What to do with the kids these school holidays?
We’ve rounded up the best family-friendly spots – from farms to ninjas, animals, and personalised bear-making!

1. ECR House and Garden Show
Your kids can be dropped off and booked into the Kids Zone, under the super-watchful eyes of a caring team, while you do what you came to do. Drop and shop.

2. Sunset Club, Gold Coast
Grab the whole family and head to the Sunset Club at Gold Coast Estate. They have an indoor and outdoor play area for the kiddies as well as an amazing restaurant.

3. Blueberry Beacon
Take the kids to Blueberry Beacon. It’s a restaurant with a big indoors play area. Every 30 minutes a different superhero character appears. Fun for the whole family and perfect for rainy days.

4. Build-A-Bear
How about something completely unique? Take your kids to get themselves their very own personalised cuddle buddy. It will be an experience the whole family will love!

5. Flag Farm Animal Farm
Enjoy a wholesome day out at Flag Animal Farm. From feeding goats to tractor rides, it’s hands-on fun for all ages – and an absolute hit with animal lovers.

6. @Tap Coffee Corner
A proudly child friendly facility in the heart of Durban North. Enjoy something to eat & drink while the kids have some fun on their playground.

7. Funtubbles
Indoor amusement park vibes at Funtubbles! Rides, arcade games, and loads of laughs. Right next to the food court too which is a bonus!

8. Ninja Warriors
Unleash your child’s inner ninja at Ninja Warriors! Obstacle courses, climbing walls, and non-stop action in a safe, high-energy environment. Perfect for kids with lots of energy.

Baby it’s cold outside… but it’s sizzling hot in the Durban Exhibition Centre where this year’s East Coast Radio House + Garden Show is turning up the heat, once again making Durban the warmest place to be. And the countdown is closing in… with just 3 days to go until the doors swing open!

The Show’s all about the colourful dynamics of fresh spaces.bright living with a showground chock-full of indoor and outdoor inspiration to get you colouring in your kitchen, plotting your next wild adventure, flexing your green fingers, or adding a new recipe to your repertoire! There’s more to do, see, taste and test than ever before… and just wait until the kids see the crazy fun line-up in the Kids Zone. This is what school holidays are all about!

HOME GROWN GOODIES

This year, hunt down your old favourites…but find some brand-new ones. Head for our proudly Homegrown hall, and seek out Madame Stitch’s customised sewing… or let the kids hunt down the surprise activity at Bows for Boo! From handcrafted jewellery to hats for beach or braai to stylish clothing, there’s homegrown gifts and goodies for all.

EATS & TREATS

Make it a real family outing. Everybody at the Foodie Fair is ready, willing and waitering to serve up some sensational fare – wait until you taste the deliciousness served up at Sophie’s Café Pop-up Restaurant! Every which way you turn, you’ll be tucking into some perky cupcakes or a Real Deal Curry, steaming boerie rolls or a delectable wrap. Get to the Deli, and pick up your favourite spices, sauces and delectable surprises.

It’s pretty cocktails and local gins, draught beers and wonder wines, with the best of LOCAL ‘n’ LIVE music with awesome sounds from Matt Gardiner, Tristan Boltman and other Durban legends. It’s the only fun place to meet up with besties and buddies!

FUN OUTSIDE

Who’s doing what in the Outdoor Arena this year? We’ve cooked up hot and cold, with everything from icy plunge pools to solar panels. Come and talk to Volvo as they showcase their brand-new electric car! Suzuki’s Jimny will be there – the little powerhouse that loves to eat dirt. Meet up with your favourite flames: the Braai Guys and Spitz Unlimited. Take home Africa’s coolest plants to green up your patio, and let Patio Guru and Iconic Luxury Furniture show you their sexiest seating for 2025 and beyond. From Padel Court fundis to Thule’s sleek and slick accessories for everything indoors and out, the Outdoor Arena is not just for Tarzan, it’s for Jane and the kids too.

WIN BIGGER AND BETTER

Do we have crazy competitions this year? Would it even be the East Coast Radio House+ Garden Show if we didn’t? WIN an entire kitchen worth over R100 000 from The Kitchen Studio, complete with all the appliances of your dreams from Hirsch’s and a R5 000 Pick ‘n Pay voucher to boot! Yes, you read all of that right! You have to be in it to win it, of course, so get to the Hirsch’s Sound Experience Station, and lend them your ears… you’ll need them to win!

Anybody NOT feel like a holiday? Thought so. One Stop Travel and Tours are offering a chance to WIN a trip for two to Mauritius, an MSC Cruise, or a local getaway to Umthunzi Hotel and Conference. Pimp my Skipa with Cricut and start your side hustle. They’re giving away three sensational Cricut Business in a Box kits, each worth R30 000. That’s R300 000 worth of prizes just for starters, and there are loads of little to large giveaways and goodies down every lane.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Schools out, so drop off your youngsters in the Kids Zone for the best fun ever or hang out with them at the Melissa & Doug playspace. Let off creative steam at Create Ceramics, and paint the pot red. They’ve got all the equipment and all the energy. Just bring yourself and have a self-care playdate! And then it’s time for bed, with America’s No 1 brand, Serta. Try to stay awake as you test drive Serta’s newly launched Best of Both, exclusive to Serta SA. On the inside, you’ll find the exclusive patented Mira Coil system providing proper back support and alignment, while the Pocket Coil system ensures targeted comfort. It’s so scientifically designed, there’s no chance of you disturbing the sleep of your other half. And on top, the imported Bio-Care™ fabrics prevent the contact of electromagnetic waves by 98.5% during sleep, so it functions as a magnetic barrier. This is the future of sleep.

SEE YOU THERE

Hear that click? The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2025 is about to unlock the door on fresh spaces.bright living by bringing together a wide range of superb brands, creatives, products, innovations and people under one vast roof! And it’s all a family friendly affair, from the food and festivities, to décor and design, and live and loud broadcasts from the East Coast Radio DJs.

It’s high time you got your hands on tickets to the biggest and best Show in Durban. Buy them for less online and save – @iticketssa – or get them at the door. The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show is Durban’s hottest expo. Come on in, it’s warm inside.

Wine lovers, mark your calendars as the best of the Cape’s wine farms are coming to Durban for one day only. The much-anticipated Pick n Pay Wine & Food Festival is making its return to Durban on Saturday, 28 June 2025, promising a celebration of South Africa’s top wine estates, delicious food, and vibrant local entertainment, all set against the beautiful backdrop of the Chris Saunders Park in uMhlanga.

The festival celebrates all types of wine lovers, whether you are a seasoned sipper or a casual enthusiast.

Visitors can wander through the park, wine glass in hand, while sampling wines from 35 top wine estates, including Durbanville Hills, Paul Cluver and Spier, and wines exclusively produced for and sold at Pick n Pay. There is also a dedicated Sparkling Experience tasting lane for those who prefer their bubbles.

The ever-popular Pick n Pay Tasting Room offers an exclusive 40-seat session pairing specially selected wines with gourmet canapés. Each session is hosted by a chef and the featured wine producer, who offer intimate knowledge of the story and flavour behind the wine, helping attendees recreate such experiences at home. Booking is essential, as space is limited, and the cost is R130 per session, per person.

Foodies are also in for a treat with the various offerings available. For those seeking a stress-free day of leisure, the all-new Pick n Pay Picnic Bag, for R325, is the perfect add-on to your ticket. Designed for two, the picnic bag now features a fresh new look. It is filled with delectable treats, including a charcuterie and cheese grazing box, a trio of dips, olive and rosemary focaccia, a potato salad, a sweet treat, and bottled water. The Picnic Bag is ideal for sharing while relaxing on the lawns with your favourite bottle of wine from the tastings.

The Pick n Pay Fresh Food Market will once again serve a curated menu of festival favourites, with a variety of fresh, delicious options, including fish and chips, seasonal salads, sushi, and cheese and charcuterie platters, and indulgent bites from the ever-popular Pick n Pay Burger & Pizza Trucks. There is also a Bomb Squad stand for a refreshing Bomb Squad beer, created by Steven Kitshoff and Malcolm Marx, paired with a boerie roll fresh off the braai.

The Pick n Pay Wine Shop lets festivalgoers shop their favourite wines from the day to enjoy on-site with great food and live music, or order them via Pick n Pay asap! for quick delivery straight to your door.

Offering more than just wine, festivalgoers can also capture memories at the Wine Club 360° photo booth. The Durban event will see the introduction of a Health & Beauty stand for the first time.

Members of the Pick n Pay Wine Club – one of Smart Shopper’s free-to-join lifestyle clubs – have the exclusive opportunity to purchase an Early Access ticket to access the event an hour earlier at 12pm. This allows wine enthusiasts to have more intimate tastings with the exhibiting producers before the gates open to the general public at 1pm.

General access tickets are R300, which include access to the event, one wine tasting glass, and 20 wine tasting tokens. Tasting Room sessions and picnics must be booked separately.
For more information and to book your tickets, visit Webtickets.

Event details:

· Date: 28 June 2025.
· Venue: Chris Saunders Park, Centenary Boulevard, uMhlanga
· Time: From 12pm for Pick n Pay Wine Club Member Early Access ticket holders From 1pm for General Access ticket holders
Tastings end at 4.30pm

STRICTLY NO U-18 (babies in strollers are not allowed)

Ticket costs:
· General Access: R300 (includes access, 1 wine tasting glass & 20 wine tasting tokens).

Please note the event has a Tasting Token System to honour the various price points of the wines available. Tokens are required for each tasting, based on the price point of the wine.

– Under R100 – 1 Token
– R101 – R200 – 2 Tokens
– R201 – R400 – 3 Tokens
– Over R400 – 4 Tokens

· ADD-ONS (A General or Early Access ticket must still be purchased)

Tasting Room Session: R130 per person per session
Picnic Bag: R325 (for two people sharing)

Pick n Pay Tasting Room Sessions

SATURDAY

· 12:30 Boekenhoutskloof
· 13:30 Pongracz
· 14:30 Franschhoek Cellar
· 15:30 Paul Cluver