South Africa is a country that hosts an array of music festivals, inclusive of various genres. From house, to alternative, to language-themed music, these exciting events showcase different genres that cater to all of the different crowds at the same time. Some festivals are more genre or theme-based than others, but there’s something for everyone. Now that the peak of COVID-19 has passed and the country is a lot more open to concerts and festivals, you can expect to find the festival of your favourite genre coming up soon.
Music festivals are great fun and an exciting addition to your holidays. They’re a fun way to spend a full day out of the house, especially if you are wondering about things to do in your free time. Since everyone deserves the chance to soak up the atmosphere at a music festival at least once in their lives, why wait? There are so many festivals taking place, but we have narrowed the list down to 8 of the best music festivals in South Africa for 2022 and 2023.
1. Parklive Gourmet Food & Music Festival
If you love outdoor festivals, live entertainment and delicious food, then you won’t want to miss The Parklive Gourmet Food & Music Festival. It is regarded as one of Johannesburg’s favourite outdoor music and lifestyle festivals. This year it will be taking place at Marks Park, Judith Road in Emmarentia, on Saturday the 5th of November 2022. It’s not too late to get tickets online, or you can even buy tickets upon arrival on the day.
You can expect to enjoy live music from Jeremy Loops, Prime Circle, The One Who Sings (Zolani Mahola), Just Jinjer and many more exciting acts. There will be two stages hosting music. Also, be sure to arrive hungry so that you can indulge and enjoy the curated food village that will be offering the best of gourmet street foods. For the sports enthusiast, the Springbok VS Ireland rugby match will be screened at the event from 19:30, following the live music. And of course, the bars will remain open for the duration of the rugby match.
The festival will run from 9:30 to 21:30 on Saturday 05 November 2022.
The tickets will cost approximately:
- General admission for adults 18+: R395 per person, excluding R25 Ticket Fee.
- General admission for ages 6 to 17: R295 per person, also excluding the R25 Ticket Fee.
- Children under 6 years old get in for free!
You can check out the Parklive website and social media pages for tickets and information about the festival, as well as the latest news, announcements, information, details and more.
2. LYFE Event
The radio station, YFM, is hosting an exciting concert at Carnival City Lawns, featuring some of South Africa’s best musical acts. The concert takes place on the 26th of November 2022.
You can expect an array of categories, from lifestyle, to fashion, and endless amounts of entertainment, all in the same venue. This event will be a fantastic way to start your summer season, with Grammy Award-winning artist and DJ, Black Coffee as the headline. You will also get to see Focalistic, DBN Gogo, as well as Nasty C and AKA for the hip hop fans. These are just a few of the artists that will be gracing the stage and hyping the crowds up.
This event is all about living life to the fullest and being able to express yourself! There will be colourful and vibrant backdrops, food stalls, trucks, and drinks, so you can truly enjoy this outdoor experience. Get your tickets soon so that you don’t miss out. General admission is R200 per person, while VIP tickets will cost R600. The festival will run from 08:00 to 17:00. There will be parking facilities at the venue, and unfortunately, no under 18s are allowed at this event.
You can find more information and details, and book tickets to this event here.
3. Piekniek En Musiek
One of Cape Town’s favourite family-friendly Afrikaans outdoor music festivals is back this summer, at a new venue too! It will be hosted at the Nederburg Estate, Sonstraal Road, Paarl, and the festival will host some of South Africa’s most beloved Afrikaans music stars, including Bok van Blerk, Elvis Blue, Refentse, and Tarryn Lamb.
Piekniek en Musiek will take place on Sunday 4 December 2022. Tickets are currently on sale for R250 each. There are limited tickets available at R150 each for kids 12 and under.
The gates will open at 11:00 and performances begin at 14:00. You can bring along your picnic basket or make use of the wide variety of food stalls and trucks.
Read more about the line-up and buy tickets online here.
4. On The Lawn
This year’s edition of On The Lawn will be held at Marks Park on Saturday 3 December 2022. This will be an afternoon of super cool entertainment with performances from Matthew Mole, Neon Dreams, Desmond & The Tutus, and Veronica Fusaro from Switzerland.
The big event is open for all ages to enjoy, so the whole family can attend the outdoor picnic-style festival. This festival will be a fun way to kick off your summer holidays, and if you don’t have a picnic basket to take with you, don’t worry, there will be more than enough delicious foods on sale, as well as bars to quench your thirst. To read more about the event and buy tickets, head to the On The Lawn website.
5. Park Acoustics
Park Acoustics is Pretoria’s very own outdoor music show. This exciting event takes place on Sunday 6 November 2022, but you can also look forward to others on the last Sunday of each month. So, if you miss this one, keep a lookout for the next one. Park Acoustics takes place at the Voor Trekker Monument on Fort Schanskop. The fort allows for great sound and has a clear 360° view of the City.
There are picnic spots available, so don’t forget your picnic basket. If not, there are also food stalls and bars to enjoy. In addition to the musical acts that will be performed, there will also be a comedy stage, an art expo, and braai facilities. Check out the Park Acoustics Website for more information about the day and ticket sales for a Sunday you’ll never forget.
6. Cotton Fest
Cotton Fest is one of South Africa’s biggest hip-hop culture events and is now coming to Cape Town this summer. Taking place 8 months after the first Cotton Fest In Johannesburg, sold out in April, Cape Town’s very first Cotton Fest will take place on 10 December 2022, at the Paarden Eiland Park. The youth culture festival will celebrate new music, fashion, and lifestyle. There will be artists performing across 2 stages – the Cotton Stage will headline artists from Cape Town and Johannesburg. The second stage will have performances from the New Wave of hip hop talent, as well as some of the biggest names in amapiano.
‘The Tuckshop’, a merchandise area offering the best of unique branded fashion items and other well sought after accessories, will also be on display. There will also be a sports area with a half-court and skateboarding ramp, as well as photo booths set up for content creation, and even areas just for chilling and relaxing.
Unfortunately, this event is only for those 18 years and over. If you need more information and details, or to buy tickets, the Cotton Fest website is where you want to be.
7. Ultra Music Festival
The biggest and most anticipated festival returns to South Africa after a break due to COVID-19. Africa’s largest electronic music festival will be taking place next year and is expected to be way larger than it was in previous years. There will be numerous local and international artists and DJs performing, still yet to be announced.
The first day of Ultra is set to kick off on Friday 10 March 2023 in Cape Town. The event will be held at the Kenilworth Racecourse. The second show which will follow on Saturday 11 March 2023, at the Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg.
The Ultra Music Festival is the one for you if you’re looking for a festival to dance the night away and have the most amazing time with friends while experiencing the latest popular beats, the biggest names in music, and a view of their over-the-top fireworks display. For additional information and to purchase tickets, head over to the Ultra South Africa website.
8. The Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Fans of jazz will be excited to know that the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) is returning after a three-year gap due to COVID-19, for its 21st anniversary celebrations. The jazz festival will feature an eclectic mix of jazz and jazz-related music and will cater to the wants of fans, including having more time to spend enjoying the artists that will be performing. You can also look forward to more of the ‘festival’ feeling through the expansion of other experiences, of which details will come at a later stage. There will be a whopping three stages hosting more than 21 music performances.
As it is the 21st anniversary, the festival will also be launching a brand new audience engagement platform (AEP), and the Festinio experience app. The app will be going live later this year, and will be a content-rich platform with information for you to stay up to date with what’s happening, who will be gracing the stages, and a whole lot more.
If you want to find out more or secure your place at the event, you can find information and tickets for the event here.
Conclusion
These are just some of the music festivals that will be taking place in South Africa from 2022 to 2023. Some are happening a lot sooner than others, so don’t wait too long before you buy your tickets for the music festival that excites you most. Whether you enjoy hip hop, jazz, or electronic, there will be a festival for you to attend and reward yourself with for your year of hard work.
While you plan, research and buy tickets for your upcoming festival, let the SweepSouth team provide an expert home cleaning service so that you can look forward to the music, while we take care of your home.
