The SA Gin Festival kicked off its third annual event on Saturday, 5 October, attracting just over 2 000 people to the beautiful garden-style venue at The GROUND in Muldersdrift.
The partnership between the SA Gin Society and Schweppes, a Coca-Cola Brand, included 25 different local gin distillers, food trucks, live bands and DJs.
Channel Development Manager at Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, Kwanda Dlamini, said, “Our aim was to showcase a collection of some of the best gins South Africa has to offer, including a wide variety of locally distilled, award-winning gins,”
Apart from the large variety of gin products on offer, the event boasted cocktail-making classes, with Schweppes as the sponsor.
For motoring enthusiasts, the Mercedes Benz Zone displayed the latest models from the luxury car manufacturer, and, for the foodies, an amazing variety of food trucks offered bespoke snacks ranging from smoked meat dishes to wood-fired pizza, and even Mexican cuisine.
Rock musician Justin Serrao got the party started in the early afternoon, warming the crowd up nicely for the headline act by the SAMA award-winning artist Holly Rey.
She was followed by local DJs TK Tequila and DJ Neps who set the dance floor on fire.
Face painters added vibrant colour to the festivities with beautiful designs, and guests brought out blankets and camping chairs for the various picnic areas.
“As the biggest and best gin festival in the country, we expected a big turnout. But we were pleasantly surprised to see so many people who are genuinely passionate about the art, craft and skill that goes into making a quality gin,” concluded Kwanda.
