Cape Town - After hosting more than 81 local and international events this year, the City of Cape Town through its department of events says it’s looking forward to pushing through at least 60 more before the end of the year.
The City through its safety and security directorate revealed that over the remainder of 2023, its department of events has committed to providing financial support, municipal services and venue waivers to at least 62 events before the end of the year.
To date, the City has supported 81 events since the beginning of the year.
Safety and security Mayco member JP Smith said the City chose to provide its support for the upcoming events as it understood the importance to the economy, job creation and fostering social cohesion.
According to Smith, just seven of Cape Town’s key events generated over R5 billion, while 20 of the major events supported by the City recorded over one million participants and spectators.
“The 2022/23 financial year saw Cape Town host 27 new events we have never had before and a majority of them were in 2023.
“We started this year with a mix of local and international, from the return of the Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade, Formula E, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Cape Town Carnival and recently the Netball World Cup,” Smith said.
Over the next weeks and months, the City will be hosting an array of events catering to the diverse entertainment demographic and featuring renowned events covering sports, motoring, literature, music and art.
Some of the events set to take place in Cape Town over the next four months include: FAME Week Africa a safari of events where Film, Art, Media and Entertainment are packaged into one event; the Extreme Festival National Championships; DRIFTCity; the popular Open Book Festival; WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance); Operalia and Zakes Bantwini’s Abantu Festival on October 28.
“Patrons in the Mother City have been spoiled for choice in the first half of 2023 and the second half of the year has more in store for event lovers. Get yourselves ready, plan and come down to Cape Town for a couple of months of exhilarating events,” Smith said.