[category]
[title]
Is this the most colourful weekend of the year in the Mother City? It might just be, as the Cape Town Carnival returns on Saturday, 21 March 2026, bringing one of the city’s biggest annual street parties back to Green Point.
This year’s edition runs under the theme ‘Follow Your HEART’, and around 1500 performers from communities across the Cape are expected to take part in the three-hour parade. The Carnival is marking 16 years of the event in 2026, with organisers promising a big night of floats, music, dance and street performance.
The parade – which officially starts at 7pm – will once again be the main attraction, but there’s plenty more happening in the hours before and after.
Alongside the moving spectacle of floats, bands and dancers, carnivalgoers can expect entertainment villages with food and bars, spectator stands, live stages and a late-night afterparty.
But if you’ve been before, you’ll know that the pre-parade build-up is half the fun. And if you love a man in uniform, you’re in luck!
In what has become one of the event’s best-loved traditions, the City’s brave men (and women) in blue (and red) are set to take part in the warm-up activities before the main procession, so expect the City’s Fire and Rescue Services and Law Enforcement officers to step out in style.
An entertainment village near the start of the route will run from 3pm through to midnight, with food trucks, performances and an afterparty headlined by DJ Ready D, YoungstaCPT and DJ Summer Heynes. You can also look forward to performances and appearances by the likes of Zolani Mahola – check out her favourite city spots here – as well as Anslin Gysman, Natasha van der Merwe, Dylan Majavie, Nyaniso Tutu-Burris, Rizah Potgieter, Siv Ngesi and Miss Universe South Africa 2025 Melissa Nayimuli.
Among this year’s creative touchstones are 12 ‘creative champions’, whose personal stories have helped shape the various parade pods. The event will also pay tribute to Khayelitsha hip hop artist Bravo le Roux, who died in January and has inspired one of the floats.
What does it costs to watch the Cape Town Carnival?
If you’re heading down, the good news is that watching from alongside the route is absolutely free! But, for a more comfortable vantage point, premium seated tickets can be booked through Quicket.
VIP hospitality experience:
- An exclusive raised viewing platform with cushioned bench seating
- A delicious food offering including welcome snacks, canapés, bowls, and ice cream
- A private bar serving MCC, wine, beer, non-alcoholic cordials, soft drinks, and water
- Dedicated sound, lighting, security, waiters, ushers, toilets, and parking
- Face painting for a little extra Carnival magic
- Cost: R1950 per person
Seated stands:
- Bleacher-style terraced seating with a clear view of the Fan Walk
- Easy access to nearby food vendors
- No food or drinks are included with this ticket.
- Cost: R480
City Sightseeing Red Bus
- See the Carnival from a unique perspective aboard the iconic City Sightseeing Red Bus
- Cost: R350
How do I get there?
Right, here’s the tricky part. With thousands of carnival-goers expected to flood the area from Saturday and into the wee hours of Sunday, getting there and around is not going to be easy.
Somerset Road will be closed from midday until 2am on event day, affecting access from side streets along the route.
Green Point Main Road, from the P14 area, will close from 2pm. The City has also warned that MyCiTi services along Somerset Road will be disrupted by the closures, with route deviations in place.
If you’re driving, your best bet is to park in the city centre or V&A Waterfront. Think Heritage Square on Buitengracht Street, Cape Quarter on Hudson Street (but this could be crowded too) or the Battery Park and Breakwater parking areas at the V&A Waterfront. Green Point Park on Helen Suzman Boulevard is an option if you’re coming from Sea Point.
In other words: go early, expect traffic, and use public transport or ride shares where you can.
The smart move... stay the night
If you really want to soak up the Carnival gees, book a room in the area and get in the spirit of the party!
There are still plenty of availability for places to stay on Airbnb in and around the parade route, which means you won’t have parking woes or a long wait for a ride home after. Prefer something a little more upmarket? We found dozens of great hotels and apartments in Green Point, some of which look right down onto the parade!
Need to know
- Cape Town Carnival takes place on Saturday, 21 March 2026 in Green Point.
- The pre-parade starts at 6pm, with the main parade kicking off at 7pm
- The parade starts at the intersection of York Road and Green Point Main Road, before moving along Somerset Road and ending at Chiappini Street.
- The entertainment village runs from 3pm to midnight.
- General roadside viewing is free. Premium tickets can be booked through Quicket.
Head over to our social media channels to follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. And don't forget to sign up to Time Out's free newsletter for expert recommendations on new things to do, see, eat and drink in the Mother City.