Vetplantfees 2018

The Vetplantfees (Succulent Festival) is an annual festival hosted by the Calitzdorp Succulent Society to showcase of many of South Africa’s beautiful and rare succulents together with succulents from all over the world. The festival will take place on 22 to 24 September 2018 in the centre of Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo, a region where many of the succulents, endemic to South Africa, can be seen in its natural environment. Succulent enthusiasts who visit Calitzdorp during the festival will be able to immerse themselves in a range of activities to discover the world of succulents. Whether you live in Calitzdorp, Cape Town, George or Johannesburg you will see indigenous and rare succulents in their natural habitat, buy specimens not available in nurseries and get advice on how to propagate, grow and care for succulents in the garden.

22 September 2017 - 09:00 to 16:30
23 September 2017 - 09:00 to 16:30
24 September 2017 - 09:00 to 15:00

For 2018 the Vetplantfees will take place in downtown Calitzdorp. Just follow the signs. Food vendors on site and restaurants within meters of the venue. Plan to spend the whole weekend with us.

Find it on Google, click here.

The festival will include:
* Veld Walks led by local guides
* A potted plant market hosted by growers
* Educational talks by succulent experts
* “How To” workshops
* Original plant pots for sale
* Succulent plant exhibition
* Botanical art exhibition
* Botanical art sold by artists
* A rare plant auction
* Activities for children

Entrance to the festival is free.

Admission to the festival is free.

Selected activities, including Veld Walks, Workshops and Special Events will be charged for.

More information on the specific activities, the costs for each and how to book visit the individual links for each.

Thousands of rare and indigenous potted succulents will be on sale during the festival. We have secured double the amount of growers for this year and hope to offer three times the amount of succulents for sale. Festivalgoers must take note that plants will be available on a first-come first-buy basis.

The plant sale will start at 09:00 on Saturday, 22 September 2018 and will be open for business until 15:00 on Monday, 24 September 2018.

Be sure to participate in this event which is unique to Calitzdorp. Plants, artwork and other special items will be auctioned to the highest bidder.

Attendees will find the most beautiful and rare of succulent plants and art work. This is a special opportunity for succulent plant collectors to acquire mature and sometimes very rare plants. Items will be sold to the highest bidder with reserve on some.

The vendors and artists at the Succulent Fees will contribute to the Rare Plant Auction. This event will be memorable in all respects.

The auction will be held at 15:00 on Sunday, 23 September 2018. Attendance is free.

Not to be missed is the range of free talks by plant experts on each day of the festival. Attendees will gain insights into the key issues pre-occupying scientist and experts working in the field.

A full schedule of talks will be made available soon. Expert Talks are free events and no booking is required. Available seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

SATURDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER
11:00 - Expert Talk - Small is beautiful. About miniature succulents and how they survive in nature (Frans Noltee)
>> More Info.

13:00 - Expert Talk - Nature exploration: A peek at the treasure chest (Louis Jordaam)
>> More Info.

SUNDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER
11:00 - Expert Talk - Exploration by Rubber Duck (Dr. Ernst van Jaarsveld)
>> More Info.

13:00 - Expert Talk - Introduction to Astroloba: A photographic guide to South Africa’s “Karoo Corals” (Steven Molteno)
>> More Info.

MONDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER

11:00 - Expert Talk ()
>> Information to follow.

13:00 - Expert Talk ()
>> Information to follow.

Join a hands-on workshops to learn how to successfully grow succulents in your own garden or in containers. Expert growers will teach you how to prepare the soil in your garden or pots, how to propogate plants from seed or cuttings and how to take care of the succulents you buy, plant or seed.

A full schedule of workshops will be made available on this website soon. Although a new activity we estimate that the workshops will be popular and advance booking will be offered to secure seats. Fees may apply.

LIST OF WORKSHOPS
Container Gardening with Succulents - Click for details
Succulent Plant Propagation - Click for details

Trained Cape Nature guides will escort small groups of enthusiast on a 90-minute walk to Calitzdorp’s famous Jakkalskop where dozens of succulent plant varieties will be in flower. It is an experience not to be missed and have proven to be very popular with festivalgoers.

DATES & TIMES
Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 22 Sept 2018 - 10:00 - Book Now
Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 22 Sept 2018 - 16:30 - Book Now
Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 23 Sept 2018 - 09:00 - Book Now
Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 23 Sept 2018 - 16:30 - Book Now
Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 24 Sept 2018 - 09:00 - Book Now
Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 24 Sept 2018 - 13:00 - Book Now

BOOKING & PAYMENT
Booking and payment are essential as only 8 persons will be accommodated on each of the scheduled walks. The fee to join each walk is R150, payable in advance and non-refundable on cancellation.

WHERE TO MEET
Each walk will depart daily at the appointed time from the main festival paypoint at 10 Geyser Street, Calitzdorp.

IMPORTANT
Participants should wear shoes suitable for walking in the veld and bring water, a hat and sun protection.

BOOKING
To reserve your spot, click here.

This is a “must attend” event during the Calitzdorp Succulent Festival. You will have the chance to meet and mix with succulent experts from all over South Africa, enjoy a wonderful dinner and listen to one of the top succulent experts on the earth show and tell in his fabulous style. Calitzdorp Succulent Society is very happy and proud to have Dr. van Jaarsveld on our program for Vetplantfees 2018.

For more information, click here.
To book, click here.

Some of the most talented and respected South African botanical artist will be represented at the 2018 Vetplantfees. Many of these artist will offer works for sale during the festival. The artist will include, Wilna Eloff, Gerhard Marx, Janet Snyman and Marinda Combrinck. To discover these artist, click on the links below.

Wilna Eloff - Click to discover
Gerhard Marx - Click to discover
Janet Snyman - Click to discover
Marinda Combrinck - Click to discover

SATURDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER

09:00 — 17:00
Plant & Art Exhibition, Vendor Sales, Children's Activities, Food Vendors

10:00 - Veld Walk*
>> More Info | Book Now

11:00 - Expert Talk
Small is beautiful. About miniature succulents and how they survive in nature (Frans Noltee)
>> More Info
Free Event. No Booking Required.

12:00 - Workshop*
Container Gardening with Succulents
(Alison James)
>> More Info | Book Now

13:00 - Expert Talk
Nature exploration: A peek at the treasure chest (Louis Jordaan)
>> More Info
Free Event. No Booking Required.

14:00 - Workshop*
Succulent Plant Propagation
(Yvonne Hemenway)
>> More Info | Book Now

16:30 - Veld Walk
>> More Info | Book Now

18:00 - Dinner & Keynote Speech*
>> More Info | Book Now

* Fees apply. Advance booking required.

SUNDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER

09:00 — 17:00
Plant & Art Exhibition, Vendor Sales, Children's Activities, Food Vendors

09:00 - Veld Walk*
>> More Info | Book Now

11:00 - Expert Talk
Exploration by Rubber Duck (Dr. Ernst van Jaarsveld)
>> More Info
Free Event. No Booking Required.

12:00 - Workshop*
Container Gardening with Succulents
(Alison James)
>> More Info | Book Now

13:00 - Expert Talk
Introduction to Astroloba: A photographic guide to South Africa's "Karoo Corals" (Steven Molteno)
>> More Info
Free Event. No Booking Required.

14:00 - Workshop*
Succulent Plant Propagation
(Yvonne Hemenway)
>> More Info | Book Now

15:00 - Rare Plant Auction
>> More Info

16:30 - Veld Walk*
>> More Info | Book Now

* Fees apply. Advance booking required.

Vetplantfees 2018

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS