitions, for kids.
• A skate and BMX park with half-pipe, boards and safety gear available.
• Children’s sand art competition.
• Children’s cooking class and craft activities.
• Navy displays, including Right of Entry Parade, precision drilling, the Knysna Sea Cadets, and a concert by the SA Navy Band at the close of the festival.

For more information and programme details, please visit www.pnpoysterfestival.co.za or contact Knysna Tourism at 044 382 5510. If you have a smart phone, find the festival app on Google Play or Apple iTunes, or scan the barcode on the festival website.

Looking for resturants in the area? Here's our list of where to eat in Knysna.