THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
Gordon’s Bay: GORDON’S BAY YACHT CLUB, in association with SmallTalX, will host a public talk by marine biologist Georgina Jones from the Southern Underwater Research Group at 18:30. Jones, who has published comprehensive guides to Southern Africa’s sea life, including a photographic catalogue of 868 nudibranch species, will discuss the diverse marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. Her talk will cover whales, dolphins, sharks, fish, molluscs, sea slugs, octopuses, crabs and starfish, examining life on sandy bottoms, rocky reefs and False Bay’s deeper waters. The event is part of the popular SmallTalX nature series, which previously featured talks on radioastronomy and Kogelberg reptiles, as well as Jacqueline Bishop from the Urban Caracal Project and award-winning horticulturalist Leon Kluge. Tickets cost R125 per person and include a Q&A session. The venue’s bar and restaurant will be open. Booking is essential due to limited seating. For reservations, email smalltalx.info@gmail.com or WhatsApp 076 469 6485.
WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER
Somerset West: The Honeybush Collective Primary School is hosting an Open Day and Spring Market to celebrate Heritage Day from 09:00 to 14:00. The event will take place at the 2ND SOMERSET WEST SCOUT HALL located in Drama Street. Attendees can expect to find handmade and homemade crafts, food vendors, and various activities. For more information, phone Fran on 073 417 6701.
SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER
Strand: A fundraising concert, Aging with Dignity, will be held at STRAND TOWN HALL in aid of Sencit Resthaven. The evening features local artists Jason Ward, Don Vino, Quinton Manuels, Shadley Schroeder, Candice Thornton, Fagrie Isaacs and Cameron Ward performing to support the care and services provided by the facility. Doors open at 17:30, with the show starting at 19:00. Tickets are priced at R150 and are available through Webtickets.
Somerset West: ST PAUL’S CATHOLIC CHURCH in Andries Pretorius Street hosts its monthly book sale from 09:00 to 12:00. All prices have been reduced, making this the perfect opportunity to stock up on quality reading material, as the next book sale is only scheduled for 6 December. Browse through an excellent selection of high-quality books while enjoying tea, coffee, and an amazing selection of treats. A card machine is available for convenient payment, and car-wash services as an additional fundraising activity will be on offer. All proceeds will support the church’s community feeding programmes. To donate books, call Carole at 084 299 9023.
WEDNESDAY 1 OCTOBER
Somerset West: What do Dracula, castles, communism, mountains and bears have in common? They’re all part of Romania’s story, which Anne Taylor will share at the meeting of the UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE (U3A) HELDERBERG, which takes place at the Dutch Reformed church, 82 Firmount Road, at 10:00. Taylor, a hospitality-management lecturer, spent three and a half years in Romania as the culmination of her 45-year career in hospitality education. Appointed to a Romanian academy in Brasov in 2016, she arrived in Bucharest in -30 °C conditions. According to Taylor Romania and South Africa share similar political trajectories; both gained democracy recently (Romania in 1991 and South Africa in 1994) and faced similar challenges with political, financial and business restructuring, food and job shortages, and integration into international tourism markets. In Brasov she experienced snow and mountains, local customs and history, and learned much about herself and her values. She retired at 67 and now lives in Somerset West, devoting her retirement to “perfecting the art of wine and wit, and avoiding early mornings”. The address promises to be interesting with a touch of personal flavour. Members enter free of charge, while visitors are required to pay R20 at the door. For enquiries, phone Denise Fourie on 072 211 1173.
MONDAY 6 TO WEDNESDAY 8 OCTOBER
Somerset West: THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE hosts its inaugural One-Act Play Festival from at 18:00 daily, with tickets available through Webtickets for R70 per performance. This community outreach initiative provides residents with the opportunity to try directing in a supportive environment, featuring a diverse range of short plays spanning comedy, tragedy, and drama across three nights. The festival showcases both new and experienced talent from the greater Somerset West community, including the debut production from the Heydays group, a monthly theatre workshop for participants over 65 who explore performance under the guidance of professional practitioners Margot Wood and Sue Diepeveen. The cast devised and wrote their own play, representing the theatre’s commitment to engaging with audiences of all ages. Beyond the festival, The Playhouse continues its inclusive approach to theatre through relaxed performances for family shows, designed to welcome audiences with autism or learning disabilities, and is developing sensory performances for those with profound and multiple learning disabilities and pre-verbal babies. These specialised offerings reflect the theatre’s dedication to making live performance accessible to everyone in the community while maintaining high-quality productions. For more information, send an email to secretary@theplayhouse.org.za.
SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER
Strand: Purple Rose Collective NPC presents entrepreneurship training programmes at Rusthof Secondary School in Strand, offering matriculants hope and practical alternatives when university or college isn’t accessible. To continue serving these students in 2026, the organisation is hosting A Night in Song fundraising concert featuring exceptional local talent. The evening will showcase Emo Adams, Don Vino, Mujahid George and a live band at STRAND TOWN HALL. The show starts at 19:30. Tickets cost R150 and are available at Webtickets and Pick n Pay outlets. The community’s support will directly impact young lives by providing essential entrepreneurship skills for students who need alternatives to traditional tertiary education.
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