The Funda Mzantsi Championship is a literary event that celebrates personal growth and inspires critical thinking and empathy through literature. Inmates from correctional facilities compete alongside community book clubs, university students, and school learners, exhibiting their dedication to selfimprovement and transformation. The championship highlights the transformative power of reading and the enduring legacy of literature in personal development and societal transformation.
The 45th Loeries Creative Week is set to take place in Cape Town from October 2nd to 6th, celebrating the creativity and excellence of the African and Middle Eastern creative industry. With a theme of “Blood, Sweat, and Tears,” the event will offer a range of activities, including masterclasses, seminars, networking dinners, and award evenings, as well as opportunities for young talent to showcase their work and secure employment. The event is expected to attract over 8,000 attendees from over 20 countries and promises to be a fusion of diverse ideas and artistic expression.
Cape Town is hosting Placido Domingo’s Operalia 2023, a prestigious international opera competition, in October and November. The event will take place at the Artscape Opera House and features participants from 15 countries, including South Africa. The competition has been instrumental in launching the careers of numerous gifted singers, and Operalia’s vice president has highlighted the substantial representation of South African talent among the 34 successful candidates. The event is poised to leave a lasting impression on the local arts scene, offering a platform for the next generation of extraordinary singers.
Cape Town is celebrating its 45th year of hosting the prestigious Loeries festival, which brings together exceptional talent from Africa and the Middle East for a weeklong immersion into the world of creativity. The festival’s theme, “Blood, Sweat, and Tears,” showcases the resilience and dedication of the brand communications industry. Loeries Creative Week is expected to host approximately 8,000 innovative individuals from over 20 countries, offering an unparalleled opportunity for the exchange of groundbreaking ideas, trends, and best practices. The festival serves as a testament to Cape Town’s dynamic creative community and its commitment to supporting the growth and development of creative industries.
A timetraveling adventure awaits as the Mother City Queer Project (MCQP) makes a comeback in Cape Town on December 16, 2023. The annual LGBTQIA+ event, which has been on a threeyear hiatus, has been a platform for imaginative selfexpression and solidarity for over 20 years. This year’s “Back to the Future” theme encourages attendees to interpret it as they wish, with the event honoring the past, present, and future of South Africa’s LGBTQIA+ legacy. Through live performances, entertainment, and refreshments, MCQP offers a warm and welcoming environment for the community while raising funds for African LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants.
Cape Town’s Permit Office is preparing for a busy summer season filled with a slew of events that showcase the city’s rich culture and vibrant atmosphere. The office oversaw 62 sanctioned events in just one week, including sports events and artistic festivals, with over 65,000 attendees and participants. Collaboration between event organizers and the city’s Events Coordinating Committee is crucial for ensuring compliance with established regulations and maintaining high safety standards. As Cape Town’s event calendar continues to fill up, the city’s spirit remains alive, entertaining residents and visitors alike.
Confections X Collections (CxC) is an event that celebrates African fashion and gastronomy. Taking place in November 2023 at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, the event will showcase intimate salonstyle fashion shows featuring distinguished designers from Southern and Western Africa. The hotel’s pastry chef will also create designerinspired sweets to elevate the traditional afternoon tea experience. CxC highlights the significance of intentional and thoughtful design, promoting quality, sustainability, and cultural importance.
The Totalsports Women’s Race is more than just a running event, it is a celebration of women’s strength and a testament to their determination to conquer the challenges they face. Cape Town is gearing up for the Totalsports Women’s Race, which aims to raise awareness for breast cancer and promote women’s empowerment. The event will see nearly 10,000 participants don their pink event tees as they run through the picturesque city, creating a stunning ‘Pink Tide.’ In addition to the race, the event also supports the PinkDrive campaign, which provides breast cancer education and services for women throughout South Africa.
Hon. Bernice Swarts, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, is leading the DDM Imbizo to expedite service delivery in the North West Province on September 29, 2023. The event aims to address obstacles faced by the community and improve service delivery, with the participation of political leaders and community members. The DDM Imbizo offers media professionals a chance to witness the impact of the event firsthand, and it exemplifies the unwavering dedication of leaders like Hon. Swarts to create a better future for their communities.
Rocking the Daisies festival, known for its celebration of music and community, faced unprecedented challenges due to extreme weather conditions and flooding in the Western Cape. After careful consideration, the festival was postponed to November 2023, with a commitment to safety and support for affected communities. Despite setbacks, the festival’s lineup remains largely unchanged, and organizers are working diligently to minimize disruptions. The resilience and unity of the festival’s community, including title partner Johnnie Walker, have demonstrated the power of music and art in overcoming adversity.
Get ready for the Totalsports Women’s Race in Cape Town, an exciting event that brings together thousands of energetic participants to raise awareness for breast cancer. With runners donning pink shirts, the race aims to promote unity, courage, and determination among women. The event supports the PinkDrive campaign, offering complimentary breast examinations and emphasizing the importance of selfexaminations. In preparation for the race, temporary road closures will impact several major roads in Cape Town, but the collective stride of the runners will push towards a future of support and hope in the fight against breast cancer.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile will attend the inauguration of the BaGa Mothibi Community Health Centre in Sekhing Village as part of the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme. The health centre will offer primary healthcare services to the surrounding communities, including emergency medical services, women and child health care, and mental health services. Mashatile will also conduct an interactive session with the BaGa Mothibi community to update them on government service delivery programs and encourage social cohesion. This visit exemplifies the government’s commitment to improving service delivery and public health in the region.
The Two Oceans Marathon, often hailed as “the world’s most beautiful marathon,” will take place in Cape Town on April 13 and 14, 2024. This iconic event features both an Ultra Marathon of 56 km and a Half Marathon, both highlighting the stunning Cape Peninsula. International runners are significant to the marathon, needing to qualify via an IAAFaffiliated race. In addition to the main events, a range of fringe races are available, with the main races starting and ending at the University of Cape Town’s rugby fields in Rondebosch.
Cape Town is hosting the Urban Mobility Summit on 3 and 4 October 2023 to address pressing transport challenges facing the city, such as passenger rail, minibustaxis, and congestion. The event will consist of six panel discussions led by experts, discussing topics of public interest and concern, including sustainable mobility, modernization of the minibustaxi industry, and tackling vandalism and crime. The City of Cape Town is committed to collaborating with transport stakeholders and implementing innovative solutions to strengthen resilience, promote transport reform, and reduce travel expenses.
The 2023 National Tourism Careers Expo promises to be an exciting event for learners and educators from all over South Africa, showcasing various careers and opportunities in the tourism industry. The event will focus on sustainable tourism, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and will feature exhibits, workshops, presentations, and discussions by industry experts. The expo is a collaborative effort by several organizations, and its aim is to inspire and educate the next generation of tourism professionals while emphasizing the importance of investing in the industry for community empowerment and sustainable growth.
The South African government held the Annual Thusong Service Centre Week from September 18 22, 2023, with the theme, “Building a Professional Public Service for Quality Service Delivery.” This event aimed to highlight the effectiveness of the Thusong Programme, an integrated mobile outreach initiative that addresses the needs of citizens.
