The Cape Town Carnival – the Mother City’s colourful celebration of creativity, culture and the performing arts – is set to take to the streets of Green Point on Saturday, 15 March 2025 for its 15th anniversary.
What to expect:
In the spirit of this year’s theme, WowZA!, expect several headline performers, including YoungstaCPT, DJ Ready D, Bravo Le Roux, Paxton Fielies and the SA Youth Choir, as well as special appearances by the DHL Stormers, the Drag Cartel and Rio’s Carnival’s Queen of the Drums: Erika Januza.
Not to mention the massive vibrant floats and 1 500 or so performers from across the city in eclectic costumes set to strut their stuff after the City of Cape Town’s law enforcement officers and Fire and Rescue Services bring on a heat-inducing carnival opening.
The three-hour carnival parade is expected to draw in an enormous crowd of approximately 30 000 people – a whopping amount compared to the humble 11 000 spectators who joined the first festivities back in 2010.
In addition to the traditional parade on Somerset Road and Green Point Main Road, the carnival will also be hosting an entertainment village with a stage for performances by some of Cape Town’s top acts and food trucks.
The village, which can be found near the parade starting point, will showcase performances from 3pm until midnight, including an after party headlined by DJ Ready D and YoungstaCPT.
Entry to watch the carnival is free, however, members of the public can also reserve a spot in the seated area (R480), the City Sightseeing Red Bus (R350) and VIP hospitality area (R1 950) – tickets of which are available online here.
With the Cape Town Carnival kicking off at 6pm and the parade taking performers from the intersection of York Road and Main Road to the end point in Chiappini Street, residents and motorists are advised that several road closures in the Green Point area will be in effect over the weekend:
Road closures to take note of:
Friday, 14 March to Sunday, 16 March
- Cobern Street: Between Liddle Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 8am to 8pm
Saturday, 15 March to Sunday, 16 March
- Main Road: Between Varneys Road and Granger Bay Boulevard (full closure – eastbound and carriage way) – 3pm to 1am
- Prestwich Street: Between Alfred Street and Chiappini Street (full closure) – 12pm to 1am
- Somerset Road: Between Granger Bay Boulevard and Granger Bay Boulevard (eastbound closure) – 12pm to 1pm
- Somerset Road: Between Granger Bay Boulevard and Buitengracht Street (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Ebenezer Road: Between Prestwich Street and Somerset Road (full closure – hotel access only) – 1pm to 1am
- De Smit Street: Between Jarvis Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Moreland Terrace: Between Napier Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Napier Street: Between Jarvis Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Alfred Street: Between Schiebe Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Dixon Street: Between Dixon Street and Jarvis Street (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Chiappini Street: Between Prestwich Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Chiappini Street: Between Strand Street and Somerset Road (full closure) – 1pm to 1am
- Alfred Street: Between Prestwich Street and Schiebe Street (full closure – hotel access only) – 4pm to 1am
- Prestwich Street: Between Napier Street and Alfred Street (full closure) – 4pm to 1am
Parking arrangements:
Carnival goers are advised and encouraged to find parking in the following areas (please not that some of these areas are paid parking):
- Heritage Square: Buitengracht Street
- Cape Quarter: Hudson Street
- Battery Park & Breakwater Parking: V&A Waterfront
- P14: Green Point Main Road (Sea Point approach)
- Green Point Park: Helen Suzman Boulevard
There will also be designated e-hailing drop-off points at:
- 52 Waterkant Street
- 1 Port Road
- 11 Upper Portswood Road
- Green Point Park: Helen Suzman Boulevard
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