February at Carnival City is shaping up to be more than just a calendar highlight — it’s a cultural moment. Under the iconic Big Top Arena, two of South Africa’s most celebrated music legends will take centre stage in a month that honours love, legacy and living African artistry.
From an intimate Valentine’s Day serenade with Ringo Madlingozi to a powerful heritage celebration led by Thandiswa Mazwai, Carnival City is offering audiences the rare opportunity to experience music that has shaped generations — live, personal and deeply resonant.
A Valentine’s Day Soundtrack of Love with Ringo Madlingozi
Saturday, 14 February 2026
Love has many languages, but few voices have translated it into music as tenderly and consistently as Ringo Madlingozi. On Valentine’s Day, Carnival City’s Big Top Arena becomes the backdrop for the Ringo Valentine’s Experience, an evening dedicated to romance, nostalgia and timeless South African soul.
Audiences can expect an intimate journey through Madlingozi’s beloved catalogue — songs that have soundtracked weddings, heartbreaks, reconciliations and quiet moments of reflection. Classics such as Sondela, Into Yam, Ndiyagodola and Kum Nakum will fill the arena, creating a shared emotional space where love takes centre stage.
Designed for couples and music lovers alike, the concert promises warmth, connection and a reminder of why Ringo’s music has endured across decades.
Event details:
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Date: Saturday, 14 February 2026
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Time: 19h00 – 23h00
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Cost: R350 per person (via Computicket)
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Venue: Big Top Arena, Century Rd, Elsburg Road, Carnival City, Brakpan
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Age restriction: No under 18s
Sankofa Fest: Thandiswa Mazwai Celebrates 30 Years of Music and 50 Years of Life
Saturday, 28 February 2026
Two weeks later, the Big Top Arena transforms again — this time into a space of reflection, rhythm and cultural affirmation.
On Saturday, 28 February 2026, Thandiswa Mazwai launches the Sankofa Heritage Festival, marking an extraordinary dual milestone: 30 years in music and 50 years of life. Joined by a handpicked selection of exceptional guest artists, Mazwai invites audiences into a deeply intentional celebration of sound, story and African memory.
Renowned for her fearless artistry and genre-defying career, Thandiswa’s Sankofa Fest is more than a performance. It is a cultural statement — a reclaiming and amplification of indigenous African music, storytelling and traditions often sidelined by mainstream platforms.
Drawing on the concept of Sankofa — looking back to move forward — the festival weaves together ancestral echoes and contemporary expression, honouring the past while shaping the future. This inaugural edition also marks the beginning of an annual heritage celebration, positioning Sankofa Fest as a lasting cultural movement rooted in identity, unity and rhythm.
Event details:
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Date: Saturday, 28 February 2026
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Time: 18h00 – 23h00
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Cost: From R400 per person (via Computicket)
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Venue: Big Top Arena, Century Rd, Elsburg Road, Carnival City, Brakpan
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Age restriction: No under 13s
February at Carnival City: Where Music Meets Meaning
Whether you’re celebrating love, honouring legacy, or reconnecting with the sounds that shape who we are, Carnival City’s February lineup offers something rare: experiences that move beyond entertainment and into memory.
Under the Big Top Arena, February becomes a celebration of South African excellence — intimate, powerful and unapologetically authentic.
