Unique Customs and Traditions in Cape Town, South Africa
Steve Tucker
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Aside from its beautiful geography, Cape Town's colorful culture is also one of the city's tourist attractions. All year round visitors will find themselves treated to sights, sounds, and flavors of a place that is delightfully steeped in their native customs and traditions. 
One of the most popular cultural traditions in Cape Town is the Cape Minstrel Carnival (locally known as the Tweede Nuwejaar), celebrated every January 2 (or 2nd New Year, as the locals call it), where competing groups of colorfully dressed minstrels march, sing, and play music in the streets towards the heart of the city. This event dates back to the 18th century, when slaves would bond with transient minstrels on their one and only work-free day, January 1st.
If you're in Cape Town in January, the Cape Minstrel Carnival is a must-see. Local minstrels (mostly from the colored community) spend months to prepare for this spectacular street event. It courts an audience of more or less 80,000 every year and culminates in a crescendo of merry music and movement at Cape Point's Green Point Stadium.
In February there's the legendary Up the Creek Music Festival, which is held at the banks of the Breede River, just outside of Cape Town. Backpackers and tourists who are into bands and camp-out concerts might thoroughly enjoy this 3-day music and comedy festival that features the best of South Africa's contemporary local talent.
Every March, Cape Town plays host to the Cape Argus Cycle Tour, which sees some 40,000 cyclists racing against time on a 109 km route around Cape Town. The tour has become a Cape Town tradition since 1979 and holds the record for the world's largest individually timed cycle race, even attracting well-known cyclists from all over the world. Whether you're a sports enthusiast or not, you would no doubt get astounded by the sight of tens of thousands of cyclists riding around Cape Town in droves.
One of the most popular cultural traditions in Cape Town is the Cape Minstrel Carnival (locally known as the Tweede Nuwejaar), celebrated every January 2 (or 2nd New Year, as the locals call it), where competing groups of colorfully dressed minstrels march, sing, and play music in the streets towards the heart of the city. This event dates back to the 18th century, when slaves would bond with transient minstrels on their one and only work-free day, January 1st.
If you're in Cape Town in January, the Cape Minstrel Carnival is a must-see. Local minstrels (mostly from the colored community) spend months to prepare for this spectacular street event. It courts an audience of more or less 80,000 every year and culminates in a crescendo of merry music and movement at Cape Point's Green Point Stadium.
In February there's the legendary Up the Creek Music Festival, which is held at the banks of the Breede River, just outside of Cape Town. Backpackers and tourists who are into bands and camp-out concerts might thoroughly enjoy this 3-day music and comedy festival that features the best of South Africa's contemporary local talent.
Every March, Cape Town plays host to the Cape Argus Cycle Tour, which sees some 40,000 cyclists racing against time on a 109 km route around Cape Town. The tour has become a Cape Town tradition since 1979 and holds the record for the world's largest individually timed cycle race, even attracting well-known cyclists from all over the world. Whether you're a sports enthusiast or not, you would no doubt get astounded by the sight of tens of thousands of cyclists riding around Cape Town in droves.
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All year round visitors will find themselves treated to sights, sounds, and flavors of a place that is delightfully steeped in Cape Town's native customs and traditions.