Youth Day is a time to reflect on the legacy of the young people who helped shape South Africa’s history, while also celebrating the creativity, talent, and resilience of a new generation. Across Cape Town, organisations, artists, activists, and community groups are marking the public holiday with a diverse programme of events, ranging from live music and cultural performances to museum experiences, social justice initiatives, fun runs, and family-friendly activities.
This year’s line-up offers a mix of culture, history, entertainment, and community engagement for those interested in learning more about the country’s past, exploring contemporary social issues, or supporting local performers. Here’s a guide to some of the events taking place around the city this Youth Day.
Artscape Youth Jazz Series 2026
The Artscape Youth Jazz Series is a youth-focused jazz performance programme presented at the Artscape Theatre each year. The series forms part of Artscape’s broader youth education initiatives and features both solo and ensemble performances across two consecutive days.
Originally launched in 2003 as the Youth Jazz Festival, the project has developed into a structured series designed to accommodate growing participation and interest from young jazz musicians. It focuses on providing developmental opportunities through mentorship, masterclasses, and public performance platforms for emerging artists.
The programme is divided into two events: the Youth Jazz Soloists, followed by School Jazz Bands. The performances present work by learners and student ensembles from diverse educational backgrounds, reflecting a range of jazz styles and interpretations.
Each performance has a duration of 180 minutes, including a 30-minute interval. Artscape Theatre provides wheelchair-access seating, with bookings available through the venue’s standard ticketing channels.
Cost: R50 – R90. Book now on Webtickets.
When: 12 & 13 June 2026 | 7.30pm – 10:30pm
Where: Artscape Theatre Centre, D.F. Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town
The Youth Day Museum Crawl
The Youth Day Museum Crawl is a special edition of Cape Town Heritage Tours’ guided walking programme, led by Cameron Peters, whose ongoing series of heritage walks encompasses the sights and stories of the Cape, drawing on archival photographs, poetry, and primary sources to bring the city’s history to life. An Oxford graduate originally from Durban, Peters has spent the past decade developing these tours, which attract both local residents and visitors.
On Youth Day, all five Iziko museums in the Cape Town City Bowl open their doors free of charge to South African citizens. The crawl visits each in sequence: the Iziko South African Museum (9.30 – 10.30am), the Iziko South African National Gallery (10.30 – 11.30am), the Iziko Slave Lodge and Cultural History Museum on Wale Street (11.30am – 12.30pm), the Michaelis Collection at the recently refurbished Iziko Old Town House in Greenmarket Square (1.30 – 2.30pm), and the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum on Wale Street (2.30 – 3.30pm). A lunch break is built into the schedule from 12.30 – 1.30pm at La Botessa Café. The group is capped at 20 participants.
The route covers just under 4km of city walking with frequent stops. Participants may join or leave the group at any point in the schedule by messaging Peters on 076 033 8164 for a live location.
Cost: R150 Standard | R100 Pensioners/U18s. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 9.30am – 3.30pm
Where: Iziko South African Museum, 25 Queen Victoria St, Gardens, Cape Town
Resisting Erasure: A Documentary of the Living Rights Festival
Screened as part of the District Six Museum’s National Youth Day commemorative programme, this documentary captures the voices, performances, and discussions that made up the 2025 Living Rights Festival. The film features contributions from artists, activists, academics, and community members, covering themes of peace, justice, human rights, memory, and resistance.
The Living Rights Festival is an annual Cape Town-based initiative organised by the Institute for African Alternatives (IFAA), a South African public interest organisation founded by the late parliamentarian and activist Ben Turok. The festival combines artistic programming with academic discussion to address issues including genocide, climate change, racism, and militarisation. The 2025 edition was co-presented with the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and a range of civil society partners.
MyCiTi bus routes stop near the Homecoming Centre on Buitenkant Street; e-hailing drop-off is available at the entrance. Street parking is available in the surrounding Zonnebloem area.
Cost: Free. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 3pm – 5pm
Where: Avalon Auditorium, Homecoming Centre, Caledon Street, Buitenkant St, District Six, Cape Town
#Action4Inclusion Social Justice Walk
An annual 16km fundraising walk held on National Youth Day, following the Pilgrimage of Hope route from Kruiskerk in Stellenbosch to Kylemore via the Old Helshoogte Pass through the Dwarsrivier Valley. The walk is presented by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) at Stellenbosch University, with support from the Stellenbosch Municipality and Visit Stellenbosch.
The #Action4Inclusion initiative was launched in 2020 by the CSJ, the Stellenbosch University Student Representative Council, and Prof Thuli Madonsela, who holds the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice at the university. Madonsela is a former Public Protector of South Africa and one of the drafters of the South African Constitution. Funds raised go towards Stellenbosch University’s Bridge the Gap Annual Fund, which clears outstanding student debt to enable financially struggling students to register for the following academic year or access their academic records after graduation.
The 2026 edition marks the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising and 30 years of South Africa’s Constitution. The walk brings together alumni, staff, community members, and public figures. The route passes through an area of cultural heritage significance in the Stellenbosch wine and farming region. Participants should bring water and appropriate footwear for a 16km trail.
Cost: R300. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 7.30am – 2pm
Where: Kruiskerk, Ryneveld St, Stellenbosch, Cape Town
Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra: Youth Day Celebration
The Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (CPYO) presents a Youth Day concert of light classics, film music, and world music at the Baxter Concert Hall, conducted by Liam Burden and presented by Aviva Pelham. The programme draws from a broad range of repertoire, including Leroy Anderson’s “Bugler’s Holiday,” film music from Frozen, The Lion King, and Pirates of the Caribbean, and world music arrangements including Lord of the Dance, Miriam Makeba, and “Jerusalema.”
The CPYO is the flagship youth orchestra of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), one of South Africa’s leading professional orchestras with roots dating to 1914. The CPYO draws 70 young musicians from across the city and surrounding communities, with CPO musicians teaching youth from Gugulethu, Langa, Khayelitsha, Atlantis, Mamre, and Nyanga through the orchestra’s outreach programmes.
Conductor Liam Burden was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the CPYO in June 2024. He holds an MMus cum laude from Stellenbosch University, has conducted the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Stellenbosch University Symphony Orchestra, and was a finalist in the Len van Zyl Conductors’ Competition.
Cost: R70-R120. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | From 3pm
Where: Baxter Theatre Centre, Pam Golding Theatre, Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town
Golden Hour Sunset Silent Disco
A family-friendly silent disco held on the beach in front of Doodles Beachfront restaurant in Bloubergstrand, timed to coincide with golden hour on National Youth Day. The event is presented by Silent Music, a Cape Town-based events company specialising in outdoor silent disco experiences.
Participants receive wireless headphones offering three music channels: Afro Energy, Throwback Vibes, and Sunset Grooves. The experience opens with a guided group connection session before the music channels activate. Doodles Beachfront is an established restaurant on the Bloubergstrand beachfront with direct views of Table Mountain and Robben Island.
Cost: R120 Adults | R60 U12. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 4pm – 5.30pm | Headphone collection begins at 3.30pm
Where: On the beach in front of Doodles, 110 Beach Blvd, Bloubergstrand, Cape Town
Run for Hope
Run for Hope is a 5km fun run organised by The Cindy Foundation on Youth Day. The event raises funds towards the Foundation’s Safe House Project, which aims to provide a dedicated safe space for children living in the informal settlement on Nectar Road in Retreat. The Cindy Foundation works with children and families in need in the Retreat area of Cape Town’s South Peninsula.
The run is led by running group Lime CPT, who will guide participants around the Zandvlei course. All finishers receive a medal and a goodie bag. Runners are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items on the day to supplement the Foundation’s ongoing support for families in the Nectar Road settlement. The route covers 5km within the Zandvlei Recreational Park, a wetland nature reserve and public green space on the shores of Zandvlei estuary, adjacent to the False Bay coastline.
Cost: R150 Adults | R50 Kids. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 10am – 12pm
Where: Zandvlei Recreational Park, Promenade Rd, Marina Da Gama, Cape Town
The Magnificats Sing
The Magnificats is a choral ensemble performing a Youth Day concert at the Sozo Foundation Skills Hub in Capricorn Business Park. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales is donated to the Sozo Foundation, a Vrygrond-based non-profit organisation.
Founded in 2011, the Sozo Foundation provides education, skills development, and enterprise programmes to young people under 35, with the goal of addressing high rates of school dropout and unemployment in the Vrygrond and surrounding communities. Its programmes include an after-school EduCentre, a skills development project, and a social enterprise that provides apprenticeships and work experience.
Tickets are structured as a donation model rather than fixed pricing; all three tiers grant identical entry to the concert.
Cost: R50 – R150. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 5.45pm – 9pm
Where: The Sozo Foundation Skills Hub, Unit 1A Nexus Place 6 Capricorn Drive Capricorn Business Park, Muizenberg
Centre Stage: Dancing into the Future
Centre Stage is a one-night fundraising gala in support of Cape Town City Ballet, bringing together over 300 dancers from 21 dance training institutions and studios across Cape Town.
Dancers range in age from 5 to 25 and present 20 choreographic works across seven genres, including classical ballet, jazz, musical theatre, and African contemporary dance. Guest performers include professional dancers from Cape Town City Ballet and students from the city’s tertiary performing arts training institutions.
Guest performers include dancers from the Cape Town City Ballet as well as students from Cape Town’s tertiary training institutions. Presented with love by each performer, the funds raised will go directly to the Cape Town City Ballet to support its sustainability.
Cost: R180 – R300. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 7pm – 9pm
Where: Artscape Theatre Centre, D.F. Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town
CRC Cape Town Run for Me Fun Run/Walk
Run For Me is a Youth Day fun run and walk organised by CRC Cape Town, the Cape Town campus of Christian Revival Church, a global church movement founded in 1994 and focused on community outreach and support. The event takes place at Jack Muller Park in Boston and is open to runners and walkers of all abilities and fitness levels.
Each ticket purchased directly funds a blanket donation to a person in need in Cape Town during the winter season. Participants are also encouraged to bring additional non-perishable food items on the day. The event is family-friendly, with no competitive element; the focus is on community participation rather than racing.
Cost: R100 | U13s Free. Book now on Quicket.
When: 16 June 2026 | 8am Registration | 9am – 11am fun run/walk
Where: Jack Muller Park, Frans Conradie Dr, Boston, Cape Town
State of the Youth Address
The State of the Youth Address (SOYA) is a youth-led civic platform produced by Citizen Code, held on the eve of South Africa’s National Youth Day. The event reimagines a Parliament of the Future, in which young leaders step into the role of unofficial Ministers of the Future and present solutions-oriented ideas on leadership, innovation, and the systems shaping the next generation of South Africans. The format is designed to bring youth, civil society, and institutions together for direct engagement on issues the country’s young people consider most pressing.
SOYA is explicitly non-partisan and not affiliated with any political party or government body. All proceeds from ticket sales are donated to a youth-focused organisation. The platform positions itself as a space for constructive dialogue rather than protest or political commentary, with an emphasis on actionable ideas and peer-to-peer exchange among young leaders.
Cost: R100 per person. Book now on Quicket.
When: 15 June 2026 | From 6pm
Where: The Star Theatre District Six Homecoming Centre, Cape Town
Discover the biggest Cape Town events happening in June
