Bring in the New Year with these Cape Town events

29 December 2025

Cape Town, like the rest of the world, is preparing to ring in the New Year, and the Mother City has a range of exciting events in store to help residents and visitors usher in 2026 in style. Here’s a guide to those events.

The Cape Malay Road March will usher in the New Year with traditional Malay music, drums and marching as several choirs take to the streets of the Cape Town CBD on Wednesday, 31 December 2025.

The evening will begin with a procession from Rose Street in Bo-Kaap at 20:30, before making its way down Wale Street and concluding in Adderley Street.

The event is expected to finish at approximately 04:00 on Thursday, 1 January 2026.

This is a free event, and the public can line up along Rose Street, Wale Street and Adderley Street to celebrate with the bands and choirs who will be entertaining the crowds.

Several roads in the CBD will be closed on 31 December 2025 to accommodate the procession and ensure public safety.

Motorists are advised that the following roads will be closed from 17:00 on 31 December 2025 until 04:00 on 1 January 2026.

Due to the road closures, the MyCiTi service in the inner city will be impacted.

For more information on the service disruption, visit the MyCiTi website

Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert

Iconic South African band Mango Groove, joined by The Billy Joel Experience will take to the stage at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden for a celebration that ensures everyone enters the New Year on a high note.

Music lovers can spend New Year’s Eve surrounded by nature under the shadow of Table Mountain.

The New Year’s Eve Concert will bring an upbeat sound and nostalgic energy for an unforgettable evening.

Gates open at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden at 19:00, with the concert scheduled for a 20:30 start.

Tickets are available via Webtickets

SA20 Cricket Action

Cricket lovers are in for a New Year’s T20 action at Newlands Cricket Ground where home team MI Cape Town will be taking on the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 clash.

The reigning champion MI Cape Town will be looking to once again turn Newlands into a fortress having gone unbeaten at home last season.

The game kicks off at 17:30. Gates open 3 hours before the start of play.

General parking is available at Groote Schuur Primary on Campground Road and Groote Schuur High School on Palmyra Road.

Tickets are available from the MI Cape Town website.

V&A Waterfront New Year’s Eve Celebrations

The V&A Waterfront will once again host one of Cape Town’s most iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations, offering a free, family-friendly event at one of the city’s most popular destinations.

The evening will feature live performances by an impressive line-up of artists, including Emo & Loukmaan Adams, Zoë Modiga, GoodLuck, DJ Shezzy K and the Starlight Band.

Entertainment is scheduled for a18:00 start with the various acts taking the stage through the evening for this free event.

High pedestrian volumes are expected. Visitors are advised to arrive early, expect traffic delays and make use of public transport where possible.

Motorists heading into the CBD and the V&A Waterfront can expect high traffic volumes on Nelson Mandela Boulevard, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Buitengracht Street, Walter Sisulu Avenue, Portswood Road, Dock Road, Ebenezer Road, Duncan Road, Beach Road, Eastern Boulevard, Granger Bay Boulevard, Fort Wynyard Street, Haul Road, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Somerset Road and Green Point Main Road.

For more information on these and other events taking place in Cape Town, visit the Events in Cape Town website.

Photo Caption: Images of previous events

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office