As the sun begins to shine longer and the flowers start to bloom in anticipation of the arrival of spring, now’s the perfect time to take your pick from a wide variety of incredible things to do this month of September, to usher in the new season in style! From film festivals to wine showcases, art festivals, unique musical experiences, dancing and acrobatic spectaculars, delectable dining experiences, markets and more, this month is bringing the fun.
Tim Atkin SA Wines of the Year Showcase: A year of wine in review
Tim Atkin launches his 12th Wines of the Year report in a highly anticipated wine tasting and education event. Join the celebrated Master of Wine for the launch of his most recent report and pick his brain about wine whilst getting a taste of his top selections of the year. This year’s selection includes over 200 wines that scored over 95 total points in his report. Guests also receive a Gabriel-Glas wine glass to take home with them.
Cost: R795pp, book via Quicket
When: Monday, 2 September from 4pm to 8pm
Where: Strauss & Co, Brickfield Canvas, 35 Brickfield Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town
FAME Film Shorts Festival: A Showcase of short films from the best of independent African filmmakers
Stop by FAME Week‘s exciting new Film Shorts Festival and discover the very best independent filmmakers from across Africa, in one place. Expect a showcase of bold, visionary and thought-provoking cinematic magic. The festival also features content sessions, workshops and masterclasses presented by industry professionals that film lovers will absolutely revel in.
Cost: R120pp (day pass) | R350pp (four-day pass) | Book via Quicket
When: Wednesday, 4 September to Saturday, 7 September | Various showings
Where: The Labia Theatre, 68 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town
ICA Live Art Festival: An annual showcase of artistic talent
The University of Cape Town’s Institute for Creative Arts (ICA) hosts the prestigious Live Arts Festival, offering four days of immersive and thought-provoking culture to art enthusiasts in the Mother City. Attend and get the opportunity to engage with a dynamic live art experience in a non-commercial environment.
The festival showcases live art performances by renowned artists and this year, the focus is on fostering conversations and relationships to facilitate a new geo-cultural program of collaboration, exchange, and networking.
Cost: Show tickets from R20pp, book via Quicket
When: Wednesday, 4 September to Saturday, 7 September | Times vary according to shows
Where: UCT Hiddingh Campus | Cape Town City Centre | Greenmarket Square | Arena Theatre
Dalinda: The world-première staging of Donizetti’s lost opera
The University of Cape Town (UCT) Opera School presents the fully staged performance of Gaetano Donizetti’s “lost” opera, ‘Dalinda’ at the Baxter Theatre, marking the first complete performance of this opera in history since the work had been lost for two centuries and censored due to its murderous plot. Set in medieval Syria, ‘Dalinda’ follows the story of a woman navigating a world of power, love, and politics at the end of the Third Crusade.
Don’t miss out on this historic production directed by Italian director William Costabile Cisco, with Jeremy Silver conducting the Opera UCT cast, chorus, and the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
Cost: R100pp to R500pp | Free (u/18s) | Book via Webtickets
When: Wednesday, 4 September to Sunday, 8 September | Wednesday and Friday from 7pm | Saturday from 6pm | Sunday from 3pm
Where: Baxter Theatre, Main Rd, Rondebosch, Cape Town
Open Book Festival: Cape Town’s biggest annual literary festival returns
The enormously popular Open Book Festival returns to the Mother City this September, attracting top writers and showcasing some of the best of African writing. Attend and mingle with top writers, gain insight into the South African writing landscape through talks, tours and workshops, and partake in meaningful conversations exploring some of the challenges faced by global citizens.
Cost: R50pp, book via Webtickets
When: Friday, 6 September to Sunday, 8 September | From 10am to 11am daily
Where: Homecoming Centre, Corner Buitenkant St, Caledon St, District Six, Cape Town
Waterblommetjie Festival: Celebrating the natural wonder
The Waterblommetjie, a unique local delicacy, is in season during South Africa’s winter and is currently being harvested for use in various winter and spring dishes. Rhebokskloof Estate is hosting the Waterblommetjie Festival to celebrate this cherished natural wonder.
Book your tickets and enjoy a Waterblommetjie wine pairing featuring an award-winning, home-grown range of wines paired with a four-course dining experience. Rhebokskloof also offers a unique spring-season Waterblommetjie-inspired menu.
Cost: R350pp (wine tasting) | R550pp (Waterblommetjie dining experience) | Book via Rhebokskloof
When: Saturday, 7 September with slots between 9.30am and 8pm
Where: Rhebokskloof, Noord Agter Paarl, Windmeul
allfashion sourcing: Full access to the textile and fashion industry under one roof
allfashion sourcing Cape Town is a business-oriented marketplace for the textile and fashion industry, combining African creativity, design, and manufacturing with international sourcing options. Register for the event and gain full access to a wide variety of exhibitor product groups from ready-to-wear clothing to leather and footwear, home textiles, fabric, trims and accessories, and so much more.
Event highlights include the Young Designers Competition, trend talks, special product showcases, industry focused seminars and sustainability focused workshops, and exhibitor fashion showcases.
Cost: Free registration via MesseReg
When: Tuesday, 10 September to Thursday, 12 September
Where: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Convention Square, 1 Lower Long Street, Cape Town
James Blunt ‘Who We Used To Be’: The multi-award winning artist tours his latest album
The multiple award-winning and Grammy nominated James Blunt tours South Africa in support of his brilliant new album ‘Who We Used To Be’. Watch as the international star and his band impress with both old and new hits. Clear out your Thursday evening for a simultaneously nostalgic and fresh performance from the artist who brought fans the classic 2004 ballad, ‘You’re Beautiful’.
Cost: R855pp to R2 055pp, book via Ticketmaster
When: Thursday, 12 September from 8pm
Where: Grand Arena, GrandWest, 1 Jakes Gerwel Dr, Acacia Park, Cape Town
Cape Ballet presents ‘SALT’
Cape Ballet Africa ignites the Baxter stage with its inaugural season, ‘SALT’, celebrating new work by a trio of revered South African choreographers. See a triple bill of ballets choreographed by Kirsten Isenberg, multiple award-winning choreographer Mthuthuzeli November and Michelle Reid in a programme that prioritises the commissioning and creation of new South African choreographic works.
Ticket discounts of R30 are available on block bookings of ten or more and for pensioners
Cost: R200pp to R350pp, book via Webtickets
When: Saturday, 21 September to Saturday, 28 September | 21 to 27 Sep from 7.30pm | 28 Sep at 3pm & 7.30pm
Where: Pam Golding Theatre at the Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Rd, Rondebosch, Cape Town
Zip Zap Circus: Kaleidoscope
The Zip Zap Circus brings its acrobatic marvel, ‘Kaleidoscope’ to the Zip Zap Dome. Buy your tickets and witness a high-energy, family-friendly performance showcasing the exceptional talent for which Zip Zap is renowned. The show includes trapeze acts, acrobatics, juggling, and contortion, performed by a daring cast of young artists from the Zappers and Dare2Dream programmes.
Cost: R150pp, book via Quicket
When: Tuesday, 24 September and Wednesday, 25 September | Shows at 12pm to 1.30pm and 4pm to 5.30pm
Where: Zip Zap Dome, 10 Jan Smuts St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
After Dark: Steve David McKellar & Tessi
Artists Steve David McKellar and Tessi perform in the September instalment of the Two Oceans Aquarium’s After Dark Concert series, a stripped-down series of performances which take place in the otherworldly, watery setting of the aquarium. Steven opens the evening with his signature eerie falsetto singing style before Tessi delivers a soulful expression combining RnB, Pop and Jazz.
Cost: R395pp, book via Two Oceans Aquarium
When: Wednesday, 25 September | Doors open at 6.30pm for 8pm
Where: The Two Oceans Aquarium, Dock Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Kuier @ the Castle: Vendors and entertainment curated by the Craft & Design Institute
“Kuier@TheCastle” offers a multifaceted experience with various local artisanal products, culinary delights and entertainment designed to cater to all the senses and provide a memorable day out for the whole family. Stop by the Castle of Good Hope and enjoy a picturesque day out with Table Mountain as the backdrop.
Cost: Free entry
When: Saturday, 28 September from 10am to 4pm
Where: The Castle of Good Hope, cnr Darling St & Buitenkant Sts, Cape Town
District Six Museum & Koesister.com Market
Together, District Six Museum and Koesister.com host a market featuring local traders in Arts, Business and Education, Beauty and Wellness, Beverages, Confectionery and Food, Clothing and Fashion, and Property, Home and Décor. This market forms a part of a common goal the organisations have to assist in building the local Cape Town community in a meaningful way, true to their mutual ethos of community upliftment, creating a beautiful and safe environment for local entrepreneurs to trade.
Clear your day out and get a real taste of the community spirit at a market set to the musical sounds of local artists.
Cost: R45pp | Free (u/12s) | R100 for three adult tickets | Book via Quicket
When: Saturday, 28 September from 10am to 4pm
Where: District Six Museum Homecoming Centre 5 M59, District Six, Cape Town
Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees Langtafel
The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees Langtafel is an annual long table dining event bringing people together in a celebration of the history and heritage of South African culture. Dine amidst the charming old buildings in Ryneveld Street under the oak trees and indulge in a variety of foods cooked over an open fire. From traditional tandoor and braai to West Coast fish prepared on the coals, this event celebrates the culinary diversity of the nation.
Cost: R1 200pp, book via Quicket
When: Sunday, 29 September from 5.30pm to 7.30pm
Where: Voor Erfurthuis in Ryneveldstraat, 37 Ryneveld St, Stellenbosch Central, Stellenbosch
‘Taking A Moment’ Exhibition: A group art show on time and stillness
Thirteen artists come together in ‘Taking A Moment’: a new group show at RK Contemporary De Waterkant. Stop by this month to see a mix of emerging and established artists playing with time across different mediums. The exhibition interrogates assumptions of stillness within moments of pause. ‘Taking A Moment’ argues that these moments are anything but still and that present time is, rather, influenced by infinite layers of history and memory.
Cost: Free entry
When: Running until Saturday, 28 September | Mondays to Thursdays from 9.30am to 3pm | Fridays from 9.30am to 2pm | Saturdays from 9.30am to 2.30pm
Where: RK Contemporary De Waterkant Gallery, 16 Dixon Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town
Unplug Yourself: A platform hosting various tabletop gaming events
Unplug Yourself is the leading authority on tabletop games, hosting a varied selection of playing and trading events for gamers around the country. Gamers, gear up for tabletop events including Pokémon journey and trade events, Catan national leagues, Dungeons and Dragons, and more which are being hosted all over Cape Town until the middle of October.
Cost: Free to R150pp, book via Quicket
When: Running until 13 October 2024
Where: Various Venues in the Western Cape
