City of Cape Town Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia de Lille, will officially launch Cape Town’s summer holiday season when she switches on the Festive Season lights on Sunday, 2 December 2012 at 20:00.
Cape Town’s largest public open-air event kicks off in Adderley Street with a concert starting at 15:00 on the Grand Parade, followed by a festive parade until 23:00.
In preparation for crowds of spectators, which have numbered over 80 000 people in the past, the City will partially close several streets in the CBD from 10:00 to 23:00 on Sunday, 2 December 2012.
The closures from 10:00 on Sunday, 2 December include:
- Adderley Street, between Bureau Street and the Fountain Circle
- Church Street, between Adderley Street and Burg Street
- Longmarket Street, between Burg Street and Parliament Street
- Shortmarket Street, Hout Street and Castle Street, between Burg Street and Adderley Street
- Riebeek Street, between Long Street and Adderley Street
- Darling Street, between Adderley Street and Buitenkant Street
- The Keizersgracht, between Tennant Street and Chapel Street
- Parade Street, between Caledon Street and Darling Street
- Corporation Street, Plein Street and Parliament Street, between Longmarket Street and Darling Street
The closures from 12:00 on Sunday, 2 December include:
- The Heerengracht Service Road
- Castle Street and Lower Plein Street, between Strand Street and Darling Street
The closures from 18:00 on Sunday, 2 December include:
- The Keizersgracht between Searle Street and Sir Lowry Road
- Darling Street between Sir Lowry Road and Adderley Street
Finally, the closures from 19:00 on Sunday, 2 December include:
- Strand Street, between Long Street and Rutger Street
- Hertzog Boulevard, between DF Malan Street and the Heerengracht
- Hans Strijdom Avenue, between Long Street and the Fountain Circle
- Sir Lowry Road, between Tennant Street and Primrose Street
- Darling Street, between Buitenkant Street and Primrose Street
- Canterbury Street and Harrington Street, between Longmarket Street and Darling Street
- Buitenkant Street, between Caledon Street and Strand Street
Streets will reopen as soon as the festive parade has passed through.
No parking will be permitted in Adderley Street and Darling Street between 12:00 and midnight. Temporary ablution facilities will be available at designated locations, as well as dedicated ablution facilities for the disabled. There will be a demarcated area for disabled people on the Grand Parade that will be accessed via Corporation Street.
Over five kilometres of rope lighting was used for the various light creations, including the six-metre high Christmas tree on the Grand Parade.
With the theme ‘Our City, Our People’, this year’s event will include stage performances by some of South Africa’s top artists including Jimmy Dludlu, Lira, Freshlyground, Emo Adams and Alistair Isobel. There will also be fireworks and laser shows before the start of the traditional, spectacular street parade which will proceed along Darling Street and into Adderely Street.
Festival-goers who would like to use the MyCiTi bus to get home after the event are requested to note that there will be an extended service on 2 December 2012. The last bus will depart from the Civic Centre Station for Table View at 23:00. Passengers need to have a myconnect card with sufficient funds to travel to make use of this late night service.
Extra trains will also be available, departing from Cape Town Station to Kapteinsklip, and to Retreat via the Cape Flats at 23:00.
For more information, click here.
For regular updates, please follow @CityofCT; tweeters are encouraged to use the hash-tag #CTfestivelights.
