Events Overview
Nelson Mandela Month – 18 July
In July, South Africa celebrates former President Nelson Mandela's birthday. The 18th of July has been declared Nelson Mandela International Day, but as South Africans we embrace the chance to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life for the entire month of July. This gives everyone the opportunity to heed the call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make an imprint and change the world around them.
A global movement for positive change begins with small actions. As each person acts, they fuel momentum toward positive change, raising awareness and expanding the reach of Mr Mandela’s values – fighting injustice, helping people in need and practicing reconciliation.
National Arts Festival – July
The National Arts Festival has long been a highlight on South Africa’s cultural calendar. Artists and visitors gather in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape for 11 days of creative connections. It is billed as Africa's largest and most colourful cultural event offering a choice of the very best of both indigenous and imported talent. Every year for 11 days in June/July, Makhanda's population almost doubles, as over 50 000 people flock to Makhanda in the Eastern Cape for a feast of arts, crafts and sheer entertainment. The festival offers more than 500 shows from opera, cabaret, drama and jazz to stand-up comics and folk music.
Wordfest - July
Every year, during the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, the Rhodes University hosts the acclaimed WordFest event. This event is aimed at promoting word-arts in all of its modern, innovative and creative forms. This intriguing event is not only to entertain, but also to foster a reading and writing culture in South Africa, particularly in the African tongues.
Durban July – July
The excitement of Durban July Day surpasses that of any other event on the African continent.
Essentially the Durban July Handicap is a South African thoroughbred horse race held annually on the first Saturday of July since 1897 at Greyville Racecourse in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
Over 56,000 people are generally expected (without the pandemic) at Greyville to witness South Africa’s best thoroughbreds storm down the home straight to the finish of the R3 million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.
Franschhoek Bastille Festival – July
Franschhoek, South Africa’s Gourmet Capital, will once again celebrate its centuries-old French Huguenot heritage with a wonderful feast of food, wine and entertainment at its annual Bastille Festival.
With lots to see, do and enjoy for the whole family, make a memorable weekend of your visit and take advantage of the special Bastille packages offered by a plethora of hotels and guest houses, many of which include a complimentary bottle of Franschhoek wine. The theme of heavenly cuisine and fine wines is the order of the day and threaded throughout the Festival. Enjoy this gastronomic affair in style, as chefs and winemakers showcase Franschhoek’s crème de la crème. Award-winning restaurants are composing special menus exclusive to Bastille.
Women’s Month – 09 August
The month of August has been declared Women’s Month in South Africa. This is done as recognition and paying tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women by the South African apartheid regime. A system that was designed to control women even further and reduce them to passive beings, at the mercy of men.
Women’s Month is marked a recognition of the pioneers of the women’s movement in this country, dating back to 1913, when women like Charlotte Maxeke led the way in establishing the ANC Women’s League and encouraging women to engage in the struggle for freedom. Pioneers include Cissy, Jaynab and Amina Gool, who were amongst the leaders of the National Liberation League and the Non-European United Front of the 1930s.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People – 09 August
In 1994, the General Assembly of the UN decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year.
The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1992, of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
Indigenous peoples contribute immensely to humanity's cultural diversity, enriching it with more than two thirds of its languages and an extraordinary amount of its traditional knowledge.
Canimambo Free Form Music & Arts Festival – August
This year will see the eighth Canimambo Free Form Music & Arts Festival as a testimony to how popular this event has proven to be in recent years. The quiet town of Graskop will come alive to celebrate art and music that breaks the mold. This festival has been designed to explore and showcase the talent that is treasured within the borders of the African continent. But, it’s not about rules. This is about free expression, grey areas, colouring outside the lines, so to speak. These include artists that specialise in spray-painting, sketching, drawing, painting, singing, drumming, playing a stringed instrument, and much more. Being part of the festivities promises to be fun, not only for those who really appreciate art and music, but for the whole family.
Klien Karoo Klassique – August
Visit Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo in August for the Klein Karoo Klassique - a festival of classical music and Klein Karoo cuisine, wines and art. Make a date with delicious Klein Karoo cuisine paired with regional wines and complimented by the classical sounds of a string quartet, a piano duo (piano & cello) two piano recitals, a performance of Lieder, a wind instrument quintet, an organ recital and the performance of an a capella choir.
Decorex Joburg – August
The esteemed Gallagher Convention Centre will host the Decorex Joburg. Everyone that loves décor and design, or who has a penchant for creating a fabulous lifestyle is invited to come and enjoy all things gorgeous in this space.
The focus of this premier event is on creating a place of peace and beauty, where you can find tranquillity and explore what inspires you. Exhibitors will cover the full spectrum of décor and design needs and will showcase some of the hottest trends on the global design scene. The event is co-sponsored by Plascon and Caesarstone.
Heritage Month – 1 to 30 September
Heritage Month is celebrated annually in September.
Heritage Month in September and Heritage Day on 24 September in particular is celebrated annually to mark our nation’s diverse cultures and heritage. South Africans are encouraged to use Heritage Month to foster greater social cohesion, nation building and a shared national identity.
Jozi Art Fair – September
ABOUT THE JOBURG ART FAIR
The annual Joburg Art Fair will showcase the best in contemporary African art and design, with 23 Galleries and 11 Special Projects. The Alfa Romeo Art Talks Program will feature local and international gallerists and artists. Grolsch have commissioned glass artist Martli Jansen van Rensburg to create a green glass installation that will be exhibited at the Fair for the first time.St Leger & Viney will be creating a special fabric based on a design by artist Lawrence Lemaoana that will be on sale at the Fair and used in exclusive spaces at the Fair itself.
Free State Fashion week – September
The Free State Fashion Week is an annual prestigious Fashion, Lifestyle, Arts and Culture event held in Bloemfontein. FSFW provides a platform for designers and artists to explore their creativity and display their designs in a manner where their work can be recognized and appreciated, We also provide for them to be able to attain international exposure for partaking in the event.
The main objective of this initiative is promoting the artistic and innovative work of designers, focusing on locally sourced talent, offering them not only a platform to utilize their bestowed aptitudes but an opportunity to reach greater heights through maximum exposure. We execute this through interviews with the press, online and print media publishing, building social media presence and learning more in-depth the nature of how things work in the fashion industry around the globe. The primary objective of Free State Fashion Week is not only to make its mark on the fashion industry nationally and internationally but to strive to be a social medium of which we can bring people of all walks of life behind a cause that promotes diversity issues that face our country.
Standard Bank Joy of Jazz – September
The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz is held in Johannesburg each year, and showcases 35 performances on four stages in three days. It’s an initiative that seeks to contribute to social cohesion, economic growth and cultural tourism. The Joy of Jazz Festival presents a diverse range of jazz styles inclusive of the giants of jazz and the upcoming young artists. There is something for everyone in the line-up every year, which is truly inspirational. The show promises to bring audiences some exciting and innovative collaborations this year.
Splashy Fen Music Festival – September
SA's Oldest Music Festival is back with a bang. New ideas, new acts, value for money and the good old Splashy vibe that brings people back year after year. Splashy Fen Music Festival celebrates its 29th festival from. Held on a farm some 18-km from Underberg, in the scenic Southern Drakensberg of KwaZulu-Natal, the festival offers city dwellers a chance to unwind and enjoy the beauty of the mountains.
Hilton Arts Festival – September
The Witness Hilton Arts Festival is the premier arts festival of KwaZulu Natal and one of the leading festivals in South Africa. The annual Hilton Arts Festival is a feast of theatre, music, dance, craft and visual art, as well as excellent food. Hilton College Theatre is the second largest, fixed-seated venue in KwaZulu-Natal, with a seating capacity of 486.
AARDKLOP NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL – September
The Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom offers a wide variety for festival-goers - from huge concerts at the new festival grounds to an outstanding theatre programme. Last year's artists performing at the respective concerts included Theuns Jordaan, Kurt Darren, Riana Nel, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Steve Hofmeyr and the international acts Smokie and Pussycat (Toni Wille). In Riders on the Storm six of South Africa’s best guitarists can be seen on one stage.
KALAHARI DESERT FESTIVAL – 21 to 23 September
A soul cleansing and truly inspiring experience ignites the red dunes of the Kalahari Desert, as South Africa’s very own ‡Khomani San welcome you into their community and way of life. The Kalahari Desert Festival lives dramatic dance, music, culture and history, and breaths the reconnection of both historically and geographically diverse cultures and South African communities in a way that most feel inspired and thrived!
CAPE TOWN FRINGE FESTIVAL – September
The Cape Town Fringe Festival is all about fresh new theatre, dance, and comedy by local and international artists. This festival will rock Cape Town and the line-up includes firm favourites like Police Cops (an acclaimed comedy from the UK), and the national debut of a local adaptation of The Gruffalo, especially for the children. There are other fantastic shows for the entire family too, and these are offered through the course of the Western Cape school holidays. However, they are extremely popular, and those who would like to enjoy them are advised to book early to avoid disappointment.
Tourism month – 1 to 30 September
Tourism Month is celebrated annually in September, and provides a heightened month-long focus on the importance of the sector to the South African economy. Tourism Month features themed activities that are aligned to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) World Tourism Day Celebrations that take place annually on 27 September.
National Month of Deaf people – 1 to 30 September
September is the International Month for Deaf People in commemoration of the first World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf which took place in September 1951. The Deaf Federation of South Africa (DeafSA) and the South African National Deaf Association (SANDA) both promote awareness of the rights of Deaf persons in South Africa.
International Literacy Day – 8 September
For over 40 years now, UNESCO has celebrated International Literacy Day by reminding the international community that literacy is a human right and the foundation of all learning. Literacy is a cause for celebration since there are now close to four billion literate people in the world. However, literacy for all – children, youth and adults - is still an unaccomplished goal and an ever moving target.