Families flock to Mampoer Festival to celebrate proud tradition
The festival brought together distillers, traders and families for a day celebrating traditional products and heritage. Alongside the competition, attendees enjoyed food stalls, crafts, children’s entertainment and live performances.
This Saturday, the Voortrekker Monument was a hive of traditional South African activity as thousands took part in the 43rd Mampoer Festival.
The annual festival invites distillers from far and wide to have their Mampoer (fruit-based spirit) judged and accredited by the only recognised National Mampoer Distilling Championship in South Africa.
This year’s competition boasted 262 entries, with distillers entering their best products in 34 different classes.
Distillers from as far south as Oudtshoorn and Kariega (formerly known as Uitenhage) and as far north as Magoebaskloof and Lephalale (formerly Ellisras) entered.
In addition to traditional Mampoer and witblits, there were also competitions in categories such as brandy, gin, whiskey, rum, and various liqueurs.
Aside from the Mampoer, more than 150 stalls offered a variety of products, from crafts and farm products to delicious food for attendees.
Families could stroll peacefully between the stalls while children enjoyed a variety of entertainment, including mini-golf, a petting zoo, and face painting.
On stage, artists and musicians entertained festival-goers throughout. Artists included Beeskraal, Kosie Beukes, Zaan Sonnekus, and the actor and singer Altus Theart.
Traditional farming dances and folk plays also contributed to the unique character the Mampoer Festival has become known for.
The national mampoer champion for 2026 is Alwyn Swart from Heilbron. He was unable to attend the proceedings, and the award was received by his son, Nico, who distils with his father.
The witblits champions for 2026 are Coetzee and Lusel Laubscher from Oudtshoorn.
During the Amahewu auction, rare bottles, winning products and unique souvenirs were up for grabs, the highest bid of the day being R16 000 for a 4-litre whiskey in an antique bottle.
Pieter van der Berg, president of the Mampoer Distillers Guild, says he was pleased with the third annual Mampoer Festival hosted at the Voortrekker Monument, especially with so many families coming to spend the day there.
“It’s our culture, and it’s our tradition. We have to build on that and carry it over to the next generation. People nowadays don’t appreciate the culture, but our forefathers fought for these traditions we enjoy today, and we must preserve that,” Van Der Berg said.
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