It’s shaping up to be an epic Cape Town summer, with outdoor concerts, food festivals, sporting action, buzzing markets, family days out, and plenty of reasons to get out and enjoy the city and beyond.
Planning your summer? Here’s our guide to what’s on in Cape Town from October to December 2026:
October
The Hermanus Whale Festival
📅 2 to 4 October 📍Hermanus
This vibrant eco-arts celebration brings whales, culture and community together, with live music, art, thought-provoking forums, delicious food, markets and plenty of family-friendly fun. Just 90 minutes from Cape Town, it’s an easy coastal escape packed with nature, creativity and memorable experiences. More information here.
Boland Summer Festival
📅 2 to 4 October 📍 Daljosaphat Stadium, Paarl
Head to Paarl for the Boland Summer Festival, a three-day celebration packed with live entertainment, food, shopping and family fun. Browse more than 160 stalls, watch live performances, explore the Show N Shine car display, enjoy the funfair and rides, or relax in the Tasty Tea Garden. With activities for all ages, it’s a great way to kick off the summer season. Find out all you need to know here.
Century City Summer Night Market
📅 9 October & 13 November 📍 Century City Urban Square
Ease into the weekend at Century City’s Summer Night Market. Tuck into street food, artisan crafts and live music. Open from 4pm to 9pm, it’s the perfect after-work outing for you and your family and friends. Convenient parking is available nearby, and the market is cashless. Find out more here.
DHL Stormers home matches
📅 10, 17, 24 & 31 October 2026📍 DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Get behind the DHL Stormers this October as they face four big-name opponents at DHL Stadium: Hollywoodbets Sharks (10 October), Bristol Bears (17 October), Scarlets (24 October) and Ulster (31 October). Four home fixtures and lots of gees! Book your tickets via Ticketmaster.
The Galileo Open Air Cinema
📅 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027 📍 Cape Town & Winelands venues
Watch movies under the stars with The Galileo Open Air Cinema, returning for its 2026/27 season. Settle in at scenic venues with picnic treats, drinks, and entertainment, featuring a diverse lineup of classics and new releases for all to enjoy this summer. Here’s the full lineup.
Nelson Mandela Marathon
📅 18 October 📍 Cape Town
Lace up for the Nelson Mandela Marathon, a celebration of his enduring legacy. Choose your challenge from the 42km, 21km, 10km, and 5km races, and join runners from near and far as you take on the course and experience Cape Town’s spirit. Marathon information can be found here.
IBF World Championship
📅 23 October to 1 November 📍 Bellville Velodrome
Cape Town goes global as the world’s best blackball players descend on the city for the IBF World Championship. With athletes and delegations from 16 countries competing for the title, expect high-stakes matches set against the backdrop of Cape Town’s legendary hospitality. Find out more.
Cape Town International Kite Festival
📅 24 to 25 October 📍 Youngsfield Military Base, Ottery
Get swept up in the kite action at the Cape Town International Kite Festival. Watch giant kites take to the sky, then stick around for family entertainment, kite-making workshops, food stalls and an amusement park. Now in its 32nd year, the festival brings colour and creativity to the outdoors while raising awareness of mental health. Get tickets via Quicket.
Mind Matters Summit
📅 29 to 30 October 📍 Cape Town International Convention Centre
Mind Matters Summit takes over Cape Town with a city-wide programme of events, starting two weeks before the main event with Mental Mastery Week. The two-day Summit brings together ideas and practical tools for mental fitness, leadership, and mindset growth. Learn more here.
November
Killarney Motor Show
📅 1 November 📍 Killarney International Raceway
The ninth edition of the Western Cape’s biggest motor show features an action-packed lineup of high-octane thrills and entertainment. Expect drifting, spinning, off-road action, karting, stunts, more than 2 000 displays and interactive experiences, plus live music, food, a fun fair and passenger rides. Gates open at 10am, with free on-site parking available. Get your tickets via Webtickets.
Red Bull King of the Air
📅 21 November to 6 December 📍 Kite Beach, Bloubergstrand
Cape Town’s famous summer winds set the stage for the return of Red Bull King of the Air, bringing the world’s best Big Air kitesurfers to Kite Beach for a spectacular display of skill. Watch riders launch sky-high against the backdrop of Table Mountain, with the competition held during a window when wind and swell conditions are at their best. The event is free to attend.
Cape Town Coffee Show
📅 21 to 22 November 📍 Newlands Cricket Ground
The inaugural Cape Town Coffee Show brings South Africa’s coffee community together for two days of coffee, food, and more. Taste coffees you’ve never tried, discover new beans and roasteries, meet the people behind them, and get up close to some of the best equipment and brewing gear. There’ll be tastings, cuppings, workshops, demonstrations, and expert insights from our education partner, the African School of Coffee. More information here.
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts
📅 25 November 2026 to 29 March 2027 📍 Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Set against the slopes of Table Mountain, the Summer Sunset Concerts bring together great music, picnics, gardens and golden-hour views. This season’s lineup features Mi Casa, GoldFish, Will Linley, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Mango Groove and Billy Joel, making it a highlight of the summer for music lovers. Get your tickets via Webtickets.
Taste of Cape Town
📅 28 to 29 November 📍 Green Point Cricket Club
Foodies, Taste of Cape Town is the place to be for a serious taste of the city’s culinary scene. Over two days, top restaurants, chefs and food makers serve more than 120 dishes, with live entertainment, chef demonstrations, tastings, pairings and plenty of hands-on foodie fun. Find out more here.
Streetopia
📅 28 November 2026📍 Observatory, Cape Town
Streetopia is an annual event that brings communities and creatives together for a day of colour, creativity and good vibes. It’s free, and everyone’s welcome. Visit their website for more details.
Festive Lights Switch-On
📅 29 November 📍 Grand Parade & Adderley Street
Cape Town lights up for the festive season at the annual Festive Lights Switch-On. Head to the Grand Parade for a free live concert featuring some of the city’s biggest names before the lights go on. Entry is free.
December
HSBC SVNS Cape Town
📅 5 to 6 December 📍 DHL Stadium
Get ready for two days of fast-paced international rugby sevens as HSBC SVNS returns to Cape Town. Watch the world’s top men’s and women’s teams go head-to-head, with the Blitzboks facing the global competition on home soil. Expect big hits, quick tries, and plenty of off-field entertainment. Grab your tickets here.
Young at Heart Festival
📅 11 to 13 December 📍 Youngsfield Military Base, Cape Town
Cape Town’s Young at Heart Festival (formerly the Cape Town Halaal Market) returns for three days of lifestyle, entertainment, and shopping. South Africa’s largest lifestyle exhibition brings together more than 350 exhibitors. Get more info here.
My Cape Town Market
📅 16 to 20 December 📍 The Company’s Garden, Cape Town
Get into the festive spirit at My Cape Town Market, which takes over the Company’s Garden for five days of summer fun. Browse local stalls, enjoy food and drink, and soak up the lively atmosphere in one of Cape Town’s most iconic green spaces. Admission is free, with evening sessions from 5pm to 10pm and 4pm to 9pm on 20 December.
Unity On the Square
📅 19 December 2026📍 Greenmarket Square
Unity On the Square returns to Greenmarket Square for its sixth edition, featuring some of South Africa’s favourite artists for an evening of live music. Gates open at 2 pm, with the show kicking off at 4pm and running until 11pm. Bring your sun hat, sunblock, and camping chair. Tickets via Quicket.
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