Event information
The Miniaturia Guild of Cape Town hosts its annual Miniatures Fair at St Thomas Church Hall in Rondebosch, showcasing the work of local and South African miniaturist craftspeople across a single day. A percentage of door takings is donated to the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS), a Western Cape non-profit organisation that provides trained volunteer teams to support CapeNature and SANParks in managing wildfires. The Guild is also collecting in-kind donations of eyedrops, water and glucose sweets for use by firefighters during wildfire operations.
The fair features large displays of Guild members' work, including Cape Dutch dollhouses, Versailles rooms, dioramas, steampunk pieces and individually crafted miniatures, alongside sales tables offering miniature foodstuffs, accessories, hand-bound leather books, fine artwork, glazed pottery, Fimo clay pieces and kits. Among the makers represented, Felicity Walker (Soft Touch Miniatures) holds a Fellowship of the Academy for South African Miniaturists, and Barbara Brear (BB Miniatures) holds accreditation with the International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA). A public vote on the best display takes place on the day, with members having completed a themed challenge during the year.
Activities include a children's treasure hunt, a miniature penny arcade haunted house with moving parts, a pot-painting station for all ages, and a woodturning display by the guild's co-tenants at their Pinelands premises. Members of the public are welcome to enquire about joining the Guild, which runs skills workshops twice a month. No prior experience is required. The Guild, founded in 1990, celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2025.