How to plan your ultimate jazz weekend in Cape Town

Whether you prefer smooth soul, eclectic riffs, spiritual jazz, Afro-fusion or boundary-pushing improvisation, you are in for a mega treat in the Mother City at the end of March.  

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 27–28 March 2026, while the inaugural Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek debuts in the Winelands from 27–29 March.  Add in a free city-centre concert and a street-level jazz circuit through Bree Street, and you’ve got four days of jazz magic across the city.

Here’s how to plan the perfect jazz-packed long weekend.

Wednesday: Kick things off with a free concert

Jazz week begins in the heart of the city with the CTIJF Free Community Concert on 25 March (4pm - 10pm) at Greenmarket Square.

This open-air show has become a much-loved tradition and offers a taste of the energy before the main festival begins. The lineup builds through the evening before closing with international star power:

• Joneca
• Zolani Mahola
• Cameron Ward
• Justin-Lee
• Zoë Modiga
• Headliner: Sheila E. & The E-Train

Expect a festive crowd, plenty of street energy and one of the easiest ways to experience the festival atmosphere for free.

Thursday: Follow the music through Bree Street

Before the big stages open, jazz spills into the streets. On 26 March, Jazz in the City transforms a six-block stretch of Bree Street - between Castle and Wale Streets - into a walkable jazz circuit for one night only.

Think of it as the fringe event of Cape Town’s jazz week, where bars, galleries, restaurants and hidden rooms become pop-up venues.  Instead of one main stage, audiences move between spaces, building their own route through a mix of ticketed and free performances.    

Artists appearing across the Bree Street circuit include:

• Sisonke Xonti
• Vuyo Sotashe
• Yonela Mnana
• Kujenga
• Herbie Tsoaeli
• Muneeb Hermans

Ticketed shows:

• Vuyo Viwe @ Athletic Club & Social
• Kujenga @ Room 91 (above Chef’s Warehouse)
• Yonela Mnana @ Blue Room
• Sisonke Xonti @ Castle Room SunSquare Hotel
• Herbie Tsoaeli @ 107 Castle
• Mfazwe ya Mwezi @ Trade Bar & Social  

Free shows:

• Cape Correspondence @ Openwine
• Josh Menaire Experiment @ Story Horse Bar
• Bheki Khoza @ Open Gin Bar
• Muneeb Hermans @ Shortmarket Street
• Umuthiomkhulu Ensemble @ Shortmarket Street
• DJ Bob’s Jazz Club @ The Vault on Bree

 Plan your route along one of Cape Town's busiest streets with this Best of Bree Street Guide. 

Friday and Saturday: The main CTIJF event at the CTICC

The festival’s headline shows take place on 27 and 28 March at the CTICC, with multiple stages running simultaneously and artists spanning jazz, soul, Afro-fusion and electronic.  

Highlights from the 2026 lineup include:

• Jacob Collier
• Abdullah Ibrahim
• Fatoumata Diawara
• Yussef Dayes Experience
• Yellowjackets
• Nubiyan Twist

South African artists remain central to the programme, with appearances from:

• Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse
• Jimmy Nevis
• Nduduzo Makhathini
• Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane
• Tutu Puoane
• BCUC
• Raveena
• Lordkez

Understanding the CTIJF stages

Part of the fun of CTIJF is hopping between its signature stages.

• Kippies Stage

Named after South African jazz legend Kippie Moeketsi, this stage often hosts major international acts and headline performances.

• Manenberg Stage

A Cape Flats suburb celebrated by jazz lovers thanks to the jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim. On this stage, you'll find vibrant, high-energy performances from Sio, Jazz Wrld & Thukuthela and Nubian Twist. 

• Moses Molelekwa Stage 

Named after the late jazz pianist, this stage offers a mix of contemporary jazz, crossover acts and experimental sounds, featuring the likes of Camissa Knights and Carlo Mombelli.

• Rosies Stage

An intimate venue with limited capacity, here you'll experience new artists like UK saxophonist Jasmine Myra, as well as the most anticipated performance of the festival by the legendary Abdullah Ibrahim.

Time Out Tip: You cannot plan every minute. Explore, the festival is designed for discovery, and some of the best sets are the ones you stumble upon between stages.

Five acts you really shouldn’t miss

Trying to narrow down your schedule? Start here.

• Jacob Collier: The multi-instrumentalist known for joyful, genre-bending live shows.
• Abdullah Ibrahim: A rare chance to see one of South Africa’s greatest jazz legends perform at home.
• Fatoumata Diawara: A global star blending West African rhythms with jazz and soul.
• Yussef Dayes Experience: One of the most exciting drummers in contemporary jazz right now.
• Sheila E. & The E-Train: The percussion powerhouse and longtime Prince collaborator is closing the free concert.

The Ultimate Jazz experience: Road trip to Franschhoek

The same weekend also marks the African debut of the Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek in Franschhoek, taking place 27–29 March. The Winelands festival brings its own heavyweight lineup, including Malian legend Salif Keita and South African trumpeter Mandisi Dyantyis.

Expect special collaborations too, including drummer Kesivan Naidoo’s amaBig Band Experience.

The best strategy? Do both. And book a transfer service so you can enjoy the experience without having to worry about fatigue or drinking and driving.

Spend your evenings at the CTICC in the city, then escape to the vineyards for a daytime show in Franschhoek. It’s about an hour’s drive from Cape Town - and one of the most scenic festival commutes you’ll ever have.

Must-know Cape Town Jazz Weekend details  

Cape Town International Jazz Festival

• Where: Cape Town International Convention Centre
• When: Friday, 27 March – Saturday, 28 March | 6:45pm, 5:45pm
• Cost: From R1,350 via Ticketmaster

Free Community Concert

• Where: Greenmarket Square
• When: 25 March, 16:00–22:00

Jazz in the City

• Where: Bree Street (Castle Street – Wale Street)
• When: 26 March 2026

Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek

• When: 27–29 March 2026
• Where: Franschhoek, The Arches + Jazz Village (NG Church Complex)
• Tickets: via Ticketmaster.