The Garden Route will host its Port Festival in Mossel Bay on November 2 and 3.

The festival is being expanded and is looking at boosting tourism and social cohesion not only in Mossel Bay, but in the entire Garden Route Region, says Sithembiso Soyaya, Port of Mossel Bay Corporate Affairs Manager.

The event is to run separately to the annual Dias Festival, which is held locally in February. “The Port of Mossel Bay has not withdrawn its support of the Dias Festival. As part of its long-term strategic port-city integration strategy, the Port will continue to align itself with the Mossel Bay Municipality’s value proposition of positioning Mossel Bay as a festival and tourism city, by hosting waterside activities at the port during the event to expose the public to the maritime sector,” explained Shadrack Tshikalange, Port of Mossel Bay Port Manager.

The two-day festival will showcase ‘portside fun for all ages’, with an array of family-friendly entertainment including tours of ships, boat rides, a careers and business exhibition, a sailing regatta, sea rescue displays, a special kids’ zone, craft and food markets, live music and entertainment by crowd pullers and emerging artists, plus an array of other waterside and landside activities.