South Africa, often referred to as the “Rainbow Nation,” is a land of diverse cultures, traditions, and vibrant festivities. Its calendar is brimming with festivals that showcase its rich heritage, artistic expression, and natural beauty. Although southern Africa’s top attraction is its wildlife, many exciting African events and festivals are the ideal complement to Big 5 safaris.
Exploring celebrations, holidays, and cultural festivals in South Africa unveils a tapestry of vibrant experiences. From cultural celebrations to music extravaganzas, South African festivals offer something for everyone. Here's a month-by-month guide to some of the most exciting events and festivals in South Africa.
Ethnic Groups in South Africa
January
Cape Town Minstrel Carnival (Kaapse Klopse): The first event of the year is the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, or the Kaapse Klopse in Afrikaans. The Cape Town Carnival takes place each year on the 2nd of January in the Mother City. The carnival has its roots in the culture mix that formed at the Cape over hundreds of years. The roots of this African carnival stretch back to the days of slavery, as New Year was the only time slaves could play music and celebrate freely among the colonists. Their brightly colored attire of blazers, bow ties, and top hats mimicked the settlers. Troupes compete against each other annually to create the best performance in a lively spectacle well worth watching.
February
Marula Festival (Omagongo): Also known as the Marula Festival, Omagongo is celebrated by tribes in the northern parts of Namibia. This African festival centres around the marula fruit which is an important symbol of hope. This fruit is fermented to produce a potent brew, and these days its oil is big in the hair and beauty industries. This colourful African event unites communities and is recognised by UNESCO for this vital role.
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Marrabenta Festival: The Marrabenta Festival, held annually on Heroes Day in February, has brought this musical style to international attention. It is built on the legacy of local musician Malangatana Ngwenya and has been held in the cultural centre he built in his hometown Matalana, and also on Costa do Sol beach in Maputo. This festival in Africa is renowned for its 1,000-seat Marrabenta train, which makes a 40-minute trip from Maputo to Marracuene.
February - March
Livingstone International Cultural and Arts Festival: Livingstone is the site of several African festivals of culture, music, food, and theatre. Most of these African events fall in February and March, and they often spill out of town onto the Zambezi River near the mighty Victoria Falls. The Livingstone International Cultural and Arts Festival is the largest of the historical town’s festivals and is an annual African cultural event held under the auspices of the Zambia Tourism Agency, incorporating everything from street carnivals to boat cruises.
February - March
Cape Town Pride: Held at the end of summer between late February and early March, Cape Town Pride is one of the biggest Pride events in Africa. Thousands of people march alongside vibrant floats through the heart of Cape Town's CBD to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues and campaign for equality. As well as the parade, there are loads of events throughout the week including movie nights, parties, art exhibitions, karaoke, and more.
March
Cape Argus Cycle Tour: If you want to see a country, ride a bike. The most popular (and most scenic) is the Cape Argus, held every March. The Cape Argus Cycle Tour is a 68 mi (109 km) rush through Cape Town and its environs, and most of the Mother City’s residents turn out to watch 35,000-odd cycling enthusiasts go by in a glorious multi-coloured light-weight Lycra wave. The Cape Argus Cycle race is the world’s largest individually timed cycle race.
Cape Town International Jazz Festival: The Cape Town International Jazz Festival is the largest music event in southern Africa and has for this reason been called “Africa’s Grandest Gathering”. With crowds of more than 30,000 and performances from 40-plus international and African artists, the two-day African event stretches across five stages and is based at the magnificent Cape Town International Convention Centre. Expect to see big international acts like Dan Brubeck (the son of Dave) and Herbie Hancock.
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Absa Cape Epic: The most iconic African event is the full-service mountain bike race, the Cape Epic. This does of course come with a hefty price tag, but with the Rand exchange rate, this is not an issue for tourists. Covering around 700 km each year, competitors must endure up to 17,000 m of climbing during the race. The Cape Epic passes through picturesque Cape villages and traverses mountains, coastlines and fynbos-filled valleys. Everything is taken care of in this mammoth South African festival, from tents to medical care, so cyclists can focus exclusively on the race.
Cape Epic Cycle Race
Cape Town International Jazz Festival: Late March or early April sees the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, one of the biggest musical extravaganzas in Africa. The two-day event offers a mix of local and international musicians performing on five different stages for audiences of over 30,000. Billed as “Africa’s grandest gathering,” the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is on par with the likes of Switzerland’s Montreaux Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland.
March / April
Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK): The Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), an annual Afrikaans language arts festival held in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, encompasses both visual and performing arts and is one of the most vibrant African festivals to visit. Recognized by the South African government as a national arts festival, the KKNK is the largest in the country based on visitor numbers. With over 1,000 artists participating in more than 200 productions and exhibitions over eight days, typically in March or April, the festival holds a central role in Afrikaans stage productions.
April
South African Cheese Festival: Hit up the annual South African Cheese Festival in April to indulge in delicious produce from local artisans and international cheesemakers. As well as tastings, there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained, from cooking demos to pop-up picnics and live music on the lawn. A cheese festival set in the stunning Stellenbosch wine region, of course!
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Zomba City Festival: This relatively new African festival, located just north of Blantyre in Zomba city, takes place late in April. The Zomba City Festival's numerous activities include yoga, aerobics and historical walks, in addition to the usual festival fare of music, art and theatre performances. The Zomba festival is LGBTQ-friendly and tries to include as many female artists as possible.
Freedom Day: This national public holiday is one of the most important days of the year. It commemorates the anniversary of South Africa’s first non-racial election on 27th April 1994 - a very important sentiment to South Africans living in the post-apartheid world. The day is marked by military flyovers, parades, and street parties. South Africans may also visit important sites to honor the struggle for democracy or get together with family and friends for a Braai (barbeque) to celebrate peace and unity.
May
Pink Loerie Mardi Gras: The glitzy, gorgeous and glamorous don their wings and feather boas and flutter down to Knysna in early May each year for the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras. The Pink Loerie Mardi Gras is one of the highlights on South Africa’s gay and lesbian events calendar and the only carnival of its kind in Africa. The Pink Loerie Mardi Gras is the first and only Mardi Gras festival on the African continent. It is also one of the biggest parties in the country.
June
Sardine Run: Around June each year, word gets out along the KwaZulu-Natal coast that the sardines have arrived. The sardine shoals typically are massive and can stretch kilometres along the coast and following the shoal-above and below water-is a caravan of predators in feeding-frenzy mode. Opportunities abound for those looking to observe the great sardine-run phenomenon, whether from the coast, from the deck of a boat, underwater or with a snorkel. Like whale watching in Hermanus or travelling to Namaqualand to see the wildflowers in bloom, South Africa’s famed sardine run is a seasonal peculiarity popular among local and international visitors. It’s a phenomenon certainly worth watching from land, the ocean surface, or underwater.
Sardine Run
Sardine Feeding Frenzy with Sharks, Penguins and More | The Hunt | BBC Earth
July
Knysna Oyster Festival: Famous for its beautiful lagoon and delicious seafood, Knysna is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. Despite its name, this annual winter festival held in July offers so much more than oysters. Sure, indulge in some of the country’s freshest, creamiest oysters, but don’t forget about the fun runs, marathons, wine tastings, eating competitions, live music, and cooking demos. Round up the troops - this one’s a fun day out for the whole family. The Oyster Festival has a packed and varied programme of adventure, sports, and culture for the whole family.
National Arts Festival: This 11-day festival held in July is the biggest annual art event in Africa. A premier showcase of arts and culture, it has two programs, Main and Fringe, which runs the gamut of performances. Theatrical dramas and opera, music, street entertainers, and visual art are all integral parts of the 11-day-long festival. The National Arts Festival is staged in Grahamstown and is another popular July event.
August
Oppikoppi Bushveld Festival: Northam, north of Johannesburg and Pretoria, is the venue for the Oppikoppi Bushveld Festival in August. The festival is held on a bushveld faro near the mining town of Northam in the Limpopo province. Oppikoppi began life as a rock festival, but has grown significantly and now has several stages where folk and jazz artists, house DJs and even comedians cater to all tastes.
Standard Bank “Joy of Jazz”: The Standard Bank “Joy of Jazz”, one of the biggest jazz festivals on South Africa's musical calendar, is held in Johannesburg every year in August. At this not to be missed jazz extravaganza you will be able to enjoy a large variety of Jazz styles, from Afro jazz and fusion to Latin rhythms, bebop and straight-ahead, with the emphasis strongly on Jazz.
September
Hermanus Whale Festival: How many festivals are centred around the celebration of and conservation of a single species? The Hermanus Whale Festival is all about how man can live in harmony with nature and help to protect the southern right whale. There’s live music, food stalls, artisans, a vibrant street parade, a 10km fun run and plenty of entertainment for the kids. As it’s the only eco-marine festival in the world, there are also educational films and exhibitions. Best of all is the whale watching, and the festival date coincides with when the whales come close to the shore.
Hermanus Whale Festival
Royal Reed Dance (Umhlanga): The Reed Dance, also known as Umhlanga, is the largest event on the eSwatini events calendar, and possibly one of the most famous festivals in Africa. About 40,000 girls garbed in brightly colored traditional skirts march out to cut tall reeds, which they then present to the queen. These are used for erecting reed fences around the royal palace. The celebrations of this African festival then begin on the last days of the week-long ceremony, and the king sometimes chooses one of the young maidens as a fiancée.
Arts Alive Festival: During September, Johannesburg hosts the Arts Alive Festival, a 10-day spectacle dedicated to South Africa’s visual and performance arts. Theaters and other venues in the city’s old Newtown precinct stage dance and musical shows. Audiences are just as likely to see local performers enact Afro-fusion as Spanish flamenco dances. International acts often include Chinese puppet groups and ballet troupes.
Aardklop National Arts Festival: Every year during the last week of September, the southern region of the North West province prepares itself for one of the country’s greatest cultural festivals, called Aardklop (roughly translated it means “earth beat”). Held in the university town of Potchefstroom with its thousands of students, it offers a five day feast of classical music, jazz, hard rock, cabaret, visual arts, theatre, circus performances, opera, African and World music, poetry and more, ending with the “OppiAarde” rock festival on the final day.
October
Morija Arts & Cultural Festival: Morija is an educational centre located south of the capital Maseru in Lesotho. This African festival, which is the highlight of Lesotho's festival calendar, takes place in the village each year early in October, and features dance, food, fashion and concerts.
November
Jacaranda Festival: Due to its copious number of jacaranda trees, Pretoria is often referred to by South Africans as Jacaranda City. In late spring when the trees are in bloom, the area takes on a purplish hue.
Year-Round Events
AfrikaBurn: In 1986, some friends set fire to a wooden figure on a San Francisco beach, thus sparking off the Burning Man festival, which has transmogrified into dozens of different incarnations, including AfrikaBurn in South Africa. The event takes place in the remote and dusty Tankwa Karoo; those who attend must bring their supplies and leave no trace when departing. This is one of the most popular festivals in South Africa, and tickets sell out fast. During the week-long event, participants busy themselves with creative endeavors that sometimes take years to plan and prepare including sculptures, performances, music, and costumes, which they share with the colorful gathering.
HIFA (Harare International Festival of the Arts): This week-long African festival of the arts has been running for 25 years and celebrates theatre, dance, music, art, and poetry. HIFA is an important healing space for Zimbabweans, who have endured decades of political uncertainty and economic hardship and shows “a Zimbabwe that works” to visitors. It is the largest cultural event in the country and ranks among the eight major festivals in Africa.
MTN Bushfire Festival: Nestled in the lush Malkerns Valley, near Maseru in Eswatini, Bushfire is one of those family-friendly African festivals that people return to regularly. The line-up of artists includes both local and international “World Music” acts, and there are always a few wild cards thrown in to pique interest. MTN Bushfire Festival is growing in stature as one of the best African Festivals, and during the festival month, it transforms Eswatini from a sleepy kingdom to a bustling destination.
STRAB (Subterranean Rhythm and Blues) Festival: The STRAB (Subterranean Rhythm and Blues) Festival has been running for decades at Ponta Malongane, a campsite just off the beach in the south of Mozambique. Featuring a stellar line-up of blues artists who hail mainly from South Africa, STRAB is sold out every year, making it one of the most successful festivals in Africa. But the spirit of giving extends to the Mozambican community nearby, and solid charity work has been the order of the day since the event’s inception. Access to the festival is now simple, as a tar road now links Mozambique to South Africa.
Smoking Dragon Festival: Nestled in the northern Drakensberg, the Smoking Dragon Festival, hosted by Amphitheater Backpackers, is a celebration of nature and local talent against the backdrop of the stunning mountain range between South Africa and Lesotho. Highlights of the area include the world's most extensive consolidation of cave paintings, the second-highest waterfall globally, and the largest forest in the Drakensberg. Over New Year's Eve, the festival transforms this premier hiking destination into a vibrant showcase of music across four stages.
Sporting Events
Two Oceans Marathon: Dubbed “The World’s Most Beautiful Marathon”, the Two Oceans Marathon is a 56km event that incorporates the jaw-dropping views of the Cape peninsula, with a route that includes Chapman’s Peak, Hout Bay and Constantia Nek. Since it began in 1970 the marathon has grown in popularity, especially since the half-marathon was introduced in 1989.
Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM): The Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, KAEM, Big Daddy is a self-sufficient foot race of 250km over seven days and six stages. This is an epic African event for extreme athletes. The Big Daddy has been described as “brutal and insane” and is a true test for extreme marathon runners. The athletes often are forced to bond to overcome the elements, which include temperatures ranging from 40 degrees Celsius to minus five in the red sands of Kalahari Desert.
| Festival/Event | Month | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town Minstrel Carnival (Kaapse Klopse) | January | Cape Town | Celebration of emancipation with colorful parades and traditional music. |
| Marula Festival (Omagongo) | February | Northern Namibia | Celebration centered around the marula fruit, a symbol of hope. |
| Cape Town International Jazz Festival | March/April | Cape Town | Africa's grandest gathering, featuring international and local jazz artists. |
| Knysna Oyster Festival | July | Knysna, Garden Route | Celebration of oysters with eating contests, sports events, and family activities. |
| Hermanus Whale Festival | September | Hermanus, Walker Bay | Celebration of the return of Southern Right whales with music, arts, and whale watching. |
