Visit HogsbackAmathole Mountains · South Africa
Visit Hogsback
A road through snow-covered trees in Hogsback

The Hogsback Winter Celebration

Christmas
in July

A whole village leaning into winter: warm fires, good food, music, markets, mountain adventures and a Quest waiting to be solved.

Save the dates
Hogsback Winter Celebration — A Christmas in July
July23–252027

Friday to Sunday

Save a winter
weekend.

Christmas in July takes place on the first weekend after the school holidays. The dates are set; the detailed 2027 village programme will follow closer to winter.

More than a single venue

The village
is the festival.

Christmas in July happens across Hogsback.

Restaurants, makers, community spaces, gardens and activity providers each add something to the weekend. Previous celebrations have included markets, live music, tastings, winter menus, guided walks, workshops, family activities, carols by firelight and a Christmas service.

The exact programme changes each year. That variety is part of the occasion: you build a weekend by moving through the village, finding the events that suit you and discovering places along the way.

The shape of the weekend

Cold air.
Warm welcome.

These are the threads that give Christmas in July its Hogsback character. The confirmed 2027 programme will be published separately.

Gather

Markets & makers

Local crafts, plants, produce and handmade finds create reasons to wander between village venues.

Taste

Winter food & firelight

Think warming plates, sweet treats, tastings, hot drinks and tables that make you want to stay longer.

Listen

Music & celebration

Live performances, community gatherings and Christmas traditions bring the weekend together.

Explore

Walks & mountain play

Forest paths, guided outings and village activities turn a festival weekend into a Hogsback adventure.

Winter Quest

A digital adventure through Hogsback

The signature winter game

Hogsback becomes
the game board.

Winter Quest sends players out into the village to look closer, solve clues and find something unexpected.

The Quest remains digital and will run through hogsbackmap.co.za. Using a phone, players follow the map through a mix of location challenges, QR discoveries, photographs and playful side quests. Progress is counted in snowflakes, with prizes and a little friendly competition adding to the chase.

WQ27 is planned for the Christmas in July period. Its exact opening and closing times, registration details and final game format are still to be confirmed.

Visit Hogsback Map

How the digital Quest works

Your phone.
The whole village.

01

Join digitally

Registration and the live game are handled through Hogsback Map. WQ27 entry details will be announced before the event.

02

Follow the clues

Move through Hogsback, scan, solve and complete challenges attached to real places around the village.

03

Earn snowflakes

Completed challenges build your score. The final WQ27 prize and competition rules will be published with the game.

And what about snow?

Welcome if it comes.
Celebrate either way.

July gives Hogsback a real chance of snow, but the festival does not depend on it.

Snow cannot be promised for Christmas in July—or any other winter weekend. Pack for mountain cold and changing conditions, then let the programme, the village and Winter Quest carry the celebration.

Read the Hogsback snow guide

Plan before the programme lands

Make a weekend
of the mountain.

Stay over

Winter Celebration accommodation fills quickly. Booking a warm base early gives you freedom to enjoy evenings and changing weather.

Find a place to stay →

Bring winter layers

Prepare for cold, rain, mud and possibly snow. Comfortable shoes and a charged phone matter, especially if you are joining Winter Quest.

Plan for winter weather →

Watch for the programme

The full timetable, bookings and WQ27 details will be added once confirmed. The main events calendar remains the place for individual listings.

Browse events →

23–25 July 2027

See you in
the middle of winter.

Come for Christmas in July. Join the Quest. Follow the lights, the music and the smell of something warm through Hogsback.

Plan your stay