Annual Events

There’s always something happening in Cape Town, from carnivals to sporting events to stage shows. Events range from once-off to daily to annually. If you want to be kept up to date with all types of events, we recommend you subscribe to the newsletter on the Cape Town Magazine website. The table below is a list of our favourite annual events.

External Links: Cape Town Magazine - Cape Town Tourism - Computicket
Note: The month column is only an indication and is not always the same every year. Also note an event can be cancelled, although this is rare.

 Event  Description  
Cape Minstrel Carnival A popular street carnival dating back 130 years. Rich in Malay tradition with some American minstrel and Dutch influences. About 10,000 brightly clad minstrels take to the streets (in competing clubs). Jan
Sun Met An amazing event, combining horseracing and fashion. Includes picnic village, lifestyle village, luxury lounges, marquees, suites, live entertainment, dance floors, parade ring, grandstand and after-party. Jan
Ultimate X South Africa’s premiere action sport festival with the best local and international extreme athletes. Includes skateboarding, bicycle motocross (BMX) and freestyle motorbike motocross (FMX). Held at GrandWest. Feb
Moonstruck A summer beach concert held at Clifton 4th beach close to Valentine’s Day. Enjoy sand between your toes, moonlight on your face, dancing, romance, picnics, live music, sunset and stars above. Feb
King of the Air The best kite surfers in the world compete in this Red Bull extreme international competition. See aerial stunts, tricks and acrobatics high above the water. Big Bay is a great amphitheatre for spectators. Feb
KDay An all-day music festival showcasing great local talent. Bring a picnic basket or enjoy one of the many food stalls. Suitable for the whole family.  Mar
Cape Carnival A glamorous street parade that celebrates Cape Town’s creativity and diverse array of communities. Includes floats, marching bands, dancers, costumes, drums, masquerades, music, puppets and 50,000 spectators. Mar
Cycle Expo This three day Expo, held at the Cape Town Stadium, promotes cycling, fitness and a healthy lifestyle. See the latest and greatest gear and paraphernalia. It is much more than just a cycling expo. Mar
Cycle Tour With 35 000 cyclists, it’s the world's largest individually timed cycle race. A 109km (68 miles) route through some of the world’s most spectacular scenery that includes the iconic Table Mountain as a backdrop. Mar
Cape Epic Has being referred to as the "Tour de France of mountain biking". An eight day race, including Cape Town, Cape surrounding areas, mountain towns and wine farms. Attracts elite international riders. Mar
SA Navy Festival SA Navy opens their ships, submarines and dockyard to the public. Enjoy exhibits, demonstrations, displays, food vendors, craft stalls, kids play area, tea garden and tug boat rides. Mar
Two Oceans Expo This three day Expo, held at the CTICC, promotes running, fitness and a healthy lifestyle. See the latest and greatest gear and paraphernalia. It is much more than just a running expo. Apr
Two Oceans Marathon This 56km Ultra Marathon is known globally as "the world's most beautiful marathon". Other events include a Half Marathon, Trail Runs, Fun Runs, Toddler Trot and Nappy Dash. Apr
Decorex A homeowner and lifestyle expo at the CTICC. See the latest designs, décor, trends, products and services for all things home. Includes furnishing, building, decorating, DIY, fabrics, kitchen and bathroom. Apr
Jazz Festival Affectionately referred to as “Africa’s Grandest Gathering”. The festival typically includes 5 stages, 2 nights, 37000 music lovers and 40 artists (50/50 split of SA and international). Apr
FanCon (comic con) Enjoy Cosplay (character dress up), author signings, talks, board gaming zone, artist alleys, exhibits, action figures, novelties, manga, collectables, art prints, graphic novels, and comics. Held at CTICC. May
Good Food Wine Show The biggest culinary event in South Africa. Pushes the boundaries of innovation, excellent food, great wine and lifestyle experience. Includes celebrity chefs, demos, and theatre talks. Held at the CTICC. May
Cape Town Pro A World Surf League (WSL) qualifying series event held annually at Big Bay. Also included are some SA Pro Surf Tour (PST) under 18 events. Jun
Electronic & Gaming Expo (EGE) Includes 400 player LAN gaming, Cosplay (character dress up), SA’s best gaming teams compete, board gaming zone, merchandise and exhibits. Enjoy latest & greatest electronics and games. Held at the CTICC. Jul
Kite Festival Africa's biggest kite festival. Includes kiting displays, stunt kites, kite-making workshop & competitions, buy a kite, bring your own kite, picnics, craft stalls, food vendors, kid rides and live entertainment. Oct
Flower Show Enjoy show gardens, retail exhibits, flower art, talks, demos, food court, wine tasting, craft beer, floral theatre and Master Florist competition. Includes a display of the Cape Floral Region and is held at GrandWest. Oct
Zombie Walk This is a unique event with 1000s of made-up Zombies. The Zombie Walk is for all ages and the Zombie Fest (after party) is for over 18. The walk has a great atmosphere and is exciting to be part of. Oct
World Rallycross South African leg of FIA World Rallycross (World RX) Championship. A combination of rallying and circuit racing (on dirt and asphalt surfaces). Spectacular high speed racing and loads of off track activities. Nov

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