Student life

Held at selected taverns and eateries around Cape Town, the iTownship Wine Festival uncorks the emerging black wine market and unites township entrepreneurs and small businesses. Wine tastings are accompanied by a selection of arts and crafts from township artists.

The Good Food and Wine Show brings the best in South African cuisine to Cape Town International Convention Centre. The event pinpoints global culinary trends, attracting international chefs, professional cocktail makers and up to 50,000 food and wine enthusiasts.

The annual Cape Town Book Fair draws thousands of publishers, writers and readers to the city's International Convention Centre. Visit to find rare editions, get books signed by authors or attend launches.

Encounters is the annual South African International Documentary Film Festival, featuring screenings, panel discussions and workshops for aspiring filmmakers. The event is held at Cape Town's NU Metro, within the V&A Waterfront.

The award-winning Vodacom Funny Festival returns to the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town, presenting stand-up comedy from some of the best local and international performers. The four-week event is packed with laughter and surprises.

Held at Cape Town's Good Hope Centre, the World of Dogs, Cats and Pets Exhibition celebrates all furry (and feathery) things, attracting pet lovers and professional breeders. Children will particularly enjoy the Canine Good Citizen and Agility and Obedience shows.

Cape Town Fashion Week sees haute couture creations floating past a large audience at the city's International Convention Centre. This is Africa's largest gathering of fashion talent, showcasing what is set to turn heads in spring.

Cape Town's annual arts festival sets the city alight with the best in South African and international music, performing arts, comedy, spoken word and visual arts. Committed to bringing the arts to the masses, most festival events are free.

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

Baba Indaba, meaning "baby news", is South Africa's leading consumer exhibition on absolutely everything for the little ones. There are five editions per year, with the July one taking place at Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The Nando's International Comedy Festival is South Africa's biggest comedy event offering three weeks of laughter. This marathon of hysterics takes place in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.  

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge is a 35km run around Cape Town's flat-roof mountain. The fynbos-adorned route can be tackled solo or split between friends into shorter and more manageable stretches.

The South African Society of Artists presents its Annual Exhibition at Cape Town's Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Opened by Hazel Soan, international watercolourist and BBC arts presenter, the exhibition showcases and sells exceptional artworks by established and emerging local talent.

The Outsurance Gun Run is a popular half marathon that winds its way through the heart of Cape Town, starting and finishing at Hamiltons Rugby Club in Green Point. There is plenty of post-race entertainment for both participants and spectators.

Ratanga Junction in Century City is the venue for the Cape Town Diwali Festival, a celebration of Hindu culture through ceremony and glamour. Diwali, popularly known as the Festival of Lights, is an important festival in Hinduism.

The Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town is home to the annual Baxter Dance Festival, showcasing exquisite works by established dance companies and choreographers. A fringe events programme for emerging talent runs on the final day.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme at Cape Town International Convention Centre.

An international poetry and theatre festival taking place simultaneously in Cape Town and Johannesburg delivers original, diverse and cutting-edge shows. From hip-hop theatre to performance poetry, Urban Voices offers art aficionados an intellectual challenge.

Making the most of the mighty south-easter, Cape Town's annual International Kite Festival presents spectacular shows by local and international teams, including Japan, the USA, India, Malaysia and China. Live entertainment and kite-making workshops complement the programme.

The Out In Africa South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival originally coincided with the election of Nelson Mandela as President. It showcases the best gay and lesbian cinema first in Johannesburg, then at Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Every Sunday evening from May to October live concerts by local bands accompany lavish dinners at Cape Town's Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Impressive flora, fine music and tasty food make the Winter Concert Series a real feast for the senses.

The International Oriental Dance Festival is a charity event for the abused women and children in Athlone, Cape Town. It features performances by South African, African and European groups, workshops and a final competition at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

Held at Cape Town International Convention Centre, the Whisky Live Festival presents examples from around the world, attracting 15,000 devotees. Workshops led by international experts offer a variety of whiskies to sample which are not available in the Tasting Hall.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

Growing into South Africa's ultimate Halloween festival, the Horrorfest takes over the Labia in Cape Town. Join a costumed public for film screenings, music performances, literature events, night markets and spooky zombie walks.

From couch potatoes to fitness enthusiasts, around 30,000 people join the Discovery Cape Times Big Walk every year. The 5-80km walk encompasses eight routes around Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula, and raises funds for charity.

Toy Run is the largest charity motorcycling event in South Africa. Organised by the IMOC, Cape Town's rally starts at Ratanga Junction and ends in Maynardville. Thousands of riders carry toys to be distributed by charity agencies among underprivileged children.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

The kids will love meeting Barney and his friends at The Baby Expo, South Africa's most popular parenting expo with four editions per year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Shows, competitions, product launches and workshops complete the programme.

Sound on Screen is Cape Town's music film festival, drawing movie and music fans to the Labia Theatre for an audiovisual feast. It screens a range of feature films and documentaries encapsulating various music genres, from rock to rap.

Every year on the first week of December, Cape Town celebrates the beginning of summer with The Observatory Festival of Arts. This street festival features local and international music, film screenings, arts and crafts as well as children's activities.

A grand summer bash, the Mother City Queer Costume Party has put Cape Town on the international map of queer culture. It brings together all the "queer tribes" in matching costumes at a different venue every year.

The family friendly Crocs Summer Regatta sets its course around Cape Town's Table Bay according to the wind direction on the day. The fleet may stop for lazy lunches in locations such as Clifton Beach, Robben Island or Granger Bay.

Wavescapes is a surf film festival in Cape Town that aims to educate audiences about the global plight of sharks. Films are screened at various cinemas in the city, including a giant screen on Clifton Fourth Beach.

The Cape Minstrel Carnival is Cape Town's biggest and most raucous carnival, celebrating the New Year with dances, competitions and extravagant parades. Held at AThlone Stadium, this Tweede Nuwe Jaar (second New Year) attracts thousands of costumed banjo-strumming minstrels.

The annual Michael Stevenson Summer Exhibition keeps its successful format after the gallery's relocation to Woodstock, one of Cape Town's most vibrant areas. On show are projects by established and emerging talents, covering painting, photography, video and sculpture.

An exotic alternative to the original initiative in London's Regent's Park, Shakespeare in the Park features a different play every summer at Cape Town's Maynardville Open-Air Theatre. Picnics in the nearby park complete this cultural night out under the stars.