City Jazz Fest cancelled

ESPAFRIKA, producers of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) have announced the postponement of the festival traditionally held in March, to 2022.

The decision follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's heartfelt appeal to South Africans to be extra vigilant amid the onset of the second wave of Covid-19 infections, and the country's move to lockdown level 3.

Festival director Billy Domingo said: “We were optimistic that we would be able to host the festival again in 2021.

“Sadly, we find ourselves in the midst of a dreaded second wave of Covid-19 infections, the impact of which, by all accounts, will be felt deep into 2021.

“It is for this reason that we have decided to postpone the festival to 2022.

“We trust that our valued sponsors, corporate clients and festinos will stand with us in caution and solidarity to play our part in minimising the spread of this virus.”

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) is a flagship event for South Africa, with more than 37 000 local and international attendees annually.

In the meantime, espAfrika has been working hard behind the scenes to develop a brand new series of online events and smaller live jazz experiences.

“JazzFix will include footage of some of the festival's greatest moments and shows exclusively performed at the festival over the past 20 years, which includes interviews with artists who performed.

“We've put together the perfect ‘fix' for the lovers of all genres of jazz,” said Domingo.

JazzFix will be formally launched early in the new year.