Chintsa’s Sardine Festival kicks off from July 4-13, celebrating the spectacular sardine run, which marks the migration of shoals of silver fish along SA’s East Coast bringing in its wake dolphins, whales, birds and seals to our Wild Coast shores.
The festival runs for 10 days and is a cornerstone of both tourism and conservation in Chintsa.
Supported by businesses in the area, it seeks to promote Chinsta as the ideal winter tourist destination.
The festival highlights the region’s unique biodiversity and the vital role nature plays in sustaining local livelihoods in Chintsa.
Founded by Hello Chintsa, a local organisation dedicated to the development of tourism and job creation in Chintsa, the festival injects revenue into the coastal town and provides access to the natural marine wonder of the sardine run.
This is part of the department of forestry, fisheries & environment’s mission to use ecotourism as a vehicle for empowering local communities to fight poverty and protect SA’s natural and cultural heritage from destruction.
Hello Chintsa communications team, Bianca and Gareth Hubbard said: “It [Sardine Festival] is massive for the economy because when beds are booked, restaurants fill up, hospitality staff is hired and more taxis run and as a result the whole town benefits.
“The festival is by locals, for everyone which is a sentiment that reflects the heart and soul of the Chintsa village. With this being our first sardine festival it feels like the village has rediscovered its value as an Eastern Cape tourist destination.
“For many businesses, the Sardine Festival is a winter lifeline for the owners and their staff.”
The festival will include educational talks, conservation workshops, and daily beach clean-ups by Wessa Green Coast volunteers and community activists. There will also be township walks, soup kitchens, surf lessons, and art exhibitions featuring Sal Price from Tea in the Trees art gallery and the Chintsa Contemporary Gallery.
The Chintsa Country Club market running throughout the festival will feature 100 vendors with food and craft stalls including treats from beloved Chintsa restaurants.
Chintsa is described by locals as a ‘mild’ coast gem because though less rugged than the rest of the Wild Coast, it is equally rich in natural beauty and easily accessible from East London.
This positions Chintsa as the ideal spot from which to grow tourism in the province. In the years to come, the festival aims to expand its reach and become a blueprint for sustainable tourism locally and provincially.
To find out more about the programme for the festival including entry fee’s, visit: hellochintsa.co.za or Hello Chintsa on Facebook.
