Cape Town's summer runs from the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, usually from late November, to the Two Oceans Marathon on 2 to 4 April 2027. Confirmed dates include HSBC SVNS Cape Town and the Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival (both 5 to 6 December 2026), the Investec Cape Town Art Fair (19 to 21 February 2027), the Cape Town Cycle Tour (14 March) and the Cape Town Carnival (20 March). The Cape Town Met is usually on the last Saturday of January, and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival fills March 2027.
Amaya is designed in Sea Point, so this is the calendar we plan our own summer around. We say what we love; we are not affiliated with any of these places. Check hours before you go.
| Date | Event | Where | What to wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usually Sundays, late Nov to late Mar | Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts | Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden | Printed maxi, flat sandals, a knit for after sunset |
| 5 to 6 Dec 2026 | HSBC SVNS Cape Town | DHL Stadium, Green Point | Fancy dress or a bright mini, trainers |
| 5 to 6 Dec 2026 | Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival | Huguenot Monument festival grounds, Franschhoek | White with a touch of blue or deep red |
| 16 Dec 2026 to 1 Jan 2027 | Festive season | V&A Waterfront and across town | A satin mini for New Year's Eve |
| Traditionally 2 Jan | Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade | Green Point (2026 route) | Linen, a hat, shoes you can stand in |
| Usually last Saturday of Jan | Cape Town Met | Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse | Dress to the theme, hat, block heels |
| 11 to 14 Feb 2027 | Up The Creek | Breede River, near Barrydale | Linen, swimwear, a warm layer |
| 19 to 21 Feb 2027 | Investec Cape Town Art Fair | CTICC | Light printed dress, walkable flats |
| March 2027, dates TBA | Cape Town International Jazz Festival | Venues across Cape Town, TBA | Knit or satin for the evening |
| 14 Mar 2027 | Cape Town Cycle Tour | Cape Peninsula, 109 km | Spectating: linen and a hat |
| 20 Mar 2027 | Cape Town Carnival | Green Point Fan Walk | Printed dress, flat shoes |
| 2 to 4 Apr 2027 | Two Oceans Marathon | Finish at UCT Rugby Fields | Supporter layers for a cool morning |
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, usually late November to late March
The season usually runs on Sundays from late November to late March. The full 2026 to 2027 line-up is not out yet. Inside Guide lists three headline shows: Leon Bridges on 30 November 2026, Jack White on 14 December 2026 and Kaleo on 4 February 2027. Last season, picnics and your own drinks were allowed, gates opened at 16:00 and music started at 17:15. Check the current rules on Webtickets before you go.
Wear a maxi you can sit on a blanket in, with flat sandals for the lawn. Sunset is close to 19:30 in mid-November and around 20:00 in January, and the evening cools. Our pick: the Jaipur Dress, a printed one-size maxi, with a knit over your shoulders.
HSBC SVNS Cape Town, 5 to 6 December 2026
The Cape Town Sevens is at DHL Stadium in Green Point. There is no official dress code. Fancy dress is a crowd tradition, and Time Out's advice this year was to "dust off the fancy dress". If costumes are not your thing, wear something bright and short, with trainers for the stairs. Bring a hat and sunscreen: the UV index in December averages 12.
Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival, 5 to 6 December 2026
The festival is at the Huguenot Monument festival grounds in Franschhoek, on the same weekend as the Sevens. There is a Best Dressed competition. The Wesgro listing gives the dress theme as "Champagne White With A Pop Of Blue And A Note Of Pinot Noir Red". We would check that with the organiser before planning an outfit around it.
Start with a light dress and add the blue or red in a bag, shoes or a scarf. Our pick: the Hamptons Dress in cotton, made for summer days outdoors.
The festive season, December 2026
Day of Reconciliation is on Wednesday 16 December, Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and the Day of Goodwill on Saturday 26 December. Christmas markets usually run through December, though 2026 dates are not out yet. The V&A Waterfront has a New Year's Eve page for the arrival of 2027, listing 18:00 to 01:00 and a five-minute fireworks display at midnight. Details look provisional, so check closer to the time. For the Waterfront at night, a satin mini works: the Portofino Dress.
Tweede Nuwe Jaar, traditionally 2 January
The Kaapse Klopse parade is traditionally on 2 January. In 2026 it moved to Monday 5 January, on a new route along Somerset Road through the Fan Walk to DHL Stadium. The 2027 date is not announced. Watching means hours in the sun: wear linen, a wide hat and flat shoes. Loose linen trousers are the easy choice.
Cape Town Met, usually the last Saturday of January
The Met is at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse. It is usually held on the last Saturday of January, which would be Saturday 30 January 2027. The 2027 date and theme are not announced yet. The 2026 theme was revealed in November 2025, so expect news around November 2026. Dress to the theme, add a hat and choose block heels for the grass. Our full guide: what to wear to the Cape Town Met.
Up The Creek, 11 to 14 February 2027
Up The Creek is a four-day festival on the Breede River near Barrydale, from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 February 2027. Tickets are sold through Howler. Pack swimwear, linen and a warm layer for after dark. Our pick: the Amalfi Dress, bohemian linen that goes over a costume.
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, 19 to 21 February 2027
The 14th edition is at the CTICC from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 February 2027. February is hot, so wear flats and something light, such as a printed halter dress.
Cape Town International Jazz Festival, March 2027
The 24th edition runs across the whole of March 2027. Organisers have not announced the weekend dates, venues or line-up. The programme includes two flagship weekends and community concerts. For a night show, a knit mini works once the evening cools.
Cape Town Cycle Tour, 14 March 2027
The 109 km ride around the Cape Peninsula is on Sunday 14 March 2027. Roadside spectators need sun cover: a linen top and a hat.
Cape Town Carnival, 20 March 2027
The Carnival is on Saturday 20 March 2027 on the Green Point Fan Walk. It is free, and the theme is not announced yet. You will stand and walk for hours, so wear flat shoes and a printed dress you can move in.
Two Oceans Marathon, 2 to 4 April 2027
The trail run is on Friday 2 April, the half marathon on Saturday 3 April and the ultra on Sunday 4 April 2027. All finish at the UCT Rugby Fields. Early April mornings are cool: the average April low is about 12°C. Supporters need a knit layer and trainers.
Planning notes: holidays and school terms
Public holidays: 16 December, 25 December, 26 December, 1 January, Human Rights Day on 21 March (observed Monday 22 March), Good Friday on 26 March and Family Day on 29 March 2027. Freedom Day is 27 April.
Public school holidays: the December break runs from about 11 December 2026 to 12 January 2027. The autumn break runs from 22 March to 5 April 2027, so Two Oceans falls inside it. Independent schools set their own dates.
Which one for what
- Dressing up: the Met and the Franschhoek festival, both with Best Dressed competitions.
- Costumes: HSBC SVNS Cape Town.
- A picnic at sunset: Kirstenbosch.
- Culture indoors: the Art Fair, and the Jazz Festival once venues are out.
- Free and outdoors: the Cape Town Carnival.
What to wear all summer
The UV index averages 10 to 12 from November to February. The airport averages a 29°C high in January, and the Atlantic Seaboard is cooled by the sea. The south-easter blows through most of the season. Build around one linen piece, one printed dress and one satin piece for the evening. The linen vs satin guide explains when each works, and what to wear in Cape Town, month by month covers the weather.
Amaya delivers across South Africa for R99, free over R1 500. Cape Town takes 1 to 2 working days, Johannesburg and Pretoria 2 to 3, the rest of South Africa 3 to 5. Collect in Sea Point for free. The first exchange is free within 14 days.
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Updated October 2026. We update this guide every season.
