Cape Town Events Throughout the Year

Wondering what’s happening in the Mother City? Cape Town has a busy year-round calendar of festivals, sporting events, concerts, cultural celebrations and major international gatherings.

Below you’ll find some of Cape Town’s best-known annual events, along with a few major festivals in the nearby Cape Winelands and Overberg that are easy to include in a Cape Town holiday.

Event dates can change from year to year, so always check the organiser’s website before making travel arrangements.

Summer Events in Cape Town

Cape Town’s summer runs from December to February, although the outdoor event season usually gets going during October and November and continues well into March.

Cape Town summer highlights

Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts – November to March

One of Cape Town’s longest-running summer traditions, the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts bring major South African and international performers to the lawns of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. The most recent season ran from November to March, with the next programme announced by SANBI ahead of summer.
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts – SANBI

The Galileo Open Air Cinema – October to May

The Galileo screens films under the stars at venues around Cape Town and the Cape Winelands, including Kirstenbosch, Century City and selected wine estates. The 2026/27 season is confirmed to run from October 2026 to May 2027.
The Galileo Open Air Cinema

Major summer events

• November: Cape Town Festive Lights Switch-On – the City’s huge free celebration on the Grand Parade and Adderley Street traditionally launches the festive season. The 2026 event is confirmed for 29 November 2026.
• December: HSBC SVNS Cape Town – international rugby sevens at DHL Stadium. The 2026 Cape Town tournament takes place on 5–6 December 2026.
• January: Tweede Nuwe Jaar / Cape Town Street Parade – the famous Kaapse Klopse celebration fills central Cape Town with thousands of performers, ghoema music and colourful minstrel troupes. The exact parade date can vary from year to year.
• January: L’Ormarins King’s Plate – one of Cape Town’s biggest horse-racing and social events, held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse. The 2027 running is confirmed for 9 January 2027.
• Late January: World Sports Betting Cape Town Met – Cape Town’s other major summer racing, fashion and entertainment event at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The exact 2027 date was still to be confirmed at the time of this update.
• February: Cape Town 10s – a huge social sport and lifestyle festival combining rugby, netball, dodgeball, padel, golf, live music and more. The next Cape Town event is confirmed for 5–6 February 2027 in Green Point.
• February: Investing in African Mining Indaba – one of Africa’s largest mining investment conferences, bringing thousands of delegates to the CTICC. The 2027 event runs from 8–11 February 2027.
• February: Cape Town Pride – a month of LGBTQ+ events culminating in the Pride Parade and Mardi Gras. Cape Town Pride 2027 runs from 5–28 February, with the parade and Mardi Gras on 27 February 2027.

Autumn Events in Cape Town

March to May is one of the busiest periods on Cape Town’s events calendar, particularly for sport, music, arts and festivals.

Cape Town autumn highlights

Cape Town Cycle Tour – March

The Cape Town Cycle Tour is one of the city’s defining sporting events, taking thousands of cyclists on a spectacular route around the Cape Peninsula. The next event is on 14 March 2027.
Cape Town Cycle Tour

Cape Town International Jazz Festival – March

One of Cape Town’s most famous music events is changing considerably in 2027. Rather than a single festival weekend, the organisers have announced a month-long celebration throughout March 2027, including headline concerts, community shows, intimate performances, masterclasses and discussions.
Cape Town International Jazz Festival

Major autumn events

• March: Cape Town Carnival – a massive night-time procession of floats, dancers, performers and community groups on the Green Point Fan Walk. The 2027 Carnival is confirmed for 20 March 2027.
• 31 March–4 April 2027: Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon – a full festival of running culminating in the 21.1 km Half Marathon on 3 April and the famous 56 km Ultra Marathon on 4 April 2027.
• April: Comic Con Cape Town – Cape Town’s large pop-culture, gaming, cosplay, comics and entertainment convention. The next edition runs from 24–27 April 2027 at CTICC 1.
• April: Ultra South Africa – Cape Town – the international electronic music festival returns to Cape Town on 30 April 2027.
• Late April/early May: Suidoosterfees – one of Cape Town’s major performing-arts festivals, with theatre, music, comedy, dance, literature and visual art centred around Artscape and surrounding venues. The 2026 edition ran from 29 April to 3 May; future dates should be confirmed with the organisers.
• May: Franschhoek Literary Festival – authors, readers and thinkers take over venues throughout Franschhoek for a weekend of talks and discussions. The next festival runs from 14–16 May 2027.
• May: Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – now one of Cape Town’s biggest international events. From 2027 it becomes Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Major, joining races including London, Boston, Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago, Sydney and New York. The 2027 race weekend is 22–23 May 2027, with the marathon on 23 May.

Winter Events in Cape Town

Cape Town’s winter may be cooler and wetter, but the city’s cultural calendar remains busy, with film, comedy, design, food and wine taking centre stage.

Cape Town winter highlights

Jive Cape Town Funny Festival – May/June

The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival brings South African comedians and international variety performers to the Baxter Theatre each winter. The 2027 festival runs from 24 May to 20 June 2027.
Jive Cape Town Funny Festival

Encounters South African International Documentary Festival – June

One of Africa’s longest-running documentary film festivals, Encounters presents South African and international documentaries, filmmaker Q&As, panels and industry events. The 2026 festival ran from 4–14 June, with screenings and events across Cape Town.
Encounters Documentary Festival

Major winter events

• June: Decorex Cape Town – one of Africa’s major interior design, architecture and décor exhibitions at the CTICC. The next Cape Town show is confirmed for 3–6 June 2027.
• July: Franschhoek Bastille Festival – Franschhoek’s French heritage is celebrated with food, wine, entertainment and the traditional blue, white and red dress theme. The 2026 festival took place on 11–12 July.
• August: Cape Town’s event calendar typically begins picking up again towards spring, alongside the start of the Western Cape’s wildflower season and the increasingly active whale-watching season.

Spring Events in Cape Town

Spring in the Western Cape runs from September to November, bringing wildflowers, whale watching, book festivals, outdoor events and the start of Cape Town’s summer entertainment season.

Cape Town spring highlights

Open Book Festival – September

Cape Town’s major literary festival brings writers and readers together for discussions, performances and conversations across the city. The 2026 Open Book Festival took place from 4–6 September.
Open Book Festival

Hermanus Whale Festival – September/October

About 90 minutes from central Cape Town, the Hermanus Whale Festival celebrates the annual return of Southern Right whales with whale watching, conservation programmes, live entertainment, markets and family activities. The 2026 festival runs from 2–4 October 2026.
Hermanus Whale Festival

Major spring events

• October: Cape Town International Kite Festival – Africa’s oldest kite festival returns on 24–25 October 2026. Importantly, the current venue is Youngsfield Military Base in Ottery, not Muizenberg or Zandvlei as older guides still claim.
• October onwards: The Galileo Open Air Cinema begins its new summer season at venues across Cape Town and the Winelands. The 2026/27 season runs from October to May.
• November: Cape Town Festive Lights Switch-On – the free Grand Parade celebration marks the arrival of Cape Town’s festive season. The 2026 event takes place on 29 November.
• November onwards: Cape Town’s outdoor concert, market and festival season accelerates as the city heads into December and the peak summer tourism period.

Finding Current Cape Town Events

Cape Town’s calendar changes constantly, with new concerts, exhibitions, theatre productions, sporting fixtures, markets and festivals announced throughout the year.

For the latest things to see and do, browse the ComeToCapeTown Blog, where you’ll find updated guides to Cape Town attractions, events and experiences.