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For South Africans, 16 June isn’t merely another day on the calendar. The official public holiday commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Between 3,000 and 10,000 high school learners marched in Soweto to protest the Bantu Education directive. Almost 700 people lost their lives.
In honour of Youth Day (Tuesday, 16 June), Cape Town will host a series of events, from community fun runs and festivals to educational discussions. Check them out below:
CBD
Resisting Erasure: A Documentary of the 2025 Living Rights Festival
- 3pm - 5pm
- Location: Avalon Auditorium, Caledon Street, Buitenkant St, District Six
- Cost: Free, bookings via Quicket
Presented by the Institute for African Alternatives and the University of the Western Cape, Resisting Erasure! captures the voices that shaped the 2025 Living Rights Festival. There’s no sitting on the sidelines for this one. The audience is invited to reflect on the role of young people in confronting injustice and imagining more just and inclusive futures. Amandla!
The Youth Day Museum Crawl!
- 9:30am - 3:30pm
- Location: Iziko South African Museum, 25 Queen Victoria St, Gardens
- Cost: From R100, bookings via Quicket
Cape Town Heritage Tours is doing a crawl across the city’s national collections. The guided walk will take you through all five of the landmark museums open to the public in and around the CBD.
Time Out Tip: Don’t forget that selected Iziko museums in the CBD are free for South African citizens on Youth Day.
Centre Stage - Dancing into the future
- 7pm
- Location: Artscape Opera House, Cape Town CBD
- Cost: R180 - R300, bookings via Webtickets
Three hundred young dancers, aged 5 - 25, will present 20 different pieces of choreography to celebrate the Cape Town City Ballet’s past, present, and to dance into its future. Under the ambassadorship of retired principal dancer Laura Bosenberg, funds will be raised for the Cape Town City Ballet.
SOUTHERN SUBURBS
Run For Hope
- 10am
- Location: Zandvlei Recreational Park, Promenade Rd, Marina Da Gama
- Cost: From R50, bookings via Quicket
Join the Safe House for a 5km fun run in support of children and families in need in Nectar Road, an informal settlement in Retreat. Participants are encouraged to bring along non-perishable food items.
The Magnificats Sing
- 5:45pm - 9pm
- Location: The Sozo Foundation Skills Hub, Unit 1A Nexus Place 6 Capricorn Drive Capricorn Business Park, Muizenberg
- Cost: From R50, bookings via Quicket
Community choir The Magnificats are doing their part for the Sozo Foundation Skills Hub on Youth Day. Proceeds from the concert will be shared with the NGO, dedicated to empowering young people through education, skills development, and community support.
CAPE FLATS
The Craft Social
- 6pm - 9:30pm
- Location: 160 Sir Lowry Rd, Woodstock
- Cost: From R20, bookings via Quicket
Punted as a craft cafe experience, The Craft Social is so much more than that. You get to choose your project from a craft menu. Enjoy a complimentary beverage. Spend time creating something of your own. Now that’s self-care.
NORTHERN SUBURBS
uKNIGHT Youth Festival
- 9am - 4pm
- Location: Bosmansdam High School, Bothasig
- Cost: R30, fee paid at festival entrance
A vibrant community-driven Youth Day event organised by the Bothasig Community Police Forum (CPF), the uKnight Youth Festival will feature a family-friendly 5km/10km fun run, youth market, sports challenges, and live entertainment.
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