CAPE TOWN PRIDE 2026 CELEBRATES UBUNTU
Cape Town is ready to shine with colour, creativity, and unity as the Cape Town Pride Festival returns this February.
This year’s programme celebrates more than just rainbow flags and dazzling performances, it honours the spirit of Ubuntu and marks 20 years since the legalisation of same-sex marriage in South Africa.
The festival’s theme, “Ubuntu: I Am Because We Are”, reflects a uniquely South African philosophy of interconnectedness and community.
“We stand rooted in Ubuntu — the truth that our lives are intertwined and our freedom woven together. This year, we honour 30 years of our Constitution and 20 years of marriage equality, reminders of a journey shaped by courage, struggle, and triumph,” says Cape Town Pride Brand Ambassador Nkosinathi Sangweni waka Mtshali
“Even as our community continues to face real challenges, our voices rise, our stories grow louder, and our presence becomes ever more undeniable. Pride remains our declaration that we will not dim our light, that we will continue to love fiercely, and that we will shape a future where every one of us can stand fully seen.”
Three-week line-up of queer events
Having kicked off its month of events on 5 February, the Cape Town Pride Festival will run daily events at various venues across Cape Town until 1 March.
With over 50 events across three weeks, the pride festival offers something for everyone, from book lovers and runners to music fans and partygoers.
See more details on the upcoming pride events below.
Parade March and Mardi Grass
The highlights of the Cape Town Pride Festival are the annual parade march on 28 February – where Cape Town’s LGBTQI+ community and allies – take the streets for a celebration of diversity, Ubuntu, resilience, and community.
The parade march has, over the last three decades, grown to be a platform to raise awareness on equality and love.
The procession, organised by Outreach Africa, starts in De Waterkant’s Alfred Street at 11:00, making its way to the Green Point underpass via Somerset Road.
It is free for everyone to join.
The parade will be followed by the Pride Mardi Gras, a culmination of the three-week long 2026 Pride Festival calendar.
Taking place at the Green Point A-Track, the event starts at 11:00 and runs until 21:00.
Some of the biggest local entertainers, including Craig Lucas, Belinda Davids, Beaulah Queens van de Kaap, Armand Joubert, Dope St Jude, DJ Lelowhatsgood, and DJ Mazwida will hit the stage to entertain the thousands of patrons at the A-Track.
The Mardi Gras village of stalls selling LGBTQIA+ goodies, food, and drinks, along with bars, refreshment stations, a children’s area, and chill-out areas.
Tickets are available at Quicket.
