The V&A Waterfront High School Band Slam came to a memorable close on Friday 15 May, with learners from across Cape Town delivering standout performances at our Amphitheatre. This year, Settlers High School were crowned the 2026 champions, walking away with two full days of professional recording time at SAE Institute valued at R40 000, R25 000 worth of musical equipment from Bothners, and a R20 000 cash prize from the V&A Waterfront.

Pinelands High School finished in second place and Rustenburg Girls’ High School in third, with the Spirit Award shared jointly between The Settlers High School and Rustenburg Girls’ High School, recognising both schools for their outstanding crowd support and enthusiasm throughout the competition.

Now in its 14th year, the Band Slam was established in partnership with Real Wired Music in 2012 and remains one of our most valued annual commitments to supporting young people through arts and culture — providing a platform for high school bands to perform, develop their talent and connect with wider audiences. This year attracted 44 entries from schools across the region, with 15 schools competing in the live round.

 

FESTIVE GIFT-WRAPPING PROCEEDS FUNDS COMMUNITY READING CORNERS

Earlier this year, we donated a cheque of R200 000 to the Santa Shoebox Project, a donation raised through our annual festive gift-wrapping initiative. All proceeds went towards supporting the Santa Shoebox Project Legacy, which focuses on long-term, sustainable upliftment of under-resourced communities in South Africa, with an emphasis on education, nutrition, infrastructure development and early childhood support. The donation funded the construction of 12 reading corners across early childhood development centres in Philippi.

Last week, our team attended the handover of those reading corners at the Mountain View Dream Centre, where 23 ECD teachers from the Philippi community gathered to receive their new classroom resources. Each reading corner is stocked with age-appropriate books and educational materials, designed to give young children greater access to reading material in communities where such resources are often limited. More than just a shelf of books, the reading corners are intentionally designed to create warm, inviting spaces that draw children in and make reading a natural part of their day — nurturing curiosity, imagination and confidence during their most critical years of development.

As part of the handover, teachers also received training on the Finding Thabo 40-week lesson plan, an interactive, play-based programme designed to build early literacy skills and encourage a love for reading from the ground up.

 

NIKE & ELIUD KIPCHOGE BRING ‘RUNNING WORLD TOUR’ TO OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Credit: RUN Magazine via Instagram

Yesterday, our neighbourhood welcomed one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, Eliud Kipchoge. The Kenyan long-distance runner stopped by the Nike store for an exclusive meet and greet with fans ahead of this weekend’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, drawing hundreds of running enthusiasts for a live in-store appearance, merchandise signing and photo opportunities.

Kipchoge’s career is defined by breaking barriers previously thought humanly impossible, most notably becoming the first person in history to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 in 2019. This weekend, the two-time Olympic marathon gold medallist, marks his first official marathon race on African soil as part of his “Eliud’s Running World” tour.

 

ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE AHEAD OF THE SANLAM CAPE TOWN MARATHON

Credit: Cape Town Marathon via Facebook

This weekend, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon takes place across Cape Town, with the main race on Sunday 24 May. Visitors to our neighbourhood should be aware that a number of roads in and around the neighbourhood will be affected, including Helen Suzman Boulevard, Granger Bay Boulevard, Beach Road in Mouille Point and Sea Point, and Nelson Mandela Boulevard.

Visitors are encouraged to plan their travel ahead of the weekend and allow extra time. Our neighbourhood remains open and accessible throughout, with traffic marshals on the ground to assist with traffic flow, and free weekend parking available at selected garages.

For more information, click here: Cape Town Marathon 2026 Area Specific Road Closures & Parking Restrictions

 

NEW AND REVAMPED STORES:

• BELMAIN

New to our neighbourhood, Balmain, the globally renowned Parisian luxury fashion house, brings bold designs, contemporary collections and an elevated shopping experience to the V&A Waterfront, from signature ready-to-wear pieces to timeless luxury fashion.

 

• EARTHCHILD

Earthchild, the proudly South African children’s fashion brand loved for its stylish and comfortable apparel, has joined our retail offering alongside sister brand Naartjie, with both brands now housed together in one store. From beautifully curated clothing to accessories for little ones, the combined store brings everything you need for kids’ fashion under one roof.

 

EVENTS AT THE WATERFRONT

Adidas Pop-Up — Marathon Race Weekend

The adidas pop-up at Union Castle Square continues this weekend, stocking official Sanlam Cape Town Marathon merchandise and serving as a community meeting point for runners, with a packed line-up of daily activities in the lead-up to Sunday’s race.

Date: Saturday, 23 May – Sunday, 24 May

Time: 09h00 – 19h00

Location: Union Castle Square

 

Cultures of China – Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival

The Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival comes to Battery Park this month, bringing together traditional dragon boat racing, food culture and artistic performances as part of the China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges Year. The festival celebrates Chinese cultural heritage while fostering connection and exchange between Chinese and South African communities.

Date: Saturday, 30 May – Sunday, 31 May

Time: 09h00 – 19h00

Location: Battery Park

Cost: Free