The Wine Boutique has partnered with renowned South African wine producer Simonsig MCC for a new lifestyle experience that will bring together wellness, wine, food, music and entertainment when The Bubbly Run takes place on November 21.
Billed as Eswatini’s first event of its kind, The Bubbly Run will combine a 5km run or walk with a wine and lifestyle experience, allowing participants to move from an active morning into an afternoon of wine tasting, food, music and socialising.
The partnership brings together The Wine Boutique, an Eswatini-based wine and lifestyle business, and Simonsig, an established South African wine estate with a long history in the country’s wine industry and a particular association with sparkling wine.
Simonsig is a family-owned wine estate based in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The estate is widely associated with Cap Classique and produced Kaapse Vonkel in 1971, recognised as South Africa’s first traditional-method, bottle-fermented sparkling wine.
The partnership therefore places a brand with a strong sparkling-wine heritage at the centre of an event designed to offer a different approach to wellness and social entertainment in Eswatini.
For The Wine Boutique, The Bubbly Run is about creating an experience that goes beyond a conventional running event or wine tasting.
Lungile Motsa, Owner and Director of The Wine Boutique, said the concept was developed to bring several lifestyle elements together in one experience.
“We wanted to create something different, an experience that brings together wellness, adventure, wine, music and good food. The Bubbly Run is designed to give people an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, connect with others and celebrate life in a completely different way.”
The event will begin at 6am, with participants taking part in a 5km route from The Wine Boutique towards Mantenga Nature Reserve Waterfall and back.
Participants will have the option of either running or walking the route, allowing the event to cater to people who may want to participate for fitness as well as those looking for a more relaxed outdoor experience.
But unlike a traditional race, crossing the finish line will not mark the end of the day.
The programme will continue with wine tasting, food and entertainment, with Mixmash and DJ Tap set to provide music. The Wine Soirée will form part of the afternoon programme, allowing guests to move from the physical activity into a more relaxed social environment.
The organisers have also incorporated fashion into the concept, encouraging guests to wear their “chic fit” in Simonsig MCC colours.
Motsa said the preparations for the event are already progressing, with the Bubbly Run merchandise now ready and available.
The merchandise forms part of the build-up to the November event and gives prospective participants an opportunity to engage with the event’s identity ahead of the day itself.
The event’s promotional material also provides details for those interested in attending. Tickets are priced at E400 per adult, with limited spaces available. The programme is scheduled to run from 6am until 6pm.
The 5km route from The Wine Boutique to Mantenga Nature Reserve Waterfall and back is expected to form the first major part of the day before participants return for the wine, food and entertainment programme.
The involvement of Simonsig adds another dimension to the event. With its long association with Cap Classique, the wine producer brings a sparkling-wine heritage that fits naturally with the concept of The Bubbly Run. Its participation means the wine component will not simply be an addition to the event but will form part of the overall experience.
The event also represents a departure from the conventional format of both running and wine events. Running events generally focus on fitness, distance and competition, while wine experiences tend to centre around tasting, food and socialising.
The Bubbly Run seeks to combine these elements in one programme, creating an environment where participants can be active in the morning before enjoying wine, food and music later in the day.
The choice of Mantenga Waterfall as part of the route also gives the event a strong connection to Eswatini’s natural surroundings. Participants will experience an outdoor route before returning to The Wine Boutique for the social component of the programme.
The concept comes at a time when wellness and social activities are increasingly being combined in lifestyle events. Running and walking groups have become social spaces in their own right, with organisers around the region incorporating music, food, fashion and other forms of entertainment into fitness activities.
The Wine Boutique and Simonsig are bringing that broader lifestyle approach into the Eswatini market, with the event designed to appeal not only to experienced runners but also to people interested in walking, wine, food and social experiences.
For The Wine Boutique, the partnership with Simonsig also creates an opportunity to introduce an established wine brand to a format that is different from a conventional wine tasting.
As preparations continue, the availability of the event merchandise is one of the indications that the organisers have moved into the build-up phase ahead of November.
The Bubbly Run is scheduled for November 21, 2026, at The Wine Boutique, with the 5km route extending to Mantenga Nature Reserve Waterfall and back.
Participants will be able to choose between running and walking before joining the rest of the day’s programme, which will include wine tasting, food, music and the Wine Soirée.
With The Wine Boutique and Simonsig MCC combining wellness with sparkling wine, entertainment and Eswatini’s outdoor landscape, The Bubbly Run is being positioned as a new addition to the country’s lifestyle and wellness calendar.
