200+ craft beer tastings at Fools & Fans Cult Country Beer Festival

Taste 90+ homebrews for free, meet champion brewers, and see Freshlyground

Last updated: Thursday, 2 April 2026

Fools & Fans Cult Country Beer Festival, happening in Greyton from 10 - 11 April, is the only craft beer festival in the country that includes both homebrewers and craft breweries. You can taste over 200 beers and meet the brewers behind some of the country’s most loved labels. Plus there are fun runs, jungle gyms (kids get in free), tattoo pop-ups, and Freshlyground is the headlining act.

You can taste more than 200 craft beers at Fools & Fans. Image: Fools & Fans

9-YEAR GREYTON TRADITION

Held at the old Moravian Hall in the centre of Greyton, Fools & Fans is within walking distance of virtually the entire village.

Families check into a local B&B and stroll to the festival, turning the whole weekend into a getaway. The streets are safe, the air is fresh, and you’re likely to spot at least one horse-drawn cart.

It isn't unusual to see "fools" walking the streets wearing jester hats, rocking silly outfits, or spraying their beards in bright colours.

The festival runs on Friday 10 April and Saturday 11 April, with tickets for Homebrew Friday, Craft Brew Saturday, and weekend passes.

People come not just for the beer but also for the laid-back, country festival atmosphere. Image: Fools & Fans

FRIDAY: UP TO 100 FREE BEER TASTINGS

On Homebrew Friday, your ticket allows you to try up to 100 small-batch and experimental brews.

Amateur beer makers in a number of homebrew clubs come from across the country to compete in the National Interclub Homebrew Championship. Roughly 16 clubs, with about five homebrewers each, present their own brew in stalls around the venue. This year’s style is West Coast IPA.

Look out for the Helderberg Homebrew Club, reigning champions and three-time winners of the competition from Somerset West. You can vote for your favourite beers using the festival’s app on Google or Apple.

Homebrewers will win prizes like brewing supplies and vouchers, and the overall winner receives a return ticket to Europe.

It’s a lot of fun for people who take craft beer quite seriously. Image: Fools & Fans

SATURDAY: MEET EXPERT CRAFT BREWERS

Saturday shifts the focus to commercial craft breweries with 124 labels represented. What sets Fools & Fans apart from other beer festivals is that the main brewer from each company, who understands the beer the best, will be representing the brand, making it a very exciting geek fest for serious beer fans.

These include brewers from renowned labels like Devil’s Peak, CBC, Darling Brewery, Aegir, and Soul Barrel Brewing, which won 2025 Best Beer in Africa in the African Beer Cup.

You can also expect Newlands Spring Brewing Co., which won Beer of the Year 2025 in the South African National Beer Trophy for their Jacob’s Pale Ale. Unlike Friday, beer tastings aren't included in your ticket.

You can try more than 120 craft beers from commercial breweries. Image: Fools & Fans

FRESHLYGROUND & MORE LIVE MUSIC

Music runs throughout the weekend, with Freshlyground headlining on Saturday night after the Homebrew Championship prize-giving. Carnival-style rock band Dukes of Note and the John Battersby Band perform before Freshlyground. DJ Misha will close out the evening.

Meanwhile, Friday’s lineup includes Hunneds, Motley Brue (a band made up of brewers), Congo Cowboys (a band that shares some of its members with Freshlyground), and DJ Roach. The event is also hosted by MC Troye May, a well-known personality in the South African beer industry.

A lineup of live music fuels the festive atmosphere. Image: Fools & Fans

TATTOOS, FUN RUN & FAMILY FUN

If you’re feeling brave, a member of the Hunneds band, who is also a tattoo artist, will be offering his services on-site. If you get the festival logo tattooed on your body (nine people did it last year), you receive free entry to the festival for life.

For those looking for a healthier start to their Saturday (or a humorously hungover one), the morning kicks off at 8am with a 5km or 9km fun run through the village. The route may or may not be in a naughty shape.

Despite being a beer festival, the event is surprisingly family-friendly: kids can attend for free and there’s a jungle gym. Dogs are welcome too as long as they are kept on a leash.

The event is also family-friendly. Image: Fools & Fans

FOOD TRUCKS & OTHER DRINKS

Food trucks will be stationed around the grounds throughout the weekend. Expect a mix of festival favourites like pizza, burgers, and boerie rolls, along with options such as Thai food and shawarmas. For those who aren't beer drinkers, the bar also stocks wine, spirits, and brandy.

All the food available pairs well with beer. Image: Fools & Fans

TICKETS FOR FOOLS & FANS 2026

There are three ticket options:

• Friday’s Homebrew Festival runs from 12pm to 8pm, costs R210, and includes free beer tastings. See Friday tickets for Fools & Fans.

• Saturday’s Craft Brewer Festival runs from 11am to 8pm and costs R300 (beer tastings not included). See Saturday tickets for Fools & Fans. 

• Full weekend pass gets you access to both festival days for R440. See weekend passes for Fools & Fans.

• Discounted weekend passes are available for visitors staying in Greyton for the weekend (R410 instead of R440). Find out where to stay over in Greyton.

The festive atmosphere makes this an annual highlight for the small town of Greyton. Image: Fools & Fans

GO TO FOOLS & FANS BEER FESTIVAL

Fools & Fans is happening: Friday, 10 April 2026, 12pm - 8pm & Saturday, 11 April 2026, 11am - 8pm
Find it: Moravian Hall, 6 Main Road, Greyton
Book: Via Fools & Fans website
Contact on: info@foolsandfans.co.za, 078 802 0006

By Sharon Waugh

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