Festival of Chariots

On 26 December a local version of an ancient Indian street festival, made popular by Hare Krishna devotees, will be parading through Main Road, Seapoint. Festival-goers will hand-pull a 20-metre wooden chariot bearing the figures of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra to the sounds of melodious singing. This tradition is over 5,000 years old and no doubt Cape Town will give it a special African twist. The parade leaves Seapoint Civic Hall at 12.30 and the festival goes on until 8pm with live performances, spiritual discourses, jumping castles and henna tattooing. For more info on this Cape Town carnival, please call +27 21 686 1179

Cape Town Minstrel Carnival

Is it on, is it off? That’s what we seem to ask every year about the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, but each year they manage to pull it off and appear all glammed up in shiny suits and sequins and march through the streets of Cape Town to entertain us in a fashion only they know how. It’s not quite like any other street carnival because nowhere has the ‘Kaapse klopse’ blended of cultures that combine in a raucous cacophony of sound and visuals. It’s set to take place on Monday 2 January – look out for the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival route and more information in the local media.

Tell us about your fondest carnival memory.