Cape Town Carnival’s Afr’Energy to light up the city

• The Cape Town Carnival will return to the Mother City on 18 March.
• The 2023 theme is Afr’Energy, symbolising the sense of reinvigoration that is being felt across the city after the challenges of Covid-19.
• “This festive season we’ve had just shy of 1 million people coming into the city – that shows you that the terrible disruption of the last four years is behind us. Cape Town is back with a bang!” says Mayor of Cape Town Geordin Hill-Lewis.

The Cape Town Carnival will rid you of your load shedding blues when it returns to Green Point’s Somerset Road in the Mother City on 18 March with the theme Afr’Energy.

We’re told the carnival crew and participating groups are hard at work preparing floats, finalising costumes and perfecting their dance skills.

The 2023 theme symbolises the sense of reinvigoration that is being felt across the city after the challenges of Covid-19.

At a media launch on 19 January, Cape Town Carnival performers gave guests a taste of this passion and the vibrant visual feast that awaits.

“It is a joy to know that the Cape Town Carnival will return to its home on the Fan Walk in Green Point. After all the Afr’energy of tonight’s performances, I’m filled with such gratitude for the enormous effort that goes into producing one of Cape Town’s premier events. This festive season we’ve had just shy of 1 million people coming into the city – that shows you that the terrible disruption of the last four years is behind us. Cape Town is back with a bang!”

Along with a number of individual performers, 48 community groups from across the city make up the Cape Town Carnival parade. The diverse collection of participants – arranging from Masiphumelele drummers to the Western Province Marching Band – makes it a not-to-be-missed celebration of South African culture, collective strength and creativity.

Anroux Marais, the Western Province MEC of Cultural Affairs and Sport, spoke of the importance of cultivating this creativity, saying:

“The Cape Town Carnival is one of these spaces that allows our youth to see the possibility of the creative sector. While our young creatives are able to display their skills in the parade, it is also a joyous experience to see young people watching the event and see their faces light up. This is how we show the power of the arts sector.”

The public will be able to join in the festivities for free, but tickets will also be available for seats in strategically placed stands along the parade route. Tickets for Cape Town Carnival seats are on sale now on Quicket.

The Fan Walk will be closed to vehicle traffic in the afternoon so spectators can safely enjoy pre-event activities, and the main parade kicks off at 19:00.