Unpacked: Tulbagh Christmas in Winter

Where to stay, what to bring, and which tickets are best value

Last updated: 8 April 2025

Tulbagh Christmas in Winter is that once-a-year family time remembered forever. The main street in this dorpie comes alive with Christmas lights and decorations, a festive craft market, gluhwein stalls, and an Enchanted Forest where kids can play hide and seek with Santa.

It’s happening Friday 27 June to Sunday 29 June 2025. See everything to expect (including what’s new, like Santa's glamping villages).

Christmas in Winter has been a beloved tradition since 2001. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

TULBAGH CHRISTMAS IN WINTER 2025   

Tulbagh Christmas in Winter is unmissable from start to finish. The weekend-long festivities begin on Friday with the Christmas light switch-on, followed by the Farmers Electric Light Parade.

Kids and adults alike absolutely love this. Local farmers decorate their tractors and trailers with whimsical Christmas lights and tinsel, then parade them down Church Street. It has the largest number of Cape Dutch, Edwardian and Victorian heritage sites in one street in South Africa.

The Electric Light Parade is unmissable. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

CRAFT MARKET WITH 50+ VENDORS

Spread down Church Street is the craft market with over 50 vendors from all over the Western Cape. You can find beaded artwork, craft soaps, hand poured candles, Christmas decorations, and festive outfits.

If you’re into natural products, check out Mountain Bee. They sell honey skincare like baby bum salve and eczema balm. Ann & Emi’s handmade sterling silver jewellery is also nature-inspired. Her stall uses old pieces of trees to display the jewellery (we love the feather rings and rabbit necklaces).

Handmade Happiness’s sweet crochet toys make for a lovely gift for both kids and adults (they even have a Stan Marsh toy from South Park).

Handmade Happiness’s crochet toys are just some of the unique, locally crafted goods available. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

WINTER WONDERLAND & ENCHANTED FOREST

Besides shopping for toys at the craft market, kids can also play at the Winter Wonderland. It’s decorated with fake snow and filled with jumping castles, soft play areas for toddlers, human snowmen, and even mechanical pony rides.

This year there’s a new Enchanted Forest. The charming play area, surrounded by trees with hanging fairy lights, will have games like hide and seek with Santa.

Kids can play in fake snow and join hide and seek with Santa. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

HOP-OFF-HOP-ON WINE TOURS

Of course there’s fun for parents too. The music headliner on Saturday night is Radio Kalahari Orkes, and during the day, the festival will have hop-on-hop-off shuttles to some of Tulbagh’s best wine farms.

Like Twee Jonge Gezellen, home of Krone, a collection of vintage-only, terroir-driven Méthode Cap Classiques. It’s a must-visit when you’re in Tulbagh.

The shuttles also go to Oude Compagnies Post, famous for their handcrafted boutique-style wines, and Theuniskraal, one of South Africa’s very first white wine estates.

Please note that you’ll need to buy an additional wine ticket for this. See more ticket details on the Tulbagh Tourism website. 

There’s hop-off-hop-on shuttles to some of Tulbagh’s best wine farms. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

SANTA’S GLAMPING VILLAGE   

This year, they’ve added Santa’s Glamping Village, which will also be adorned in Christmas decorations so you’ll feel like you’re a part of the festival.

Glamping tents are just 30 meters from the festival, with electricity in each of the units (even heaters), feather duvets and pillows, and wooden furniture. There’s bathrooms on the field too.

If you’re looking to stay for the weekend, we recommend booking a glamping tent, as almost all of the accommodation in Tulbagh is already sold out.

You can also try Waterval Country Lodge or Witzenberg Guest Farm.

Glamping tents come with electricity, feather duvets and wooden furniture. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

LOCAL RESTAURANTS & FOOD TRUCKS  

The festival will also have two bars, a gluhwein shack and food truck market with sushi, tacos, boerie rolls, Middle Eastern dishes and more.

Or try one of Tulbagh’s restaurants (they’ll be decorated too). Daphne’s Bistro is one of the dorpie’s most popular restaurants. It’ll be serving a proper Christmas roast lunch.

Het Lan van Warveren is also loved by locals. They just do pancakes and coffee, and they do it right, which is probably why people say they have the best pancakes in the Boland.

New in town is Chef & Co, where Chef Pieter Malan serves pizzas, burgers, and lamb bredie hash.

Reader’s Restaurant is another restaurant participating in Christmas in Winter. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

PARKING & WHAT TO BRING

Parking is R50 per day and will be on the Tulbagh High School field at the south entrance, as well as at the NGK near (north entrance). Just follow the signs.

It gets quite chilly, so bring a jacket, woolly scarf and comfortable walking shoes. There’ll also be prizes for best dressed, so come in your favourite Christmas-themed outfit.

The event is cashless at the bars and at the gates, so make sure to bring your card. And no alcohol, cooler boxes, and camping chairs are allowed (there’s plenty of seating at the festival).

There’s prizes for best dressed. Image: Tulbagh Tourism

CHRISTMAS IN WINTER TICKET PRICES 

The best value for money is the Weekend Pass. At R250 for adults, it’s only R50 more than a Saturday pass and you get access to three days of the festival instead of one.

All tickets can be booked on the Tulbagh Tourism website.

Friday, 27 June 2025

• Adults, R200
• Pensioner, R180
• Children ages 8 - 18, R150
• Children under 8, free

Saturday, 28 June 2025

• Adults, R200
• Pensioner, R180
• Children ages 8 - 18, R150
• Children under 8, free

Sunday 29 June 2025

• Adults, R150
• Pensioner, R135
• Children ages 8 - 18, R110
• Children under 8, free

All-weekend pass

• Adults, R250
• Pensioner, R225
• Children ages 8 - 18, R190
• Children under 8, free

Wine shuttle ticket

• R100. You’ll need to buy this and a regular ticket
  
  

TULBAGH CHRISTMAS IN WINTER

Tulbagh Christmas in Winter is happening: Friday 27 June - Sunday 29 June 2025
Find it: 4 Church Street, Tulbagh
Book: Via TIXSA 
Cost: From R110 for kids and R150 for adults
See more info: Via the Tulbagh Christmas in Winter Facebook page

By Saarah Gierdien 

---

DISCOVER CAPE TOWN (& SURROUNDS) 

There are so many incredible day trips from Cape Town.  

Looking for family fun? Here’s 65+ things to do with kids of all ages. 

We asked our readers about their best wine tastings in the city.  

Read our 7+ Things to do this Weekend. 

---

Loved discovering this?  Make sure you get our popular weekly newsletter. Follow and like us on Twitter ❤ Facebook ❤ LinkedIn ❤ Instagram ❤ Pinterest for updates.