The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) has announced its expanded Month of the Mother City, which will run from March 4 to 26, 2027. Presented by espAfrika, the new format will take the festival beyond its traditional main weekend, bringing jazz and cultural events to various venues across the city. These venues include St George’s Cathedral, Greenmarket Square, the Company’s Garden, Artscape Theatre Centre, the Homecoming Centre, Texas Nightclub, Youngblood-Africa Gallery, and Guga S’thebe in Langa.
The programme will build towards two major weekends, with performances by South African and international artists, special collaborations, and a family day. The first major programme weekend will be the Homecoming weekend on March 12 and 13, with events at the Homecoming Centre and Texas Nightclub. The main festival weekend will follow from March 19 to 21, with celebrations at the Company’s Garden, Greenmarket Square, and St George’s Cathedral.
The expanded programme will feature 22 South African artists and 16 international acts, alongside special collaborations featuring the CTIJF Jazz Orchestra and the CTIJF All-Star Youth Band. The programme will conclude on Sunday, March 21, with a family day intended to welcome music lovers of all ages. According to Georgia Jones, co-director of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the expanded format aims to bring the festival closer to communities while creating more opportunities for audiences to experience Cape Town’s cultural spaces.
Free community concerts and cultural events are planned throughout March, including free community concerts scheduled for Guga S’thebe on March 14 and Greenmarket Square on March 17. Carolyn Sierra, co-director of the festival, said the new format was intended to strengthen the relationship between the event and the city. The expanded programme will also create opportunities for partners, local businesses, and artists to connect with audiences.
The festival will also feature 10 intimate performances, 10 masterclasses, panel discussions, a conversation series, an art gallery exhibition, and a fashion show. Organisers say ticket options will range from free entry to tiered pricing, with the aim of making the celebrations accessible to a wider audience. Early Bird tickets for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival are scheduled to go on sale through Quicket on October 30, 2026.
All ticket types and pricing tiers are scheduled to become available from November 16. Tickets for the wider Month of the Mother City programme are scheduled to go on sale through FIXR on November 30. According to Sierra, the city becomes the festival in 2027, creating a richer connection between the music, audiences, and the place they call home.
The CTIJF has been a significant event in Cape Town's cultural calendar for over two decades. The expanded programme aims to evolve the festival without losing its spirit, while bringing jazz directly into the neighbourhoods, community, and cultural spaces that make Cape Town vibrant.
Key points
- The Cape Town International Jazz Festival will expand into a month-long celebration across the city in March 2027.
- The programme will feature 22 South African artists and 16 international acts.
- Free community concerts and cultural events are planned throughout March.
