• Jessica’s Christmas Market
Spend the day strolling through the market while shopping for those unique and thoughtful Christmas gifts, admire all the handmade arts and crafts, and delight your taste buds with a wide selection of festive food and drink. The market will be held on 21 November from 9am to 4pm at Eagle Canyon Country Club, 3 Eagle Canyon Road, Eagle Canyon Golf Estate. For more information, send an email to events@jessicasrestaurants.com.
• Kloofendal educational walks
Why not spend your weekends learning about creepy crawlies, insect bites, flowers, trees and more. At the Kloofendal Ecological Centre you can do just that. The reserve hosts guided walks at just R90 per adult, R70 per pensioner and R50 per child. Join Jonathan Leeming on 22 November from 9am to 11am to learn more about all the creepy crawlies in the Reserve. Book for this through Quicket. Karin Spottiswoode will be teaching you more about the reserve’s wild flowers on 22 November from 8am to 10am. For more information, or to make a booking, contact Karin Spottiswoode on 079 693 5608. All Covid-19 regulations will be adhered to, and all participants must wear a mask at all times.
• Craft Market Day
Caltex, in conjunction with Special Wings Foundation will be hosting a craft market at 89 Christiaan de Wet Road, Honeydew from 8am to 2pm. All products available on the day will be handmade and all proceeds will be going to special-needs children’s education. Entrance is free and all visitors are urged to wear a face mask.
• Maroela Street Christmas Market
Join the Maroela Street Christmas Market on 21 November from 10am to 3pm at 11 Maroela Street, Randpark Ridge. It promises to be a festive celebration not to be missed. This fun family market day will not only offer all the festive treats and delights, but is also supporting local small businesses and raising funds to buy sanitary products for the young women at Blue Eagle High School in Cosmo City. For more information, call 072 164 4939.
• Joburg Zoo’s Festival of Lights
Joburg Zoo, The City of Johannesburg and Joburg Theatre proudly present the second annual Festival of Lights, where visitors will get to enjoy the magic and beauty of enchanting, illuminated life-size animal characters that are sure to delight guests of all ages. The Joburg Zoo Festival of Lights will also offer exciting entertainment, delicious nibbles and a craft night market perfect for some festive shopping. The festival will run from 22 November to 3 January 2021, and will be open daily from 7pm to 10pm (except on Mondays). For more information, visit https://www.joburgtheatre.com/
• Guide yourself through Melville Koppies
Nature lovers are invited to visit the koppies and guide themselves. The Melville koppies guides will also be on hand to help with any questions. So if you want to go and explore the koppies, why not visit them from 8am on Sunday mornings and guide yourself to be out by 11.30am. There is secure parking. Entrance for adults is R80 and R40 for scholars. They ask visitors to try and bring the exact amount, and that groups larger than ten pay in advance via EFT. If you have any other queries why not contact them on 011 428 4797 or visit their website at www.mk.org.za.
• School tours at Melville Koppies
Covid-19 has forced schools to find creative answers to many new challenges. Just one was whether it was still safe to continue with the normal school tour, often to faraway provinces. Melville Koppies has the answer, as they are now also offering school groups the opportunity to visit the nature reserve and heritage site, which is not only educational but also fun. For more information, contact Wendy Carstens at wendavid@mweb.co.za or on 011 482 4797.
• Hikers and runners can visit Avianto in Muldersdrift again
Avianto Trails in Muldersdrift opened their gates again for hikers and runners. They offer a variety of trails, and all of them are pet-friendly too. Before visiting them, take note that tickets for the weekends are to be bought online at www.avianto.co.za/avianto-online-trail-tickets but, if you visit them during the week you have to report to the reception to purchase a pass. All trails start at The Clubhouse on the Avianto Lifestyle Estate. Running and walking trails are ideal for a fantastic day out in the countryside. Approximately 5km of scenic routes offer a great exercise option, regardless of your level of fitness. Pets need to be on a leash, and remember the poop scoop. They are situated on Avianto Plot 69, Driefontein Road, Muldersdrift.
• Missing your weekly parkrun?
Sterkfontein Heritage Lodge, 1 Wolf Street, Rant-en-Dal, has the answer for you! If you have a parkrun barcode, you and your friends will be able to access the parkrun route for free. All you need to do is report to reception, show your barcode and you are good to go. All the owner asks of you is to support the restaurant after completing your route. For non-parkrunners and those who would like to visit the lodge for a hike or to cycle, the lodge is also open at a fee of R40 per person.
• Picnic at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden on Malcolm Road, Poortview is open for picnics, bird watching and photography, walking, hiking and running. The restaurant is also open. If you wish to visit the Garden, remember to wear a mask, sanitize at the entrance and ensure social distancing. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online on the webtickets.co.za website to limit physical contact.
Remember to send notifications of your events to roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za/ northside@caxton.co.za.
