Nomshado Twala, Chairperson of the CDI Board; Erica Elk, CEO and Founder of the Craft and Design Institute; Alderman James Vos; and Graham Wood, V&A CEO.

On Tuesday, 26 May, our neighbourhood officially welcomed the new Circular Maker Space at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal, operated by the Craft and Design Institute (CDI) and funded by the V&A Waterfront. The initiative creates a dedicated platform for designers, makers and creative entrepreneurs to access tools, networks and support within one of the city’s most dynamic precincts.

The CDI is a non-profit organisation supporting South Africa’s creative and craft sectors through enterprise development, business support and market access opportunities. The Circular Maker Space builds on this work by enabling circular making, experimentation and small business growth in a highly visible, connected environment.

For the V&A Waterfront, the initiative forms part of our ongoing commitment to supporting small business development, creative enterprise and inclusive economic growth, further strengthening our neighbourhood as a hub for makers and entrepreneurs.

Read the full release, here.

 

MAKERS LANDING WELCOMES NEW COHORT OF FOODPRENEURS

V&A Retail Executive; Alex Kabalin welcoming the newest cohort at the recent onboarding.

This past week we also welcomed the newest cohort of entrepreneurs joining the Makers Landing Food Incubator Programme, an initiative that continues to play an important role in supporting emerging food businesses across Cape Town. Launched in 2021, the initiative was created to equip food entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, and technical support needed to build sustainable, market-ready businesses.

This year’s cohort includes a diverse mix of food businesses, marking the seventh cohort to go through the programme. These include:

• Baa Health, a functional wellness food and beverage brand focused on nutritious, health-driven products
• BonBons, a gourmet brand producing handmade pickled fruits and vegetables using seasonal, high-quality ingredients
• Love Fresh Taste, a Cape Town catering business specialising in fresh, artisanal  meals for events and corporate clients
• VitaFruits, a health-focused brand producing dehydrated fruits and vegetable powders with a sustainability focus
• The Soul Harvest Group, a wellness food brand offering natural snacks, produce boxes and farm-sourced products
• De Chen Nougat, an artisanal confectionery brand creating handmade nougat and zero-waste inspired sweet products
• Holly & Grace, a botanical food brand infusing indigenous South African ingredients into everyday pantry products
• Tyhophos Flame Grilled, a community-based fast food business offering flame-grilled chicken and affordable meals

Founder of Property Point; Shaun Theunissen.

Since 2024, we’ve partnered with Property Point, an award-winning enterprise and supplier development accelerator founded by Growthpoint Properties. Bringing deep expertise in enterprise development, business mentorship, growth strategy and SME support.

Since inception, the programme has supported 44 SMMEs across multiple cohorts, contributing to the creation and sustainability of more than 65 jobs and more than 30 seasonal jobs, with more than 90% of graduates continuing to operate successfully after completing the programme. More than 80% of supported enterprises are female-led and over 90% are Black-owned, with many businesses originating from previously disadvantaged communities, reflecting the programme’s strong focus on inclusive economic participation. Makers Landing continues to strengthen South Africa’s food ecosystem while helping build a more inclusive and resilient local economy.

 

WATERFRONT SUPERYACHT MARINA DEVELOPMENT SET TO BENEFIT LOCAL MARITIME ECONOMY

Our Quay 7 Superyacht Marina Development was recognised this past Tuesday at the Western Cape Economy Innovation Awards in the Infrastructure and Connectivity category. The awards celebrate proven innovations making measurable impact on economic growth, job creation and local business development across the province.

Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, V&A Executive: Marine and Industrial, André Blaine, and Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis.

Scheduled for completion in October 2026, the R230 million development will introduce a purpose-built superyacht marina, featuring six stern-to and two beam-on berths with floating jetties designed to accommodate vessels between 40 and 90 metres. During peak season, it will serve visiting superyachts, while in the off-season it will support commissioning and export staging for Cape Town’s catamaran manufacturing industry.

The development will further position Cape Town as a leading player in the global ocean economy while supporting growth across tourism, marine manufacturing, hospitality and marine repair sectors, contributing to job creation.

 

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL STRENGTHENS CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN CAPE TOWN

The annual Dragon Boat Festival brought its much-loved celebration of Chinese culture to our neighbourhood. Hosted at Battery Park for its fourth consecutive year, the two-day event featured 12 teams and more than 200 participants competing in 100m, 200m and 1 000m dragon boat races, alongside the crowd-favourite water tug-of-war.

The festival attracted around 2,000 locals and international visitors, who also enjoyed a range of cultural experiences including Chinese cuisine, tea art, traditional medicine, handicrafts and interactive games.

This year’s festival formed part of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, a continental initiative focused on strengthening cultural understanding, friendship and collaboration between communities in China and across Africa through shared cultural, educational and social exchange programmes.

 

AFRICA’S LEADING DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL RETURNS TO CAPE TOWN

Credit: Encounters South African International Documentary Festival via Facebook

Africa’s leading documentary festival, Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, returns for its 28th edition from 4 to 14 June 2026, with screenings, masterclasses, panel discussions and filmmaker Q&As taking place across Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Ster-Kinekor at the V&A Waterfront is one of four Cape Town cinemas hosting this year’s festival programme, which includes several internationally acclaimed titles. Among them are TUTU, winner of the 2026 Berlin Peace Film Prize, and Nuisance Bear, winner of the 2026 Sundance Grand Jury Prize, both recently named by Variety among the early contenders for Best Documentary at next year’s Academy Awards.

The festival continues to create space for important conversations, global storytelling and creative exchange, bringing together filmmakers, audiences and industry voices from across South Africa and around the world.

See the full line-up, here.

 

EVENTS AT THE WATERFRONT

TrashBash Beach Clean-up

This World Oceans Day, the Two Oceans Aquarium will be celebrating with a special beach clean up! Inviting members of the tourism community to join them for a meaningful morning at Mouille Point Beach for a meaningful morning of giving back to the ocean we all depend on. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to connect with and get to know other tour operators and the Two Oceans Aquarium team.

Be sure to bring along: Sunblock, a hat, water (in a reusable bottle), reusable gloves (like the ones you’d use for gardening or doing dishes), and a smile.

Date: Monday, 8 June

Time: 09h00 – 11h00

Where: Mouille Point Beach

 

V&A Record & Music Fair

The V&A Music & Record Fair brings together vinyl enthusiasts, collectors, and vendors for a day of browsing, buying, and celebrating music culture. Discover rare finds, classic albums, and timeless sounds.

Date: Saturday, 6 June.

Time: 10h00 – 14h00

Location: Watershed, Upper Level

Cost: Free

 

Gas Motorshow National Tour – Cape Town

Join us in Cape Town for the Gas Motorshow National Tour, as we build up to Gas Motorshow International 2026.

This stop brings the car community together for an exciting evening car meet, featuring a curated display of modified cars, supercars, classics and standout builds. Fans can look forward to a high-energy atmosphere, great cars and a special guest appearance by international film star Sung Kang, best known as Han from the Fast & Furious franchise.

This is more than just a car meet. It is the road to Gas Motorshow.

Date: Wednesday, 10 June.

Time: 17h00 – 22h00

Location: Granger Bay Demountable Parking

Buy Ticket

 

Calling Us Home In Concert             

Grace, an African Princess – fleeing a devastating war in her homeland, arrives penniless, in the freezing, grimy docklands of an American city.

The underworld of this city is ruled ruthlessly by the evil gang lord Ivan who, after an unexpected encounter, has set his sights on Grace – her spectacular beauty has dazzled him! But another has already captured her heart…

The street smart Rafael, a young construction worker with bold ambitions, is determined to win her love. But will his dreams lead only to tragedy…

Forced to adapt to a very different world, Grace becomes friends with Rafael’s feisty and reckless twin sister Isabella. Together they must survive and keep their dreams alive until Grace can find a way to return to her beloved homeland…

Be swept away by a trail of stars…

Date: Tuesday, 16 June.

Time: 12h45 – 13h45 & 14h30 – 15h30

Location: Amphitheatre

Cost: Free