Most African festivals are widely attended by fun seekers from all over the world who are endeared to the culture of that community, and have come to be partakers of such kindred joy as tourists. One of such unique festivals, quite prominent on the continent is the Hermanus Whale Festival which often hosted regularly in the defunct apartheid state of South Africa. The Hermanus Whale Festival as the name implies is an annual celebration of the return of the southern right whales to the coastal waters of Southern Africa.
The festival is staged as a tribute to the legacy left to the town in a legend of Wendy the Whale whose story is about man's ability to live in harmony with nature as well as people's ability to come together as communities valuing the environment. The seaside town of Hermanus, southeast of Cape Town in South Africa's Western Cape Province was recently voted by The Telegraph as one of the best destinations worldwide for watching marine mammals. All events and activities during the whale festival are focused to create awareness on how to protect the whales and all other marine wildlife who find a place of abode in coastal waters of South Africa. The festival takes place at the end of September which is the peak of whale activity in the region.
This year's edition of the Whale Festival is scheduled to take place on the 30th September to 2nd October. The festivities will include Marine Mammal & Eco Talks, Festival of Whales Street Parade, shop-till-you-drop stalls, Kiddies Whale of a Beach Clean- Up in the Old Harbour and on the Cliff Path, kiddies’ movies and entertainment.
Over a period of 3 days, the fishing village of Hermanus will burst into life when thousands of visitors descend upon the town to join in the festivities of this popular event. One of the major highlights of this festival is the Eco Marine Tent show. This show is informative and entertaining, with a focused appeal to children, adults and anyone who cares about preserving our ocean wildlife. With its wide range of eco & marine-related environmental exhibitions, the aim of the Eco Marine Tent and by extension, the Hermanus Whale Festival is to inspire visitors through informative, colourful, interactive displays, films, music, arts and food and informative talks by marine biologists and experts.
From whales to dolphins, sharks to starfish, our oceans provide us with air to breathe, water to drink and food to eat. Visitors get to enjoy the unbelievable sightseeing opportunities while getting clued up on the plight of the endangered creatures in the Eco Marine Tent. As an attendee of this festival, you should expect to witness a spectacular street parade, vibrant markets showcasing and selling the work of local artisans, great food, educational marine displays, lots of children's entertainment, live music, and - of course - the best whale watching experience in the world!
To all our friends and Power of Africa community members from the other side who would be attending this year's edition of the Hermanus Whale Festival in South Africa, we would be expecting to read about your experiences at the event. Please do not hesitate to drop us a comment on our social media pages or send us a email.
credit: Sam Adedoyin/ToluRock