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A brand new year has arrived and there is so much to see and enjoy around Cape Town in 2023! From epic races and sporting events to world-class festivals and natural sights sure to wow the senses, the city plays host to a variety of incredible events in 2023.
To help you make the most of it all, dk villas has put together a list of the top events taking place in Cape Town this year. It was no easy task to limit the list to just 7! There are many more exciting events set to take place so be sure to keep an ear out for them. Take a look below and start planning your bucket list!
Here are the top 7 events not to miss in Cape Town in 2023:
1. The Ocean Race
Date: 5 - 26 February 2023
Location: V&A Waterfront
Calling all sailing enthusiasts! And anyone who enjoys great sports spectacles; head to the V&A Waterfront in February 2023 to experience The Ocean Race. The 14th edition of the annual round-the-world sailing event makes its stop in the Mother City from 5 to 26 February. The Ocean Race is the world’s toughest sailing event. This year, the event takes place over 6 months with competitors racing high-performance ocean-going racing yachts, traversing 4 oceans and visiting 5 continents. Each team will have completed a whopping 32,000 nautical miles by the end of the race!
In Cape Town, make a stop at the V&A Waterfront, which is an official Race Village, in February and look forward to several exciting events. There will be a variety of engaging activities including an Ocean Sports Festival. The activities are specially curated to raise awareness for important issues of sustainability and keeping our oceans healthy.
For more information on the Cape Town stopover take a look at The Ocean Race Cape Town’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.
© Sailing Energy | The Ocean Race
2. Investec Cape Town Art Fair
Date: 17 - 19 February 2023
Location: CTICC
Discover the best in contemporary African art at the 2023 Investec Cape Town Art Fair! This is Africa’s largest contemporary art fair and this year is the event’s 10th anniversary. Visitors can look forward to hundreds of exhibitors with artists, curators and galleries attending the event hosted at the CTICC in Cape Town’s bustling city centre. Both local and international guests attend to make connections and engage with the incredible art pieces. The art fair will be a hybrid with exhibitions available to view online and in person. Look forward this year’s theme “The Notion of Time” expressed via ideas illustrating the past, present and future. For more info and to book tickets, check out the official website.
3. Cape Town E-Prix
Date: 25 February 2023
Location: Green Point Stadium and surrounds
Another epic racing event will be taking over the streets of Cape Town this year! Electricpowered racecars will speed around the circuit surrounding Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium and the waterfront district. Cape Town is officially the first sub-Saharan African city to host a Formula E race and new high-powered Gen3 machines will be racing around the turns of the 2.8km track. Seats are available in the stands, at great viewpoints located around the circuit, or the Fan Village. A range of ticket prices and package offers are available. More info available here.
4. Cape Town Cycle Tour
Date: 12 March 2023
Location: Cape Town
Get ready for the biggest timed bike race in the world! In 2023, the Cape Town Cylce Tour will be celebrating its 45th year. Cycle around the Cape Peninsula with 109km and 42km distances available. Touted as the most beautiful bike race in the world, register for the race and you’ll cycle through Kalk Bay, Misty Cliffs and Chapman’s Peak; starting and finishing near the magnificent Table Mountain. Spectators can have almost as much fun as the cyclists! On the day, grab friends and family, pack a picnic and head to one of the great view points. Edinburgh Drive, Glencairn Beach, Simonstown, Noordhoek, Hout Bay and the finish line in Sea Point are fantastic options. Take a look at the official website for more info.
5. Two Oceans Marathon
Date: 15 April 2023
Location: Cape Town
Next up is a marathon often voted as one of the most breathtaking in the world! The Two Oceans Marathon route winds through Cape Town’s southern suburbs and towns in the Cape Peninsula, finishing up at the stunning University of Cape Town. Choose from competing in the 56km ultra marathon, 21.1km half marathon (taking place on 16 April), an international friendship walk and variety of fun runs taking place on the day.
6. Wildflowers (Clanwilliam Wildflower Show)
Date: August/September
Location: The West Coast region
When August and September roll around, the West Coast bursts into bloom. Spring brings with it fields of beautiful wildflowers. One of the most popular activities in Cape Town during this time period is to take a day trip to see the wildflowers. Head to destinations such as the West Coast National Park, Darling and Paternoster. In addition to this, Clanwilliam hosts an annual wildflower show where you can admire the beautiful blooms. Located 200km outside of Cape Town (about a 2 ½ hour drive), Clanwilliam is one of the oldest towns in South Africa and is also famous for being the Rooibos capital of the world! The annual wildflower show takes place in September. Keep an eye on their website for updates.
Psst… would you like a travel tip? Clanwilliam is just over a 1 ½ hour drive from Dwaskerbos making it a great day trip destination if you’re staying at our Skilliepark Dwaskersbos property!
Rocking the Daisies
Date: 6 - 8 October
Location: Cloof Wine Estate, Darling
Number 7 on this list is an event for the music lovers! This is one of Cape Town’s favourite events. Rocking the Daisies is an annual mutlti-day music festival that takes place on Cloof Wine Estate in Darling. Attendees from South Africa and further afield gather to camp, socialise and listen to world-class artists perform on the epic stages. You can look forward to both local and international big names performing. In previous years, Rocking the Daisies has been headlined by Black Coffee, the 1975, Mac Miller, MGMT, The Kooks, Wolf Alice and more!
Artist announcements will be revealed soon so be sure to stay up to date with the latest news and get your tickets!
Bonus: Musicians rocking Cape Town in 2023
Luckily for those of us who are living in or visiting the Mother City in 2023, there are several bigname singers and bands performing in Cape Town this year! Catch Imagine Dragons and Sting in February, Calum Scott in April and UB40 in May with more performers sure to be announced as the year goes on.
This is just a taste of what’s on in Cape Town this year. Keep up to date with the best things to see and do by checking out Cape Town Tourism, local tourism groups, What’s On in Cape Town and our Instagram and Facebook where we share info on all the best ways to experience this city. Here’s to an exciting and fun-filled year. Happy 2023 everyone!
