Clarens Craft Beer Festival

Once a year, the picturesque mountain village of Clarens wakes up with a roar, barrels roll in, taps open wide, and the craft beer faithful descend for a weekend of bold brews, loud laughs, and damn good music. This is Clarens Craft Beer Festival, 16 years strong, built with grit, hops, and heart by a close-knit crew of brewers from every corner of South Africa.

Tucked beneath the Maluti Mountains, the village becomes a gathering ground for friends, makers, and flavour seekers. The festival offers over 150 carefully chosen brews and ciders, many made just for the weekend and poured by the brewers themselves. Friday is the inside track for connoisseurs; Saturday is the full festival with music, mountains, and a crowd that knows why they came.

Official hours (as stated on the organiser site): Friday 12:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–18:00, with gates closing 90 minutes before festival close. Access is to the square in Clarens. Tickets are limited and sold via the official website; the organiser warns against third-party or scalped tickets.

The current homepage does not publish calendar dates for the next edition (phase one tickets are described as sold out, with phase two still to come). The last publicly dated edition on archived official pages was 28 February–1 March 2025. Do not treat unverified third-party calendars as official dates.

The line-up features screened South African craft breweries, live bands, and a wide range of festival food stalls. Clarens has repeatedly been listed among the top small towns to visit in South Africa.