Festivals and Events
-
The Klopse
A big minstrel carnival in which thousands of white-face revellers take to the streets.
-
Cape Town Pride
South Africa’s gay community is now enjoying the freedom it was denied under Apartheid.
http://www.capetownpride.co.za -
Cape Town Festival
The best in original South African and international music, performance, art and comedy.
http://www.capetownfestival.co.za -
Two Oceans Marathon
A number of races are held against a stunning backdrop.
http://www.twooceansmarathon.co.za -
Table Bay Classic Yacht Race
http://www.rcyc.co.za -
The Great White Shark Festival
Celebration of the GWS through awareness, protection, entertainment, education and research.
http://www.whitesharkfestival.org -
Indian Shopping Festival
At the Grand West casino.
http://www.itf.co.za -
Encounters
South Africa’s only film festival devoted exclusively to documentaries.
http://www.encounters.co.za -
Spring Wild Flower Show at Kirstenbosch
Also wine festival at the Waterfront.
-
Robertson Wine On The River
More than 40 wineries showcasing 200-plus wines on the banks of the Breede River.
http://www.wineonriver.com -
World Cinema Festival
A celebration of international movies, with African film at its heart.
http://www.sithengi.co.za -
Mother City Queer Project
A grand summer bash for Cape Town’s gay and lesbian communities.
http://www.mcqp.co.za
Theatre, Cinema and Opera
Theatre and music are alive and well in Cape Town. The grander shows – drama, opera, ballet and the occasional lavish musical – are staged at the Artscape (Nico Theatre Centre) on the Foreshore. The three auditoriums in the centre are also venues for an increasing number of international shows. Plays, music and sometimes local and experimental drama can be enjoyed at the Baxter Theatre Complex, whose two main halls have a 600-plus capacity. There’s also a small studio/workshop. Light musicals and comedy are staged in Camps Bay’s revamped Theatre On The Bay. There are also a number of smaller, intimate theatres. Check the local press for up-to-date details.
Cape Town caters for most tastes in classical music. Evening concerts are performed in ornately Baroque surroundings at the City Hall. Among other venues, especially pleasant in the summertime, are the Amphitheatre at the V & A Waterfront and the Kirstenbosch Gardens in Newlands.
Most of the large shopping centres in the city and suburbs incorporate movie theatres in their entertainment halls. A must for Waterfront visitors is the BMW Pavilion, venue for the IMAX experience – the world’s largest film format. Pin-sharp images projected on to a huge screen with powerful digital sound create something close to virtual reality.
Museums and Galleries
There are many interesting museums in Cape Town which tell the story of the country’s past – sometimes glorious, sometimes shameful. The South African Museum is housed in a magnificent old building and has a vast collection of fossils unearthed from the strata of the Great Karoo and the whales of the southern seas as well as some of the best examples of rock art in the world. The South African National Gallery is the country’s premier art museum and has a constantly engaging exhibition of South African and international art. District 6 Museum is a celebration of the vibrant way of life of a community removed in the infamous incident of the Group Areas Act during South Africa's Apartheid era. The South African Cultural History Museum, housed in a former slave lodge of the Dutch East India Company, shows the history of the diverse peoples making up the Cape foundation. Information about Cape Town’s museums can be found at www.iziko.org.za/sam
For Children
Cape Town offers plenty to keep kids entertained. They’ll love a visit to the walk-through, window-lined tunnels of the Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront (www.aquarium.co.za.). Ratanga Junction is a big theme park located next to the Canal Walk shopping mall. There are many popular rides, including the terrifying Cobra roller-coaster. www.ratanga.co.za. The kids won’t want to miss Hout Bay’s World of Birds, the largest bird park in Africa with 100 or so walk-through aviaries. www.worldofbirds.org.za. And there’s a planetarium alongside the South African Museum. www.museums.org.za/planetarium. Another fun trip might be to the West Coast Ostrich Ranch, which is about 19 miles from central Cape Town. And don’t forget some of the things we’ve already mentioned: a trip to the top of Table Mountain, a visit to Robben Island, whale-watching and of course, the beaches.
