Cape Town streets come alive with colour during carnival celebrations

Cape Town - It was a giant celebration of colour, energy, talent and community spirit, as the streets of the Fan Walk in Green Point came alive on Saturday evening during the annual Cape Town Carnival. 

The 55 000-strong crowd, which began converging on Green Point from mid-afternoon to enjoy the pre-carnival entertainment, food and drinks and the Carnival Village vibe, was treated to bright and vibrant floats, puppetry and performances.

“There’s always a vibrant liveliness and vivacity when you arrive at the parade, and it’s fantastic to see families and friends getting into the Carnival spirit,” says Professor Rachel Jafta, chairperson of the Cape Town Carnival Trust.  

The 2019 theme, VUKA UKHANYE: Arise and Shine!, was a culmination of brainstorming sessions with everyone involved in the Cape Town Carnival, and a call to action to shake off limiting beliefs and be all we can be. 

The ribbon cutting always signifies the start, and was preceded this year by a healing intervention ‘Clearing the Path for Our Coming Together’ held by Vuyi Qubeka with DiopMawu. 

The parade then exploded into bold and beautiful interpretations of Sunrise and Sunflowers turning towards the light, the first in a parade of astonishing creations interpreting the theme.

This year saw more performers than ever join the Carnival family. “We have over 54 performance groups this year, representing over 50 areas across the metropole and beyond, and we just love bringing everyone together at our annual event,” says Jay Douwes, CEO of the Cape Town Carnival.