Free State

The first Cherry Festival was held in 1968 and is the longest-running festival in South Africa. You can indulge on fresh, succulent cherries – harvested from October to December. The festival stretches over three days and attracts up to 30 000 people. The festival offers quality family shows and activities such as the herding of sheep, horse rides, camel rides, helicopter flips, steam train rides at Sandstone Estate, and tours through the town to see the beautiful sandstone buildings and architecture. Ficksburg is situated on the scenic landscape of the eastern Free State, nestled between the foot of the Imperani Mountain and the banks of the Caledon River. It is known as the cherry capital of the world, and to celebrate this fact, the town hosts the annual cherry festival. It is the largest cherry-producing area in South Africa, and the first successful cherry trees were planted in this area in 1905.