Out and about in Cape Town: Best things to do this weekend

I told myself this wasn’t going to be another Halloween-centric events guide. But alas, I’ve spoken too soon. 

The biggest event this weekend is the annual Zombie Walk, obviously. The Zeitz MOCAA is also pulling out all the stops for its Fright at the Museum evening. It’ll be interesting to see how the museum comes alive after dark. 

Up for something more light-hearted? The Langa Food Fashion Music Fest is happening on Saturday. It’s a bold, vibrant celebration of township culture. For my party people, Amahle - Afro House brings all the Afro House vibes. 

For the Sunday chills, Sisonke Xonti will set the stage alight at the Homecoming Centre. He returns with uKholo, an album rooted in faith, hope, healing and resilience.

Or you could forget all the above and go straight into Spring Beast Mode to prepare for Ke Dezemba. Alexa, play Sisqó’s ‘Thong Song’.

CBD

FAME Shorts Film Festival 

• Friday, 30 October - Sunday, 1 November, 7pm
• Venue: Rockefeller Hotel & Residence, 12 Christiaan Barnard St, Foreshore 
• Cost: From R75, bookings via Quicket

Part of Fame Africa Week, the 2026 FAME Shorts Film Festival celebrates stories of hope, curiosity, possibility and the courage to keep moving forward. This year’s programme concentrates on wonderfully strange worlds where the ordinary becomes unexpected. Audiences can discover films from the Global South and around the world. Meet the filmmakers behind the stories and experience short-form filmmaking.

Culture Halloween “HORROR MOVIE” 

• Saturday, 31 October, 7pm
• Venue: Culture Wine Bar, 103 Bree St 
• Cost: From R200, no under-18s, bookings via Quicket

Culture Wine Bar brings back its legendary Halloween party, and this time it’s taking the theme to the movies. Come dressed as a horror movie character, or come as your personal horror movie. Expect killer costumes, live music and a walk-about tasting in the Wine Library featuring a line-up of terrifyingly good producers. 

Sisonke Xonti: uKholo Album Launch - CPT

• Sunday, 1 November, 4pm
• Venue: Homecoming Centre, 15 Buitenkant St, District Six 
• Cost: R300, bookings via Webtickets

Following a six-year hiatus, Sisonke Xonti returns with uKholo, an album rooted in faith, hope, healing and resilience. Sisonke brings his friends on stage for a special live celebration of the album. Spend your Sunday afternoon immersed in powerful South African jazz, storytelling and a carefully crafted theatre production.

ATLANTIC SEABOARD

HACC ‘26 Opening Film - Irkalla Gilamesh’s dream, African Premiere

• Friday, 30 October, 8pm - 10pm
• Venue: Robben Island Museum Amphitheatre, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront 
• Cost: From R200, bookings via Quicket

This marks the third edition of the Hollywood African Cinema Connection (HACC) Festival. This year’s opening film is Irkalla Gilamesh’s dream. Set in Baghdad in 2019, a homeless nine-year-old boy believes the Tigris hides a gateway to the underworld where he can resurrect his parents. 

Time Out tip: This year’s theme for HACC is ‘Our Land. Our Heritage’. From Friday, 30 October to Monday, 2 November, audiences can watch screenings at the V&A Waterfront and District Six Homecoming Centre.

Zeitz MOCAA presents Fright at the Museum

• Saturday, 31 October, 6pm - 10pm
• Venue: Zeitz MOCAA, S Arm Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront 
• Cost: R450, bookings via Webtickets

Night at the Museum, but make it real life. Visit the Zeitz MOCAA for an after-hours adventure. Help uncover the secrets of missing worker X as you navigate mysterious clue rooms, solve puzzles, and take on imaginative art challenges. Dress as your most creative self. Enjoy immersive experiences, hands-on art activities, and receive a specially curated goodie bag. 

SOUTHERN SUBURBS

Halloween Kids: Coco 

• Friday, 30 October, 5pm
• Venue: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Rhodes Dr, Newlands
• Cost: From R155, bookings via Webtickets

The Galileo Open Air Cinema hosts a special Halloween screening of Coco. The 2017 animated fantasy adventure follows 12-year-old Miguel, who is accidentally transported to the colourful Land of the Dead. It’s the perfect kiddies movie for the occasion.

Vivaldi in Dance

• Wednesday, 28 - Saturday, 31 October, 3:30pm and 7:30pm
• Venue: Flipside, Baxter Theatre, Main Rd, Rondebosch 
• Cost: R180 - R250, bookings via Webtickets

An immersive theatrical experience, featuring Max Richter’s recomposition of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’, Vivaldi in Dance is presented by Figure of 8 Dance Theatre and the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, in collaboration with internationally acclaimed violinist Daniel Rowland. 

CAPE FLATS

People’s Pavilion Festival

• Saturday, 31 October, 10am
• Venue: Strandfontein Pavilion, Baden Powell Drive, New Strandfontein Rd, Strandfontein 
• Cost: R50, bookings via Webtickets

The People’s Pavilion Festival brings the energy to Strandfontein Pavilion. The once-bustling space will come alive with life, colour, music, and identity. Expect a celebration of heritage, food, and memory. Let’s all do our part in returning the Pavilion to the ‘ol days

Langa Food Fashion Music Fest

WebticketsLanga Food Fashion Music Fest

• Saturday, 31 October, 2pm
• Venue: Langa Stadium, N’Dabeni St, Langa 
• Cost: R150 - R800, bookings via Webtickets

Step into the heart of Langa for a bold, vibrant celebration of culture, creativity and community. Langa Food Fashion Music Fest brings together local flavour, talent and local culture, showcasing the true taste of the township.

NRPD Fun Run 2026 - Run for Hope 

• Sunday, 1 November, noon
• Venue: Riverlands, 51 Gogosoa St, Observatory 
• Cost: R50 - R1,000, bookings via Webtickets

This kid-friendly fun run is your ideal Sunday wind-down. Bring the whole gang to join National Rescue for Poverty & Drugs (NRPD) for fitness, family fun, and community spirit. Your entry supports NRPD’s community outreach programmes and fundraising initiatives, creating positive change in the lives of vulnerable individuals and families.

NORTHERN SUBURBS

Bat Night Hike on Intaka Island 

• Friday, 30 October, 6:30pm
• Venue: Intaka Island, 2 Park Ln, Century City, Milnerton 
• Cost: From R140, bookings via Quicket

Experience Intaka Island from a whole new perspective. Listen carefully for the sounds of the wetlands after dark and keep your eyes peeled for bats swooping overhead. Learn more about the different species found in the area, what they eat, where they roost and why bats are an important part of a healthy environment. Who would have thought bats were so vital to humanity? And I thought they were blood-thirsty vampires.

Halloween Sip and Create: Cocktail Edition 

• Saturday, 31 October, 6pm
• Venue: Durbanville Hills Winery, Tygerberg Valley Rd, Cape Farms 
• Cost: R450, bookings via website

Sip & Create: Cocktail Edition is a Halloween-themed evening of mixology, music, and mouthwatering bites. If you’re looking for a unique night out, it ticks all the boxes. Think a mixologist-led session and a live DJ spinning beats. Come dressed in your spooky best.

WEST COAST

Amahle - Afro House 

• Friday, 30 October, 5pm
• Venue: Defected Studio, Unit 401, 7 Section St, Paarden Eiland
• Cost: From R200, bookings via Decibel

Hosted by DJ Vannessa, Amahle is an Afro House experience where rhythm, culture, energy, and connection collide. Expect deep grooves, soulful melodies, hypnotic percussion, and the infectious sounds of Afro House.

2-Hour Fitness - Spring Beast Mode

• Saturday, 31 October, 8:45am
• Venue: Sunningdale Sports Complex, Waterville St, Milnerton Rural 
• Cost: R200, bookings via Webtickets

They say summer bodies are made in winter. For those who like a challenge, this one’s for you. TG Fitness brings you Spring Beast Mode, a 2-hour, full-throttle fitness experience built to test your limits and transform how you move. Start with 90 minutes of high-intensity cardio boxing followed by 30 minutes of pure conditioning. 

CAPE WINELANDS

SIP & SAVOUR @ The River (Rietvallei Edition) 2026

• Saturday, 31 October - Sunday, 1 November, 10am
• Venue: Rietvallei Wine Estate, RobertsonRietvallei Wine Estate, Robertson 
• Cost: R300 - R600, bookings via Webtickets

Sip & Savour @ The River encompasses two days of exceptional wines, great food, live music and family-friendly entertainment. This year’s festival is hosted at Rietvallei Wine Estate. The location may be different, but the Sip & Savour experience remains the same. 

Koos Kombuis live at Triggerfish Brewing 2026

• Saturday, 31 October, 8:30pm - 10:30pm
• Venue: Triggerfish Brewing, Unit 9 W.R. Quinan Blvd, Paardevlei 
• Cost: From R120, bookings via Quicket

Koos Kombuis returns to Triggerfish Brewing for his annual show. Koos is legendary in these parts. The musician, singer, songwriter and writer became famous as part of a group of anti-establishment maverick Afrikaans musicians under the collective name Voëlvry.

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