The popular Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) Free Jazz Concert returns to Greenmarket Square this week. The event is a precursor to the CTIJF taking place at the CTICC.
The 2025 CTIJF Free Concert line-up is set to electrify the CBD with performances from a dynamic mix of international icons and local talent on Thursday, 24 April 2025.
Headliners include British acid jazz legends Incognito, iconic South African kwaito group TKZee, genre-blending group The Ploemies, rising star Hannah Ray, powerhouse vocalists Andrea Fortuin and Fancy Galada, as well as DJ Eazy, who will keep the energy flowing between sets.
This free-to-attend open air concert has over the years become a popular feature of Cape Town’s annual events calendar and serves as a precursor for the main festival.
The Free Jazz Concert provides residents and visitors a front row seat to a world-class musical experience at the second oldest public space in Cape Town – Greenmarket Square.
‘The Free Jazz Concert has become an annual tradition for Capetonians and visitors alike, who come together to enjoy and celebrate their love of music. It is an opportunity for the City, working with the organisers of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, to provide a musical experience with big name artists for those who are not able to get tickets for the main festival. We invite everyone to come and be part of this special celebration set in a safe, vibrant, and family-friendly environment. Bring your loved ones, soak in the rhythm of the city, and enjoy world-class performances under the Cape Town sky,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The concert kicks off at 16:30 and runs until 22:00.
Road Closures
To facilitate the event, temporary road closures will be implemented in the city centre.
Motorists and residents are advised to plan and make use of alternative routes.
Road closures for the Free Jazz Concert will be in place from 06:00 between Wednesday, 23 and Friday, 25 April 2025 in and around Greenmarket Square area including:
· Burg Street between Church and Longmarket streets
· Longmarket Street between Long and Adderley streets
· Burg Street between Hout and Shortmarket streets
· Shortmarket Street between Long and Adderley streets
Following the Free Concert, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take centre stage at the CTICC from 25 – 26 April.
With over 30 artists performing across multiple stages, the 21st edition of the CTIJF will deliver a vibrant celebration of global jazz, soul, and Afro-fusion.
The festival includes a bold line up of genre-blending artists, including a collaboration between Grammy-winning DJ Black Coffee and jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, American R&B sensation Ari Lennox, South African music icon Thandiswa Mazwai, 11-time SAMA winning Afro-soul artist Lira, among others.
In addition, closures will be in effect around the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) for the main CTIJF event on 25 and 26 April:
· Walter Sisulu Avenue (East Bound) between Lower Long and Heerengracht Streets
Closed from 16:00 on Friday, 25 April to 17:00 on Sunday, 27 April
· Lower Long Street between Walter Sisulu Avenue and FW De Klerk Boulevard
Closed from 16:00 on Friday, 25 April to 17:00 on Sunday, 27 April
· Walter Sisulu Avenue (West Bound) between Heerengracht and Lower Long Streets
Closed from 18:00 on Friday, 25 April to 17:00 on Sunday, 27 April
For more information on the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and other events hosted in Cape Town visit eventsincapetown.com.
