The Cape Town Jazz Festival has grown into a hugely successful international event since its inception.

Melodytrip has ranked this proudly South African event as No.4 in the world, outshining events such as Switzerland’s Montreux Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland.

CAPE TOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL

The festival’s winning formula of bringing more than 40 International and Local artists to perform over two days on five stages has earned it the status of being the most prestigious event on the African continent.

Breathtaking beaches and the stunning Table Mountain, great seafood, shark diving eco-tours, and museums that chronicle the area’s apartheid past.

Cape Town Jazz Festival is the flagship event for the leading events management and production company espAfrika, which has staged and produced several world-renowned events.

Affectionately referred to as “Africa’s Grandest Gathering” the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, is the largest music event in sub-Saharan Africa. The Cape Town International Jazz Festival is an annual event.

It is famous for delivering a star-studded line up. This proudly South African produced event is hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) each year on the last weekend of March or the first weekend of April.

The festival annually boasts 5 stages and over 40 artists performing over 2 nights. The programming - unique to the CTIJF is made up of a 50/50 split between South African artists and international artists respectively.

Legends of the past

Herbie Hancock, Youssou N’Dour, Toots Thielemans, Tower of Power, Isaacc Hayes, Cassandra Wilson, Cesária Évora, Chucho Valdés, Gino Vannelli, Dianne Reeves, Lauryn Hill, Buena Vista Social Club featuring Omara Portuondo, Jack DeJohnette.

The pre festival Free Community concert (March 26, 2026) is a permanent feature of the Cape Town International Jazz festival and is as old as the festival itself.

Held annually in the heart of the city at Green Market Square, this concert is the festivals’ way of showing appreciation to the people of Cape Town, by giving them a taste of some of the world class performers at no charge, hence often drawing thousands of music lovers into the city.

Ticket prices are as follows: R895 for a weekend pass (two days) and R590 for a day pass. Limited Rosies Stage tickets cost R30 per performance and will be available on www.computicket.com from December 7.