Boerevintage Gift Market

## Boerevintage Gift Market at Redberry Farm, George (Let’s Love Local Gift Market) Boerevintage Gift Market is a seasonal gift market held at Redberry Farm on Geelhoutboom Road in Blanco, just outside George in South Africa’s Garden Route. From the 2025/26 season onward, the organisers use the brand name “Let’s Love Local Gift Market”, but the event is still run by Boerevintage (Pty) Ltd at the same farm venue, with the same focus on curated local products. If you’re planning a Garden Route trip in December and want one concentrated hit of local design, handcrafted gifts and family-friendly farm fun, this is the market to build into your George itinerary. --- ## From Boerevintage to “Let’s Love Local” – What Actually Changed? According to the organisers and independent event listings, the market: - Was established in 2015. - Has grown into one of the largest gift markets in South Africa, with around 280,000 locally sourced products during the peak December season. - Was previously known as Boerevintage Gift Market, and has been rebranded as Let’s Love Local Gift Market from 2025, while keeping the same organisers, venue and overall concept. In other words, when you see Boerevintage Gift Market and Let’s Love Local Gift Market, you’re looking at the same core event at Redberry Farm, updated branding, and an emphasis on “shop local” messaging. --- ## When and Where the Market Takes Place ### Venue: Redberry Farm, George The market is hosted at Redberry Farm, Geelhoutboom Road, Blanco, George (6530), a working commercial strawberry farm and well-known family attraction on the Garden Route. Redberry Farm lies at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains just outside town and is repeatedly described in regional guides as a favourite family farmstead and popular George activity hub. ### Current confirmed dates (2025/26 season) For the 2025/26 festive season, multiple sources confirm: - 15 December 2025 – 3 January 2026 - Open Monday to Saturday, 09:00–16:00 - Closed on Sundays and Christmas Day Entry to both Redberry Farm and the gift market is free; you only pay for what you buy at the market and for individual farm activities. --- ## What Makes Boerevintage / Let’s Love Local Stand Out ### Scale and setup The market today is big enough to feel like a small indoor shopping village: - Around 220 vendors from across South Africa each season. - Approximately 280,000 products under one roof. - About 1,750 m² of space in a clear-span aluminium-frame tent on level grass, designed to keep walkways open and the layout easy to navigate. An earlier 2021 event listing for Boerevintage Gift Market mentioned 150+ brands and highlighted the focus on exclusive, affordable, handmade gifts from across the country—an approach that has since expanded rather than shifted. ### Focus on local, high-quality products Official descriptions emphasise that the market offers: - High-quality, locally sourced products across categories such as decor, clothing, jewellery, food and lifestyle gifts. - A wide range of exclusive, affordable, handmade gifts and products from across the country, reflecting the breadth of South African small businesses represented. You’re browsing curated stalls rather than generic imports: ceramics, textiles, homeware, jewellery, children’s clothing, toys, gourmet pantry items and festive decor all feature in the market imagery and descriptions. ### Economic impact and community role From an economic and community perspective, the organisers highlight that: - The market creates seasonal employment for around 50 local workers during the event period. - Approximately 90% of service providers (security, cleaning, venue hire, marketing, equipment rentals, insurance, photography and more) are based in George, keeping most of the spend within the local economy. - George Tourism has endorsed the market as a key event that enhances the December holiday experience and strengthens George’s appeal as a Garden Route destination. For visitors, that means your festive shopping directly supports small businesses and the wider George tourism ecosystem. ### Reputation and reviews The official site reports a 4.8-star Google rating from 137 reviews, with feedback consistently praising the variety of stalls, organisation and the fact that many visitors can complete a large portion of their holiday shopping in one visit. --- ## Redberry Farm: The Setting Behind the Market The venue is a major part of the experience. According to Redberry Farm and multiple independent guides, this is what you can expect around the market itself: ### Farm activities and attractions Redberry Farm is a commercial strawberry grower and family entertainment farm, with activities including: - Pick-your-own strawberries, with fruit grown year-round and peak season roughly between September and January. - The Giant Strawberry, a viewing structure linked to the berry theme. - One of the largest permanent hedge mazes in the Southern Hemisphere, with stations to reach inside the maze. - The Redberry Express miniature train for kids. - Playground areas, pedal go-carts, pony rides, bumper boats and bubble balls on the dam, all presented as family-friendly activities. ### Food and drink options on the farm Beyond the market’s own deli and food products, Redberry Farm also offers several on-site eateries and tasting rooms, including: - A Tea Garden and Farm Stall specialising in strawberry products - Red Shed Coffee & Berry Bar - Framboos Handcrafted Ice Cream - The Noshery Pizzeria & Deli - Boplaas whisky and wine experience and Bounty eatery for farm-style food with a twist The official venue description also mentions Berry Boutique, a lifestyle store selling locally sourced products, and self-catering accommodation in a historic cottage for visitors wanting to stay on the farm. Redberry Farm states that activities are closed on Sundays and Christmas, and that entry to the farm is free, reinforcing the practicality of using it as a flexible day-out base. --- ## Practical Tips and Inclusivity Notes ### Accessibility and setup The market is housed in a clear-span tent on level grass, which the organisers specifically highlight as a way to provide a more comfortable and accessible shopping environment than a rough, uneven field. Surfaces can still be affected by weather (as with any outdoor venue), so travellers with specific mobility needs may want to contact the organisers or Redberry Farm directly in advance for the most up-to-date, tailored information. Contact details for the organiser, Laetitia Kotze, and the general [email protected] address are clearly published for this purpose. ### Opening hours and pricing Based on current listings: - Market & farm entry: Free. - Redberry Farm hours: typically 09:00–16:00, Monday–Saturday, closed on Sundays and key holidays such as Christmas Day and Good Friday. - Activities: priced individually (strawberry picking, maze, boats, train rides and others). Because pricing for individual activities and products changes over time, the safest approach is to check Redberry Farm’s website or social channels and the Boerevintage / Let’s Love Local pages shortly before your visit. --- ## Outdated Information to Watch For Online You’ll still find older Boerevintage Gift Market event listings in search results. These are useful for context but no longer current: - A 2021 Boerevintage Gift Market event page lists dates of 16–22 December 2021, 09:00–18:00 at Redberry Farm, and mentions 150+ brands, a deli and free entry. - Earlier promotional artwork and articles show Boerevintage Gift Market running in December with wording like “open every day”, which conflicts with the current “closed on Sundays and Christmas Day” approach for the 2025/26 season. For accurate dates and times, always default to: - The Boerevintage / Let’s Love Local official site - Recent CapeMarkets event listings - The market’s current Facebook and Instagram posts --- ## How to Integrate This Into a Broader Garden Route Trip Because it runs mid-December to early January, the market aligns directly with peak Garden Route holiday travel and is positioned as a highlight for both local shoppers and visiting travellers. From an itinerary-planning perspective: - Redberry Farm sits just a short drive from George Airport and other George attractions. - The farm’s free entry plus individually priced activities make it easy to adjust your time and spend depending on your group’s needs. ### Suggested internal link opportunities for RealJourneyTravels.com - From your section on planning a visit to George, this guide can naturally link to a George city or region overview so readers can explore more things to do nearby. - In any Garden Route road trip itinerary, link back to this Boerevintage / Let’s Love Local guide when you mention George or Redberry Farm as a stop. These links help readers move from event-level detail (this market) to broader Garden Route planning, and they’re fully aligned with how the market is framed in local tourism material.