Cape Town celebrates culture at annual Minstrels’ Parade

One by one, troupes of thousands of minstrels filled the streets of Cape Town on Monday, marching, dancing, and dazzling crowds with bright satin costumes during the city’s annual Minstrels’ Parade. Thousands of festival-goers lined the roads, cheering as music and rhythm transformed the city into a vibrant celebration of colour and tradition.

Organisers say around 17 troupes, made up of nearly 20,000 performers, took part in the parade, an event widely regarded as a cornerstone of South African culture and Cape Town’s identity.

For many participants, the parade is about sharing culture with both locals and visitors. “We like to entertain. There’s a lot of people coming from other countries, other cities to see the Kaapse Klopse,” said Mark, a self-employed performer. “So we are actually here to entertain them, to entertain our culture as well in Cape Town.”

Spectators and performers alike say the event carries deep personal meaning. “It’s a Cape Town, especially a coloured tradition, for years and years ago,” said garment technologist Magdalene Jacobs. “We come here because our parents, our grandparents, our great-grandparents.”

The tradition dates back more than a century, when enslaved people from Africa and Southeast Asia were given a rare day off to celebrate the New Year. Today, the Minstrels’ Parade stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, heritage, and community pride in Cape Town.