The City of Cape Town’s flagship Festive Lights Switch-On event makes a grand return this Sunday 27 November 2022 after a two-year pandemic-enforced hiatus.
The City has outlined the measures in place, including safety requirements to ensure a successful event.
The Festive Lights Switch-On is anticipating upwards of 80 000 attendees on the Grand Parade and Adderley Street.
Fresh off his first-ever Grammy nomination, multi-award winning musician Zakes Bantwini will anchor an all-star line-up which also includes Mi Casa, Emo Adams, Will Linley, Abavuki, Sasha-Lee and more for the free open-air concert.
Safety measures
Safety and Security personnel who will work with the South African Police Services will be deployed, as well as private security, to ensure that the safeguarding of all patrons at this family-friendly event.
There will be zero tolerance of any weapons, alcohol, drugs and other illegal substances at the event.
Entrance into the festival footprint, through 13 chutes, will open from 13:00 ahead of the event’s start at 16:00.
Patrons will be searched at all entrance chutes and festival attendees found in possession of any prohibited items will be turned away.
Prohibited items include:
- Weapons
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Glass
- Hookah Pipes
- Fireworks
- Umbrellas and Gazebos
- Gas spray cans or any other corrosive
City of Hope
This year’s event is themed “City of Hope” and the City says it’s an opportunity to celebrate together after a very difficult two-year period.
The City is again partnering with the KID SMART Project to provide a more sophisticated monitoring system to help reunite any lost children with their parents.
Children will be kitted out with a temporary “SMART” bracelet on arrival at the event, with contact details of their parents. This is not compulsory but on a voluntary basis.
A Lost and Found area will be located in the City Hall on Corporation Street.
There will be water points demarcated in the event footprint including four on the Grand Parade, one in Upper Adderley Street and one on Lower Adderley Street.
Road closures and MyCiTi services
Residents and visitors are advised that as a result of the event, there will be road closures for set up on Saturday 26 November 2022 and on event day 27 November 2022.
The full list of road closures is available here:
MyCiTi services to Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain during the event with last departure at 23:15 from Civic Centre station, or the station in Adderley Street.
The details are as follows:
D01 Khayelitsha East – Civic Centre
- Last bus from Kuyasa towards the Civic Centre departing at 22:23
- Last bus from the Civic Centre towards Kuyasa departing at 23:15
D02 Khayelitsha West – Civic Centre
- Last bus from Kuyasa towards the Civic Centre departing at 21:44
- Last bus from the Civic Centre towards Kuyasa departing at 23:15
D04 Kapteinsklip – Civic Centre
- Last bus from Kapteinsklip towards the Civic Centre departing at 21:59
- Last bus from the Civic Centre towards Kapteinsklip departing at 23:15
118 Hangberg – Hout Bay Harbour – Sea Point – Adderley
- Last bus from Hangberg towards Adderley station departing at 21:53
- Last bus from Adderley station towards Hangberg departing at 23:15
Commuters must have a valid MyConnect card to make use of the service and are advised to always please check the schedules closer to the days they want to travel.
All timetables and route information is available at https://www.myciti.org.za, or on the MyCiTi app.
The app is available free from iOS and Google Play stores; or phone the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63. The TIC is available 24/7.
