The Cape Town Carnival, the Mother City’s most popular street festival, returns this Saturday, 19 March 2022 after a two-year hiatus. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the carnival comes with an exciting twist.
The 2022 Cape Town Carnival, themed ‘Reunited’, will feature over 600 performers who will entertain crowds at five different venues across the city centre.
The five hubs – at Cape Town High School, Greenmarket Square, Heritage Square, SA Museum and the National Gallery – will be the stage to 25 diverse performances from 14:30 to 21:30.
‘It’s exciting to see that the Cape Town Carnival is back, as a visible expression that Cape Town is bouncing back. I really congratulate the organisers on finding a way to work outside of the classic carnival format and to continue to bring people together in celebration. Major events like these are important to Cape Town, and help position us as a truly global destination city.
‘The Cape Town Carnival is one of the most popular events on the city’s annual calendar. For more than a decade, it has been an event where families can enjoy a day of entertainment, a variety of food, art and diverse cultural experience. We are looking forward to seeing the festival’s growth pick up from where it left off before the Covid-19 pandemic,’ said Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
The City of Cape Town is proud to be a sponsor and a partner in an event that celebrates Cape Town and its diversity.
The Carnival costume department at its Maitland-based workshop has spent the last three months designing and manufacturing over 300 costumes for the performers.
In addition, its fabrication crew has created five new floats, five set designs and various art pieces to be integrated into the individual shows.
Several other life-sized and giant art pieces will be installed along the event footprint for pedestrians to view.
‘A lot of hard work goes into putting the carnival together. From the effort that goes into crafting the set pieces and the garments that the performers wear, to the logistical work City officials put in to ensure that all those who attend are safe and secure during the festivities. Our services are on standby to ensure that the carnival’s return is a smooth transition,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith.
Due to Covid-19 regulations, the number of spectators at the hubs will be limited.
Spectators can book their seat at one of the shows by purchasing a ticket for as little as R10 per show or R50 to attend all performances.
Tickets are available here.
They will also be on sale on Paddock Avenue and on the corners of St Georges and Shortmarket Street on Carnival day.
Here is what you can expect from each hub:
Greenmarket Hub (The DRUM Era)
- Jhoomkar Indian Dance Group
- MTN Minstrels
- Afton School of Dance
- High Brass Band
- Rainbow Academy
- Kuyakhanya Primary School
National Gallery Hub
- Portuguese Community of Cape Town
- Mali Drummers
- Bulumko High School
- Ithongo Lethu
- Masizakhe Youth Art Project
- Lavender Hill Cares Arts Academy
Hartfield Street (Cape Town High School)
- Aphrodite Belly Dance Studio
- MTN Malay Choir
- WPMA
- Eoan Crew
- Big Band Theory
- AFRI-CAN
SA Museum Hub
- Cochoqua Khoisan Community
- Sanscape Dancers
- Stilt Walkers
- Betjies van Betjiesfontein
Heritage Square Hub
- Chinese community
- Afro Groove
- Tenacity
- Hanover park
- Cadets drummers
- Biorithm
- Michelle Davids
Motorists are advised that some roads will be closed to traffic on Carnival day.
Source: City Of Cape Town