Experience Cape Town's festive lights switch-on: a celebration of community and culture

Capetonians are invited to take part in the Festive Lights Switch-On (FLSO) by joining in dance and design activities, moving to the music, and showcasing the spirit of the Mother City’s annual celebration.

This year’s campaign and main event will feature not only a bright, culturally diverse line-up of entertainers and the much-anticipated light switch moment, but also two exciting community-driven initiatives.

On Wednesday, October 1 the FLSO "Move and Melody", a cross-discipline dance and vocal showcase, competition was launched with participants vying for a coveted spot on stage at the festive event on Sunday, November 30.

"Creatives, youthful or elderly - from fashion students to sewing clubs - can upcycle, sew, bedazzle, crochet, or hand-knit to design and create a festive top for Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. These entries are due on Monday, October 6. 

Cape Town will once again light up the summer sky as thousands gather on the Grand Parade and along Adderley Street for the 56th edition of the FLSO. 

This free, family-friendly celebration takes place this year under the theme: “United in Hope.”

More than just a seasonal celebration, the FLSO has grown into one of Cape Town’s most beloved traditions and a symbol of Cape Town’s resilience, creativity, and community spirit.

Building on the success of recent hope-themed editions, this year’s event takes that message one step further - recognising hope not simply as an emotion, but as a unifying civic value that connects us all.

The FLSO offers something rare and vital in this digital-driven world - the chance to connect face to face, to dance, to laugh, with one another and to celebrate Cape Town’s unique culture under the summer sky. 

It is a gathering where neighbours meet, families bond, and visitors experience the warmth and energy of the Mother City at its most joyful.

The concert programme builds up to the switch-on moment of the festive lights, a lighting display of lasers, lights and pyrotechnics.

A highlight of the event is a colourful video mapping display on the façade of the City Hall, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For the artist line-up and the competitions, and for more information, visit social media pages Instagram @CTFestiveLights, TikTok @CTFestiveLights, X @CTFestiveLights, Facebook Cape Town Festive Lights, or YouTube Cape Town Festive Lights Switch-On.