I did a quick visit to Hermanus yesterday, and at a stop at Rivendell Restaurant, between Bot River and Hermanus, I was told that Chef Thomas Sinn was coming back from his overseas holiday especially to participate in a super-sounding feast, for which he is one of eight chefs cooking on Monday evening. The staff brought a copy of the programme, and I could not believe what the organisers have planned for the 11-day Festival, ‘A Celebration of South African Arts’ its 80-page Festival brochure proudly proclaims!

The programme consists of different themes:

1.  Music: Last Night of the Proms conducted by Richard Cock (tonight); Red Cello Landscapes by Carol Thorns (Tuesday 9 June); Jazz with Nduduzo Makhathini and Mthunzi Mvubu (Wednesday 10 June); Idiom Festival of Italian Opera, with students from the UCT Opera School (Friday 12 June); Three Professors on Three Pianos, with pianist Francois du Toit, Albie van Schalkwyk, and Franklin Larey (Saturday 13 June); Noel Coward and Gertie: In Love Again, with Cat Simon and Paul Spence (Sunday 14 June); and Songs of Love at Bouchard Finlayson (Monday 15 June). A number of lunchtime and afternoon music performances have been organised as well.

2.  Art exhibitions:   Seven wine farms are hosting a FynArts Exhibition (Creation, Spookfontein, Sumaridge, La Vierge, Bouchard Finlayson, Whalehaven, and Benguela Cove), while 16 galleries form a Hermanus FynArts Art Amble in the town.  A collection of artists have also erected sculptures on the Cliff Paths in Harmanus. Hermanus is a favourite home of artists, living there permanently. Whalehaven Winery is offering the Vinotria 100 Wine Labels Exhibition. A group Ceramics exhibition can be seen at the Windsor Hotel. A group exhibition by artists working with fabric, paper, wool, and silk is in the Municipal Auditorium.  Jewelry can be viewed at The Marine Hotel.

3.   Talks: Forensic scientist David Klatzow (today); author Christopher Hope (today);  Handspring Puppet Company Artistic Director Adrian Kohler (today); Marilyn Martin talks about Italian Futurism (Monday 8 June); Stefan Hundt and Stephan Welz address the state of the South African Art Market (Monday 8 June);  Melvyn Minnaar talks to Gordon Froud, Strijdom van der Merwe, and Jaco Sieberhagen about Public Art (Tuesday 9 June); Maria Grazia Martinengo gives a brief history of Italians in South Africa (Tuesday 9 June); Felicity Jervis talks about the Mona Lisa (Wednesday 10 June); Duncan Minshull talks about BBC Radio and books (Thursday 11 June); John Scott interviews Nik Rabinowitz (Thursday 11 June); Rosalind Malandrinos talks about Madonna and Child (Friday 12 June); Jo Noero talks about Renaissance architecture (Friday 12 June); David Grier talks about his book ‘India: Lost & Found‘ (Saturday 13 June); Talk about Dylan Lewis’ new book (Saturday 13 June); panel discussion on trends in Italian cuisine (Sunday 14 June); Talk by Dr Robin Lee on Hermanus’ coastline’s heritage sites (Sunday 14 and Monday 15 June).

4.   Workshops:  Painting Ceramics by Clement Mkhize (today and tomorrow); Crime Fiction by Mike Nicol (today); Photography in Zwelihle (today); Novel writing by Christopher Hope (Monday 8 – Wednesday 10 June); Listening to Classical music by Heinrich van der Mescht (Monday 8 June); Writing short stories for radio by Duncan Minshull (Tuesday 9 June); Jewelry design by Ralph Walton (Monday 8 and Saturday 13 June); Mosaics by Alex Forsyth (Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10, and Thursday 11 June); Low-Light photography by Leanne Dryburgh (Tuesday 9 June); Design with Fynbos by Henriëtte Louw and Marietjie de la Bat (Tuesday 9 June); photography workshop by Leanne Dryburgh (Wednesday 10 June); painting workshop by Monique Day-Wild (Wednesday 10 June); Oil painting by Pieter Vermaak (Wednesday 10 June); Writing about walking by Duncan Minshull (Wednesday 10 June); Poetry writing by Karin Schimke (Thursday 11 June); Landscape painting by Sue Kemp (Thursday 11 June); Spinning by Bastienne Klein (Friday 12 and Saturday 13 June); Importance of Fynbos by Professor Bond and Bronwyn Botha (Saturday 13 June); Clay ceramics by Tania Babs (Saturday 13 June); Collages
by Alex Forsyth (Saturday 13 June); and Art and Literacy by Professor Deirdre Russell-Bowie (Monday 15 June).

5.   Food:  Pop-Up FynArts Kitchen at the Windsor Hotel with Chefs Peter Tempelhoff, David Grier, Warwick Taylor, Mariana Esterhuizen, and more.

6.   Tutored Wine Tastings: Sparkling wines by Pieter Ferreira and Allan Mullins (today); Italian wines by Caroline Rillema (Monday 8 June); Spirits by Giorgio Dalla Cia (Monday 8 June); Sauvignon Blanc by Tinus van Niekerk (Tuesday 9 June); Cabernet Sauvignon by Neil Ellis (Tuesday 9 June); Blending white wines by Bruce Jack (Wednesday 10 June); Red blends by wine writer Tim James (Wednesday 10 June); and Five star wines by Platter editor Philip van Zyl (Thursday 11 June).

7.   Food and wine dining: At least one Italian dish will feature on the menu of La Pentola, Lizettes, ELL, Fishermans Cottage, The Restaurant at Newton Johnson, Rossi’s, Harbour House, The Marine, and Fabio’s for the duration of the Hermanus FynArts Festival;  A Feast for the Senses with an Italian theme, curated by Chef Garth Stroebel, and cooked by Chefs Eric Bulpitt (The Restaurant at Newton Johnson), Jürgen Schneider (Eat at Springfontein), Warwick Taylor (Creation), Peter Tempelhoff and Chad Blow (The Marine), Benjamin Conradie (Grootbos), Kelly-Anne Pietersen (Benguela Cove), and Thomas Sinn (Rivendell) on Monday 8 June; Shabbat dinner (Friday 12 June); Afternoon Tea at the Benguela Cove Manor House (Saturday 13 June); Prosecco Breakfast at The Marine (Friday 12 June); The Aperitivo Tradition (Monday 15 June); Coffee Tasting (Saturday 14 June); and Tea Tasting (Monday 15 June).

8.   Vintage Films:  eleven vintage films will be screened.

Were I not going on holiday shortly, I would have spent the next ten days in Hermanus to enjoy what the town has to offer its residents and visitors, a feast of food, art, wine, movies, talks, and books, not seen anywhere else in our country in what is offered over the next ten days.   Mary Faure and her team are to be congratulated in organising this ambitious event.

Hermanus FynArts 2015, 5 – 16 June. Tel (028)  312-2629. www.hermanusfynarts.co.za  Twitter: @HermanusFynArts

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Tel (021) 433-2100, Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here