 The Cape Town year starts with a double celebration: not only New Year’s Day, but Tweedenuwejaarsdag, or Second New Year, 2 January. Traditionally this is the time for the Coon Carnival when the troupes parade through the streets of Cape Town. The Carnival, like others in Rio or New Orleans, has roots in slave culture, but it has for years been a way for Coloured communities to display their brightly coloured silk costumes and perform their routine of songs. In recent years, the event has changed emphasis from public carnival to closed spectacle, with paid entrance at Green Point Stadium, and subsequent choir competitions. Viewing in the Green Point Stadium can be hot, but this is a unique Cape Town spectacle. The choir competitions continue over months.
The second of January is typically also the time for the first important cricket match of the year at Newlands Cricket Stadium – if not a five day test, then a one day international or important provincial game.
Summer is a time for outdoor festivals and delights: open-air classical or jazz concerts at Kirstenbosch, Josephine’s Mill, Spier Wine Estate or Oude Libertas in Stellenbosch; golf tournaments; or day-night cricket matches. In late January or early February, the Kenilworth Race Course hosts the premier event of the Cape racing season and one of the fashion extravaganzas of the year, the J&B Met.
 Summer is also the main cultural season for Cape Town. Long slow summer evenings lend themselves to an evening out, where dining can be combined with theatre or jazz or cabaret revues in the same venue. The Cape Town symphony orchestra regularly offers a summer Sunday afternoon series in Kirstenbosch and will be bringing in the new millennium with a concert there, providing a particularly Cape Town mix of nature and culture. The University of Cape Town’s Summer School offers a wide range of subjects, often by world-renowned authorities, with no entrance requirements, and no examinations!
South Africa’s legacy of three capitals has left Cape Town hanging on determinedly to its status as legislative capital, though rumours of a move elsewhere abound. For the moment, though, parliamentarians return to their duties after a lengthy and no doubt hard-working summer recess for the formal opening some time in February. The opening of parliament in the new South Africa is a wonderfully colourful affair, with the grey men in grey suits and hats syndrome of the past having given way to a wonderful mix of styles and ethno-political statements. Visitors can arrange through the Visitor’s office or their local consulate to visit Parliament and see a session.
Cape Town and its surroundings offer wonderful scenic routes for cyclists and there are regular organised cycle fun rides for charities on Saturday and Sunday mornings at locales around the Western Province. In March, the city surrenders to wheeled inspiration, the Argus Cycle Tour, a 105 km mass event around the Peninsula from the Centre City via Simonstown and Kommetjie, over Chapman’s Peak and back to the finish line at Maiden’s Cove and the end point at Green Point Stadium. Organisers drew over 25000 entrants from all over the world in 1999, but promise an even bigger field in 2000. The fastest professional cyclists start before sunrise, and come in just over two and a half hours, while others are just starting.
In March or early April, on Easter Saturday, the Two Oceans Marathon, South Africa’s second most important ultra-marathon, takes runners over a gruelling 56 km, culminating with a climb over Constantia Nek from Hout Bay. From 1999 there has been a new finish point at the University of Cape Town.
Autumn is also a time for the Winelands to host their premier wine festivals – the exclusive, by invitation only, Nederberg Wine Auction, and the highly accessible Paarl Nouveau Wine Festival. In May, Cape Town has a new celebration of local cuisine: the Cape Gourmet Festival Good Food show.
In 1999, a new phenomenon hit Cape Town. Long the home of the blue and white hoops of the Western Province Rugby Team, in 1999 the Men in Black, (officially known as the Western Stormers), outperformed all other South African teams in the Super 12 Rugby competition and created new media heroes. So from April on, expect news headlines and local conversations to focus on the MIB and on match days, beware of traffic within 10 km of Newlands Rugby Ground.
June and July are best kept secrets of Cape Town. When winter storms aren’t lashing the Cape, wonderful calm, sunny days allow for excursions from Cape Town to see the wildflowers on the West Coast. The annual wildflower shows in towns such as Clanwilliam or Caledon in August or September.
In early spring, Gansbaai and Hermanus have whale festivals to celebrate the return of the whales to their calving grounds. The annual explosion of spring flower made Afrikaans poet and culinary expert, C. Louis Leipoldt, call October the most beautiful month.
In spring, runners start to flex their muscles in the Seeff/Cape Argus Gun Run and in October the streets between Cape Town and Simonstown are full of walkers for the Cape Times big walk. In general, October and November offer a moment of Cape calm before the frantic holidaying and holiday summer season.
Students celebrate end of year holidays with raves, street parties, and clubbing. |
which is spacious and ideal for families. The surf can be strong, and there is no resident lifeguard, but a rescue helicopter patrols regularly. The grass verge flanked by the tidal pool offers shady, wind-free braai (barbecue) spots and shops, restaurants, a hotel, chemist, banks and police station are all close-by.
repertoire, its many fine restaurants attracting a loyal following from near and far.
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