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January events calendar of Cape Town & surrounds
The year begins with pumping events in January in the Mother City
It's New Year, and January sees the first full month of summer in the Mother city in 2012. Is your New Years resolution to make more time to relax and enjoy life in Cape Town? Yes? Then we have a great selection of the biggest January-events for you.
Our selection of the most popular January events to enjoy in 2012
Looking for a colorful and unique start into the new year? The Cape Minstrels Carnival ('Kaapse klopse' or 'Coon carnival') is celebrated every year on 2 January. Troupes of Cape Minstrels sing, play and dance in their funky costumes through the streets of Cape Town on 'The Tweede Nuwe Jaar' – which means Second New Year (there are also competitions taking place throughout the summer season).
L'Ormarins Queen's Plate is one of South Africa's premier horse races, which is over 1600m and a weight-for-age contest, in line with the world's most prestigious Grade 1 events. The event features a minimum of nine races on the day. This historic horse race was first held in 1861, in honour of Queen Victoria. When she died, the race became the 'King's Plate', during the reigns of Edward VII and George VI, but reverted back to its original name in 1953, after the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne.
South African horse racing is particularly popular amongst the rich and famous, but especially on the 'Pocket Power' race day, in January. A day at the South African tracks is a glamorous event where all the big spenders come out to play. South Africa is home to 3 famous annual horse races that take place in it’s three principal cities. Cape Town hosts The J&B Met (at Kenilworth Race Course) every January.
Now this one is for the romantic ones and especially those theatre lovers. Shakespeare in the Park is an annual event, with excellent local adaptions of Shakespeare plays, performed on the open air stage at Maynardville, in Wynberg. Take your picnic basket and enjoy a special performance.
Music lovers have to have the Suidoosterfees strictly planned in their yearly events calendar. A festival of South African music and art with a little more focus on Afrikaans as well.
The Cape to Rio Yacht Race is a direct route between Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While open to both mono and multi-hulled racing and cruising vessels, maximum participation is expected within this prestigious race – this is a crazy one.
Got a tattoo? Wanna show it off? Want more? Go to the Southern Ink Xposure, an annual Tattoo expo. It’s huge, it’s successful with over ten thousand tattoo-hungry people, top international artists from fifteen countries, art exhibitions, and concerts.
Hey, and don’t pitch up at work on the 1st of January, New Year’s Day is a Public Holidays in Cape Town. Find all South African Public Holidays.
*PLEASE NOTE* All dates are subject to change
Obviously there are many more smaller events, charity evenings, concerts and other happenings that take place every year in Cape Town, its surrounding cities and villages in the Western Cape. For the latest update check our Events Calendar closer to the time and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Also, read the calendar of events and festivals taking place every year in February that we prepared for you, or discover the overview of the most important and well known annual events in Cape Town in 2012.
Enjoy it!
