The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF), a significant event on the city’s cultural calendar, returns this weekend, prompting several road closures around the festival venues.
Cape Town Jazz Festival returns: Here’s what you must know
After a hiatus, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is back, with activities centred around the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and Greenmarket Square.
The festival kicked off with a free jazz concert on Thursday at Greenmarket Square featuring a vibrant lineup of artists including Judith Sephuma, Kujenga, Micaela Kleinsmith, Jerome Rex, along with DJs Autto, Eazy, and Sophia.
The concert, marking its first appearance since 2019, will run from 16:00 to 22:00 daily, with the main events taking place on Friday and Saturday at the CTICC.
These dates mark not just a return of the festival but also a rejuvenation of the local economy and cultural scene. City of Cape Town MMC for Public Safety and Events JP Smith emphasised the festival’s impact, noting its role in job creation, economic activity, youth development, and tourism.
According to Smith, the festival’s absence in the past four years has been deeply felt, with jazz enthusiasts eagerly awaiting its return.
“Of course, the City’s partnership with the CTIJF goes back many years and during that period, has been one of the Mother City’s signature events contributing to job creation, economic activity, youth development and tourism. As the City, we are ready to make the jazz festival return a smooth and memorable experience for those who will be in attendance,” Smith said.
Road closures to take note of this weekend
To facilitate the smooth running of the festival and ensure safety for all attendees, the City of Cape Town has implemented temporary road closures in the city centre.
Here are the details:
During the Free Jazz Concert on Thursday:
- Burg Street will be closed between Wale Street and Longmarket Street from Wednesday, 1 May until Friday, 3 May from 22:00 to 05:00.
- Longmarket Street will be shut between Long Street and Adderley Street during the same period.
- Burg Street between Hout Street and Shortmarket Street will be closed all day on Thursday, 2 May from 06:00 until 05:00 the following morning.
- Shortmarket Street between Adderley Street and Long Street will also be closed throughout Thursday from 06:00 to 05:00 the next day.
For the main festival events at the CTICC:
- Walter Sisulu Avenue (eastbound) between Lower Long Street and Heerengracht Street will be closed from early Friday, 3 May until late Saturday, 4 May.
- Jetty Street between Lower Long Street and Wharf Street will see closures from 13:00 on Friday to 17:00 on Saturday.
- Walter Sisulu Avenue (westbound) will also be closed between Heerengracht Street and Lower Long Street during the same hours.