Cape Town Carnival 2015

Cape Town is getting ready for the street party of the year.
 

The Cape Town Carnival, one of the city's most popular free, outdoor events, is set to bring our streets to life on Saturday 14 March.

The first carnival was held on Long Street in 2010 and has since grown from 17 000 spectators to as much as 55 000. It is now held on the Fan Walk in Green Point.

The 1.2 km parade route features more than 2 000 dazzling costumed performers from 46 community performance groups. There will also be 32 giant floats and special acts from 23 different areas around the Western Cape.

The performers will reflect different facets of South African culture, from Riel dancers of the Northern Cape to Sophiatown-inspired Marabi-Kwela and Indian classical dance. The theme of this year’s carnival is Elemental: Celebrating Fire, Water, Air and Earth – the Unstoppable Forces that Shape us and our Environment. Fans and audiences are encouraged to join in the street festivities anytime from 16:00, when it will turn into a pedestrian walkway with food vendors, stalls and festive hospitality areas. 

Organisers are encouraging carnival-goers to ”shine bright, dive into the sea, take to the skies and come back to earth – and celebrate what the Elemental-theme means to you”.

The Fan Walk will close at 18:00, to allow for final preparations and cleaning ahead of the parade which will kick-off at 19:00. There will also be an official after-party from 21:30 to 00:30 (entry is free, and no under-18s will be allowed). 

Pillars of the Cape Town Carnival

The Cape Town Carnival is a multicultural celebration focusing on social inclusion and bridging the divide between the diverse communities of the Western Cape and is considered a community participation event by the Western Cape Government.

The carnival creates over 800 part-time jobs. The long-term vision, however, is to permanently employ people and to expand our skills development programmes.

The carnival also aims to provide a platform for local performance groups, designers, musicians and artists to showcase their talents to the world.

MOD centres participate in the carnival

Just over 60 learners from MOD (Mass Opportunity and Access, Development and Growth) centres at Lavender Hill, Phoenix, Oscar Mpetha, and Walter Teka high schools are taking part in this year's festival.

As part of the 2015 theme, Elemental, the learners will be participating in the Space section of the parade, with their costumes transforming them into space molecules.

Rehearsals and dress fittings for the event started in October and joint rehearsals were also held on two occasions with learners from all four schools in order for them to practice their dance routines. 

Acting Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anton Bredell, said: “We are very proud of this group of learners and the commitment and dedication they have shown to this project. We hope that their participation has contributed to their personal development and we wish them well from tomorrow’s event.  The Western Cape Government aims to partner with more private sector events and initiatives in the future to expand the opportunities available to young people participating in our MOD centres.”          

Logistics

Getting to the Cape Town Carnival with public transport will be easy as additional MyCiti and Park & Ride facilities will be in operation. Metrorail will also offer a selection of late night trains for commuters. 

Restaurants and cafés all along the route will be open and there will be seating stands along the Fan Walk for those wanting to be within inches of the performers. Refer to:

• Parking and Road Closures
• Resident’s Access (if you live in the area)
• Other Frequently Asked Questions

To stay on-top of the festivities, visit the official Cape Town Carnival’s website and be sure to follow the action on Facebook or Twitter.