A winter wonderland in Gordon’s Bay

Posted by Rachel Robinson on 17 July 2012

The locals of Gordon’s Bay will tell you that five cars in front of you means you are in a traffic jam. We were definitely in the equivalent of Cape Town’s rush hour this Saturday night. Everyone from near and far had come out to play. Screams could be heard from the funfair as children clung to Dumbo’s ears whilst whirling around on the rides. A little train tooted around the beachfront with all aboard, young and old, beaming in delight. A queue snaked around the Enchanted Ghost House whilst a flame thrower impressed the crowd with his fiery skills. Lovers walked hand in hand along with excited children and happy hounds through The Milkwood Trail, a romantic fairy wonderland created with hundreds of lights wrapped around the gnarled wind-battered trees. A band performing 80’s covers had grannies and teenagers dancing on hay bales and the smell of the sea mingled with the aroma of vetkoek and fish and chips. The streets were lit up with lights everywhere, from Christmas lights to strings of fairy lights in the windows of restaurants and homes. Winter Wonderland in Gordon’s Bay had certainly banished any winter blues that night and the gluwein being ladled out of a pot at a local estate agent took care of any chill in the air.

A miniature train takes people for rides along the promenade.

Now in its second year, Winter Wonderland is a celebration of Gordon’s Bay’s “secret season”, the temperate winter months when the village is protected from the cold Cape north-wester wind. It is also for a good cause as the historic “post office tree” is where you’ll find local charities (like the NSRI, Animal Welfare and Lions International to name a few) raising funds and awareness and the public can donate food and blankets. It’s a time when the close-knit community of Gordon’s Bay come together and create something quite magical. Everyone gets involved and nearly every house and business is lit up, from the beachfront to the mountain.

Restaurants on Harbour Island get festive.

This year saw the addition of a giant Winter Wonderland sign in lights welcoming everyone to the celebrations. Harbour Bridge at Harbour Island was aglow with lights with the restaurants hosting their own parties and warming winter fare. The Music Fest Marquee had bands playing from 15h00 to 22h30 along with two bars and food stalls serving fish and chips, sushi, burgers, wraps, vetkoek, pancakes and wraps. There was wine tasting in the street, steaming cups of gluwein and buskers performing on the corners. Artists displayed their work and a township choir sang their hearts out in the church. There were young couples, cheerful revelers, families with prams, wide-eyed children and dogs on leashes. The mood was festive and spirits were high despite it being a chilly winter’s evening.

Winter Wonderland lights welcome you to Gordon's Bay.

Winter Wonderland is a weekend where Gordon’s Bay lights up and opens its doors and its heart to everyone. Don’t miss it next year. It’s like Christmas and it’s the best mid-year gift you’ll give yourself and the Gordon’s Bay community.

When is Winter Wonderland?

The festival is held over a weekend in July every year. Whilst the festival is over a weekend, the lights stay shining for a few weeks. So if you missed it this year, you can still see the lights and take a stroll through the magical Milkwood Forest until 22 July.

Christmas lights can be found along the main street..

What to expect at Winter Wonderland

There is a carnival atmosphere and the brightly lit streets come alive with entertainment and people. There’s a fun fair, live music, street entertainment, arts and crafts and train rides. There are plenty of places to have a beer and a bite to eat from food stalls to pubs and restaurants. Most of the restaurants and pubs have special offers and live entertainment.

Where to stay for Winter Wonderland

You can visit for the day, but it’s at night that the festival really comes alive and you can see the sparkling lights. Spending a night(or two) is probably a good option. There are many B&B’s, self-catering accommodation and a lively backpackers lodge.

We stayed at 185 Beach Road, comprising of several beach guesthouses and a safari-style penthouse apartment. It’s right next to the “blue flag rated” Bikini Beach and you’ll go to bed with the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below. It’s also within walking distance of The Tavern in the Old Harbour, which is a fun pub and restaurant for a nightcap (they also serve delicious calamari). Contact Jeanette on 083-625-1905, email [email protected], www.capebeachvilla.co.za.

The Milkwood Forest has been turned into a magical fairyland with hundreds of lights.

What we loved at Winter Wonderland

We totally got swept up in all the festivities! We danced on hale bales and sang along to all the songs. We drank beer in the marquee, ate vetkoek and pancakes and almost set our mouths on fire sampling home-made chilli sauce. We screamed with the kids in the Enchanted Haunted House and almost got run over by the minature train on the beachfront. We found the “Gordon’s Bay Then and Now”display intriguing and were in awe at the voices of the choir and organ recitals in the church. But most of all we loved how a quiet seaside community came together to create something quite festive and magical. We only went through on the Saturday until Sunday, but next year we are definitely going for the whole weekend!