Cape Town Events and Festivals

(Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa)

Cape Town offers a packed calendar of events throughout the year, giving the city a real buzz. As well as a large number of sporting and outdoor events, Cape Town also hosts a vast array of music concerts, and food and wine festivals.

Many attract people from all over the world, offering a huge choice of things to do, all through the year. Plan your visit to Cape Town carefully and you may well be able to add at least one or two of the city's festivals and celebrations to your itinerary.

Cape Town Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Cape Minstrel's Carnival - Cape Town's famous New Year 'karnaval' includes lively parades through the city, finishing at Green Point Stadium. Look out for colourful costumes, and singing and dancing in what marks the beginning of the city's annual Cape Minstrel competition, held throughout January and February
• Standard Bank Cape Town Jazzathon - held mid-January. This popular open-air jazz festival is staged on Cape Town's Waterfront and attracts huge crowds
• Cape to Bahia Yacht Race - the South Atlantic Race and Rally is a long-distance race that has been going for over 30 years and which attracts everything from luxury catamarans to more modest vessels crewed single-handed in this blue water classic
• J and B Met - held at the end of January at Kenilworth Racecourse, this renowned horse racing event is one of South Africa's best, with plenty of money to be won and lost, and a chance to see the latest in haute couture

February

• Cape Town Gay Pride Festival - held mid-February. A festival which takes place over 10 days and which includes the Pride Parade as its grand finale
• Design Indaba - held end-February. This conference and expo is generally held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and showcases some of the best in South African design. More than 20,000 visitors come to see the accomplishments of South Africa's designers and to see who will win the coveted 'Most Beautiful Object in South Africa' award

March

• Cape Argus / Pic n Pay Cycle Tour - every March, thousands of cyclists race around a route which takes in some of the best sights on Cape Peninsula. There is also a week-long programme of activities, including a mountain bike challenge and expo
• SpiritFest - mid-March, a spiritual weekend of yoga, dance, kayaking and live music

April

• Cape Town Festival - a festival which celebrates the culture and heritage of Cape Town. Over three days, the main event boasts a host of theatre shows and films, as well as a grand Unity Parade. A series of Community Festivals also take place from February to April as part of this celebration
• Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon - an ultra-marathon which is traditionally held on Easter Saturday and which has been staged since 1970. Nowadays, it attracts thousands of runners and spectators. A half-marathon also takes place alongside this prestigious event
• Design for Living - mid-April, held at the Good Hope Centre, this is a well-known exhibition of everything related to new trends in design and technology, as well as lifestyle

May

• Cape Town Fashion Festival - a celebration of all that is fashionable in South Africa. A series of fashion shows culminate in the prestigious Cape Town Fashion Awards
• Cape Times VandA Waterfront Wine Affair - held in early May. Visitors can look forward to sampling some of the 300-odd wines on show at this popular wine festival as well as some gourmet offerings. The wines come from over 70 of South African major wineries
• Cape Good Food Show (SA Gourmet Festival) - with demonstrations by celebrity chefs to hands-on workshops and food tastings, gourmets can look forward to enjoying a whole range of culinary experiences at this popular food expo each May

June

• Cape Town Book Fair - an event which attracts anyone interested in the printed word in Africa
• Man in Focus - the city celebrates Fathers' Day each June, at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront

July

• Vodacom Funny Festival - an award-winning comedy event which showcases local and international stand-up comedians
• Red Bull BWA (Big Wave Africa) - mid-July, a surfing extravaganza at Hout Bay that rates as one of the world's longest running big wave-in paddle competitions

August

• VandA Waterfront Spring Flower Show - it may still be winter in Cape Town, but this flower show gives keen gardeners a chance to celebrate spring early with stunning floral displays by some of the city's top gardeners, garden nurseries and flower arrangers
• Cape Town Fashion Week - held over four days in August in the International Convention Centre, this is South Africa's main fashion event. Over a dozen shows present what's going to be hot in fashion for the spring / summer season. The event opens to the general public
• Cape WOW Women's Festival - a festival which celebrates women, including seminars and workshops, as well as music, film and drama performances

September

• Hobby-X - also held in March and June, Hobb-X is South Africa's leading craft and hobby show, featuring a range of over 40 crafts and including demonstrations and workshops

October

• Cape Town International Kite Festival - held at the end of October, visitors can look forward to some spectacular displays of kite-flying by international and local city teams

November

• Cape Town Flower and Garden Show - mid-November, held on the Lourensford Wine Estate, the show features everything related to horticulture and nature
• Cape Town World Cinema Festival - held at the Cinema Nouveau, over 30 films are screened in this fast-growing festival of African and international film. Township and children's screenings are also staged as part of this event

December

• OBZ Festival - held in the Observatory on the first weekend of December, this popular live music festival marks the start of summer in the city. There are also craft markets and children's areas with storytelling, singing and other entertainment
• Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts - a series of concerts held on Sunday throughout the summer, until April. Bring your picnic hamper, relax and enjoy the music
• Mother City Queer Party - held at Cape Town High School each December, this famous huge summer party has a 'no costume, no entry' policy that guarantees plenty to see and a 24-hour party atmosphere