For years, the Clarens Craft Beer Festival has been a highlight on my calendar. Like many festival-goers, my visits followed a familiar pattern—soaking up the festival atmosphere, grabbing a pint at Clarens Brewery, and maybe squeezing in a meal at Roter Hahn. It was always a great time, but I began to realise that I was missing out on the bigger picture of what Clarens truly has to offer.
Recently, I spent a few days in Clarens exploring the region beyond the festival square, discovering the hidden gems that make this town so special. If you’re interested, you can read about my adventure here: Clarens & The Cherry Route: More Than Just a Beer Destination.
A Challenge to See More of Clarens
As you may know, our Beer Passport™ has been very popular with visitors to Clarens. However, it only includes a limited number of destinations. After my recent trip, I decided to test run a digital passport challenge on our new Lekker Passport™ app – giving festival visitors the opportunity to discover and support the incredible businesses that make Clarens such a special destination.
The response was fantastic! Festival-goers were eager to explore, check in at different locations, and experience everything Clarens has to offer. Even with a busy festival weekend, participants took the time to engage with local businesses, proving that there is real interest in exploring beyond the festival square.
How Did It Work?
Using the Lekker Passport app, festival attendees could check in at participating businesses, with a Magnum bottle of Trappist Ale as a lucky draw prize for a lucky explorer. This challenge encouraged visitors to uncover places they might have otherwise overlooked—small coffee shops, delis, a winery, and other hidden gems that give Clarens its unique charm.
What’s Next? Join the Lekker Passport Movement
The excitement around the Lekker Passport Challenge proves there’s a real appetite for year-round exploration, not just during big events. That’s why we’re inviting businesses to become part of the Lekker Passport™ – a way to connect travelers with unique destinations throughout the year.
If you run a business in Clarens – or anywhere else in South Africa – and want to be part of the Lekker Passport, we’d love to feature you.
How to Get Listed
Becoming a Lekker Passport destination is simple. Just visit https://beertroopy.com/get-listed/ to learn more and sign up.
The Lekker Passport is about more than just travel—it’s about discovering local legends and hidden gems. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to introduce visitors to the incredible businesses that make South Africa’s small towns so special.
Join us in this adventure and let’s explore more, together.