Your Guide to New Year’s Eve Celebrations in Cape Town
As the countdown to 2026 begins, Cape Town is gearing up to welcome the New Year. The city will offer a vibrant mix of culture, music, sport and family-friendly festivities.
A historic street parades in the CBD, live music under the stars and top-tier cricket action are waiting to have the Mother City ring the new year in style.
Here’s what’s happening across the city on New Year’s Eve.
Cape Malay Road March: A Cultural Countdown in the CBD
One of Cape Town’s most cherished New Year’s traditions, the Cape Malay Road March, will once again usher in the New Year. This happens with the unmistakable sounds of traditional Malay music, drums and marching choirs.
Several choirs will take to the streets of the Cape Town CBD on Wednesday, 31 December 2025, bringing colour, rhythm and heritage to the heart of the city.
The procession will begin at 20:30 from Rose Street in Bo-Kaap and continue down Wale Street. Then it will conclude along Adderley Street. Celebrations are expected to continue into the early hours. In fact, festivities will wrap up at approximately 04:00 on Thursday, 1 January 2026.
The event is free to attend, and members of the public are encouraged to line the route along Rose Street, Wale Street and Adderley Street to enjoy the festivities.
To accommodate the procession and ensure public safety, several roads in the CBD will be closed from 17:00 on 31 December 2025 until 04:00 on 1 January 2026.
Due to these closures, MyCiTi bus services in the inner city will be affected. Commuters are advised to check the MyCiTi website for the latest service updates and route changes.
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert: Music Under the Mountain
For a more relaxed but equally memorable New Year’s Eve, music lovers can head to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. There, they can enjoy a special Summer Sunset Concert.
Iconic South African band Mango Groove, joined by The Billy Joel Experience, will take to the stage for an upbeat evening of nostalgia and feel-good tunes — all set against the spectacular natural backdrop of Table Mountain.
Gates open at 19:00, with the concert starting at 20:30. Concertgoers can enjoy a picnic-style celebration surrounded by nature as they welcome the New Year on a high note.
Tickets are available via Webtickets.
Betway SA20 cricket action at Newlands
Sports fans can kick off their New Year celebrations with thrilling T20 cricket action at Newlands Cricket Ground. Here, home team MI Cape Town take on the Pretoria Capitals in a SA20 showdown.
The reigning champions will be looking to once again turn Newlands into a fortress, having gone unbeaten at home last season.
The match starts at 17:30, with gates opening three hours before the first ball.
General parking will be available at Groote Schuur Primary School on Campground Road and Groote Schuur High School on Palmyra Road.
Tickets can be purchased via the MI Cape Town website.
New Year’s Eve at the V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront will once again host one of Cape Town’s most popular New Year’s Eve celebrations, offering a free, family-friendly event at one of the city’s most iconic destinations.
The evening’s entertainment kicks off at 18:00 and features a dynamic line-up of local talent. For example, acts include Emo & Loukmaan Adams, Zoë Modiga, GoodLuck, DJ Shezzy K and the Starlight Band.
High pedestrian and traffic volumes are expected throughout the evening. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, anticipate delays and make use of public transport where possible.
Motorists heading into the CBD and the V&A Waterfront should expect congestion on major routes, including Nelson Mandela Boulevard, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Buitengracht Street, Walter Sisulu Avenue, Portswood Road, Dock Road, Somerset Road, Beach Road, Helen Suzman Boulevard and Green Point Main Road, among others.
