Darlings. If you heard squeals of delight, spontaneous applause and the relentless click-click-click of phone cameras on Saturday, that was us. Long Dog Wines took part in the Stellenbosch Harvest Festival Parade and let me be very clear about one thing upfront… we stole the show.
All seven of us dogs were out in full force, joined by one of our seasonal workers and a visitor who clearly thought they were just popping by for a casual stroll. Instead, they found themselves walking alongside a moving spectacle of long dogs, wide smiles and an audience that lost its collective mind.
The Stellenbosch Harvest Festival is rooted in tradition, not tastings.
While Stellenbosch is famous for wine, the Harvest Festival itself centres on celebration and community — with parades, music and ceremony taking priority over wine being served.
The crowd adored us. And when I say adored, I mean:
- children abandoning all sense of composure,
- adults waving, cheering and crouching for photos,
- phones raised so often it looked like a coordinated flash mob.
I posed. Obviously.
I waved (pawed).
I held eye contact with cameras like a professional.
The others played their roles beautifully — Sam dignified as ever, Dino soaking up the attention, Noodle scanning for threats — but let’s not pretend the parade didn’t slow down every time I passed.
The parade is the heart of the festival.
Local farms, wine estates, workers and community groups take to the streets in a colourful procession that honours the people behind the harvest — from vineyard teams to creatives and cultural icons.
The humans added to the magic by making balloon dogs for the kids, which felt both complimentary and slightly derivative, but I allowed it. Community spirit matters.
There was pomp. There was ceremony. There was colour, music and that harvest-time buzz that fills the streets of Stellenbosch when everyone remembers why they love this town so much.
It’s one of Stellenbosch’s oldest seasonal celebrations.
The festival has been celebrated for decades as a moment of gratitude, pride and joy — a reminder that wine begins with people, place and hard work long before it reaches a glass.
Long Dog Wines didn’t pour wine yesterday.
We didn’t need to.
We brought joy.
We brought personality.
We brought dogs to a harvest parade — and honestly, what more do you need?
Until the next strut, stroll or show-stopping appearance.
Stay fabulous. Stay iconic.
Ziggy
Head of marketing. Head of glamour. Head of the parade.
