Cape Town hosts the annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival during the New Year season.
The carnival is commonly known as Tweede Nuwe Jaar, Afrikaans for “Second New Year,” and is traditionally held on January 2. Large groups, known as minstrel troupes, march through the streets in colorful costumes while singing, dancing, and playing music.
The celebration has deep roots in Cape Town's history and in the culture of the city's historically Coloured communities. Its development is connected to older New Year and emancipation-era traditions, though scholars and participants describe its history in complex ways rather than as a single simple origin.
The event includes competitions, parades, and performances. Although the main procession occurs after January 1, it belongs to the wider Cape Town festive season and is one of the city's most distinctive annual cultural celebrations.