Summer Festival of Racing returns for a season of style, sport and spectacle
Cape Town’s signature summer celebration is back! The Summer Festival of Racing has officially begun, marking a season where racing excellence, culture, fashion and lifestyle come together to create one of South Africa’s most anticipated summer experiences.
Running from November 2025 to February 2026, this year’s festival introduces a refreshed vision for Race Coast: a modern and inclusive experience that invites every South African – families, fashion lovers, foodies and racing enthusiasts alike – to discover a new way to spend summer in Cape Town.
The Summer Festival of Racing blends thoroughbred racing with fresh creativity, high-end fashion moments, premium hospitality and immersive family entertainment. The result is a world-class summer experience designed to feel welcoming, energetic and unmistakably Cape Town.
“The 2025/2026 Summer Festival of Racing sets a new benchmark for the racing experience,” says Donovan Everitt, COO of Race Coast Western Cape. “We continue on our mission to evolve racing into an exciting, vibrant and truly accessible experience for all South Africans by honouring the heritage of our sport while inviting new audiences to enjoy the fashion, food, culture and entertainment. This is going to be a special season.”
Upcoming Summer Festival of Racing highlights
Sip & Shop feat. World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas | 6 December 2025
- A sophisticated start to the festive season featuring boutique shopping, premium fashion, wine tastings and the country’s top three-year-old fillies taking centre stage.
- Free entry. Tickets available at Computicket.
Festive Fair feat. Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas | 13 December 2025
- A day overflowing with holiday cheer from festive markets, themed décor, family entertainment and world-class racing headlined by the nation’s leading three-year-old colts.
- The evening will transform the venue into a vibrant celebration of colour and music as thousands of Kaapse Klopse will arrive in their troupe colours to participate in the Voorsmakie – a key prelude to the iconic street parade.
- Free entry. Tickets will be available at Computicket soon.
L’Ormarins King’s Plate | 10 January 2026
- The Mother City’s most elegant racing tradition returns. Expect blue-and-white couture, refined hospitality, international attention and one of the world’s most prestigious Grade 1 miles.
- Tickets available at Computicket.
World Sports Betting Cape Town Met presents Symphony of Style | 31 January 2026
- Fashion, music, culture and high stakes collide at the flagship summer event under the banner, “Symphony of Style”. The World Sports Betting Cape Town Met remains an iconic moment on the national calendar and a day where Cape Town dresses up, shows up and celebrates in unforgettable style.
- Tickets on sale at Computicket.
Seafood & Jazz Festival feat. Lucky Fish Cape Derby | 28 February 2026
- The grand finale of the season. A vibrant fusion of seafood fare, smooth live jazz, family experiences and the renowned Lucky Fish Cape Derby, South Africa’s premier staying contest for three-year-olds.
- Free tickets coming soon.
This year’s Summer Festival of Racing reimagines the race day as a destination: a place where sport meets culture, families meet fashion, and summer comes alive across food stalls, artisan makers, sensory entertainment and the timeless thrill of the turf.
Whether you’re an avid punter, a social explorer, a fashion devotee or simply looking for a memorable day out in Cape Town, the festival promises something extraordinary for everyone.
