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Head to the small Karoo town of Middelburg this July – more specifically to a farm just outside of town called Dwarsvlei. This working sheep farm, with its historical, century old buildings, will be hosting the fourth Karoo Winter Wool Festival on Friday and Saturday, the 4th and 5th of July 2025. Each year this niche festival attracts thousands of festival goers from across the country – all with an interest in wool, natural fibre and everything Karoo.
A celebration of wool in all its forms
Wool in all its forms, as well as the people and processes making up the entire wool value chain, will be on display. This includes the wool farmers, the animals producing this natural product, wool buyers, wool brokers, manufacturers, fashion designers, and the wool products available to the consumer. Festival goers will experience true Karoo sheep farming with live shearing, classing, spinning, weaving, and even sheepdog demonstrations throughout the two-day programme. All this will be presented alongside delicious Karoo food and drink.
The entrance fee for this year is only R50 per day. The festival’s Friday and Saturday programme will be taking place on Dwarsvlei farm located on the N9-highway between Middelburg and Graaff Reinet.
A collaboration between Lezanne Viviers and Hoven will bring Wool World to the festival – a carefully curated space showcasing wool and natural fibre designs and fashion. This is proudly paired with Babylonstoren wines. Entries for the Knitwear competition run by the Elizabeth Galloway Fashion Design School in collaboration with Vuya Knitwear will also be on view – with the winner announced during the showcase. This year, the festival will also host Crystal Birch who will celebrate the use of natural fibres used in modern day millinery. Come and trim a hat with Crystal while enjoying a ‘moerkoffie’.
The festival kicks off with an invitation-only Gala and Prize giving ceremony taking place at Rusoord Farm Venue on Thursday, the 3rd of July. This evening is once again proudly sponsored by OVK and celebrates all the role players in the wool industry. The winners of the Wool Bale competition, the Wool Art for Schools competition, and the Wool Innovation competition will be announced during the ceremony. The evening will end with a charity auction of the best school art entrants with proceeds going towards OVK’s Drought Fund.
Speakers and agricultural experts
Festival goers will have the opportunity to listen to speakers Dr Imtiaz Sooliman from Gift of the Givers, followed by Prof Waldo Krugell from the North West University, on the Saturday. Dr Sooliman has had a significant impact on South Africa and the world through his NGO and disaster relief group. Prof Krugell is a familiar voice on radio and the host of the popular The Economics Minute blog and podcast. Farmers in particular will have the opportunity to interact with agricultural experts during the ‘Boerepraatjies’ programme taking place on the Friday. These sessions, facilitated by the National Wool Growers Association, include well known economist Dr Wandile Sihlobo and renowned political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki, in the lineup of experts who will share insights on South Africa’s political and economic climate, its impact on the agricultural sector, and traceability in the wool and meat industry.
Displays and wool workshops
The festival offers the largest gathering of wool and natural fibre product manufacturers in the country, and festival goers will have two days to shop from 9am until 8pm. This year the festival has expanded the number of vendors on display – offering beautifully crafted items ranging from wool slippers to lanolin skin products. Alongside there will also be agricultural stalls, Merino studs, and other farm animals on display.
This year festival goers can select from an offering of nine different wool workshops proudly sponsored by South African Mohair Industries Limited (SAMIL). These workshops cater for small groups providing an opportunity to learn various skills in crafting and creating with wool and natural fibre. Workshops include weaving, textile painting, knitting, natural dyeing, brioche knitting, interlocking crochet, felting, turning raw fleece into yarn, and punch needling. Book these workshops directly with the workshop holders – and book well in advance as they sell out every year.
A new addition to this year’s festival is its Karoo Lifestyle Tent and Tea Garden. Here festival goers will be able to enjoy a hot cup of tea with delicious Karoo-baked delicacies, and also book interesting talks with demonstrations on preparing various cuts of lamb or mutton, the wonders of slow food and slow living, pairing beautiful wool items with everyday wear, and more.
Festival goers will be entertained by a line-up of live artists. There will be a beer and entertainment tent where live performances will happen throughout both days by various artists. ‘Die Kampvuur Kuier’ Friday night will be a highlight where Afrikaans, being 100 years old, will be celebrated. Festival goers are invited to come sit around the fire and sing along with very talented artists. The Friday evening will end on a high note with well-known Afrikaans artist Chris Chameleon. On Saturday evening the rugby test match will be shown on a big screen, followed by Milennium, a proudly South African rock band, who will be the main attraction for the annual WolJol!
Youth show and children’s entertainment
Parents are encouraged to bring their kids along as there will be children’s entertainment on both days and in particular BKB’s Youth Show will be taking place on the Saturday. Children can enter the Youth Show at the festival’s entrance. The Youth Show offers children a wonderful learning experience about sheep handling, Merino breed information, and showmanship. Adding to the festival’s educational focus will be its annual charity run and ride taking place at Beskuitfontein Trails on Tuesday, the 1st of July. This event brings school children out to the farm to learn about wool, sheep farming, and Karoo ecology. Festival goers can also book a nature trail or farm tour on this day. Buy tickets for the charity run and ride on the festivals’ Quicket site. The festival weekend will end with a church service at the Middelburg Family Church with live instrumental and singing performances.
The full programme with detail about the speakers, wool workshops, and more are on the festival’s website at www.karoowinterwoolfestival.com. Buy entrance tickets online on Quicket or at the gates. Please contact info@karoowinterwoolfestival.com for more information. The exceptional 2025 festival programme is made possible by the support of our official partner, Cape Wools South Africa, media partner, Plaas Media, and main sponsors OVK, BKB, Standard Bank, and Sappi Verve. – Press release, Cape Wools SA
