On the First Thursday of every month, explore the cultural life of your city until late

📍 About
📍 Attend
📍 Participate
📍 Advertising & partnerships
📍 Frequently asked questions
About First Thursdays
First Thursdays is a monthly night of art, culture, and city exploration. From gallery openings and design pop-ups to live music, food, and late-night venues, it’s a chance to discover new places, meet people, and experience your city in a fresh way.

Each month’s programme is listed on our website, along with maps and highlights for every participating city.

Launched in Cape Town in 2012, the programme has become one of South Africa’s most popular cultural events, now active in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Stellenbosch — with new cities in development worldwide.

First Thursdays is a registered trademark owned and coordinated by First Thursdays South Africa.
📍 a small preheader to the about section
Attend
First Thursdays is a free, city-wide programme of art, culture, and nightlife. Galleries and design stores are typically open from 5pm to 8pm, with bars, restaurants, and music venues carrying on later.

No tickets are required, although some performances or special events may be ticketed.

Plan your evening by choosing a starting point and a few must-see spots, then use our maps—online or in print—to find your way. You can also follow us on Instagram, WhatsApp, or via our email newsletter for direct updates.
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Participate
Join the First Thursdays programme and be part of a city-wide night of art, culture, and community.

We welcome art galleries, retail stores, restaurants, bars, cultural spaces, and pop-up events. Most participants are located in First Thursdays districts, but standout venues like museums or markets are also welcome.

As a participant, your event will be featured across our channels, and you’ll be part of the energy that draws thousands of people into the streets each month. Participation works on a quarterly basis, with flexible options for once-off or monthly involvement.
Monthly
R 1200
Participate in a single edition of First Thursdays
Apply
📍 for single listings
  • Your location listed on First Thursdays website programme
  • Up to 3 programme listings per month
  • A note about email newsletters
  • Inclusion in monthly social media content
Quarterly
R 2880
most popular
Participate in a 3 month season of First Thursdays
Apply
📍 everything in monthly
  • Location listed on quarterly print map
  • A note about the distribution of maps
  • 50-100 print maps for your business / location (for quarterly participation in relevant districts)
Annual
R 9360
save 35%
Participate in a single edition of First Thursdays
Apply
📍 everything in quarterly
  • A benefit here
  • 50-100 print maps for your business / location (for quarterly participation in relevant districts)
  • A benefit here
  • A benefit here
  • A benefit here
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Advertising and Brands
First Thursdays is one of South Africa’s most trusted and recognisable cultural platforms, drawing thousands of attendees each month and engaging an even larger audience through our digital channels.

We work with select brands to create partnerships that go beyond traditional advertising — aligning with the spirit of the event and the communities it serves.

Opportunities include headline sponsorships, city or district editions, museum and music programmes, curated routes, and bespoke activations that connect directly with an engaged, urban audience.

Partnership channels span our website, email newsletters, Instagram, WhatsApp, and printed maps, ensuring both on-the-ground and online visibility.
‍
Get in touch
📍 a small preheader to the about section
Frequently asked questions
General
For Attendees
For Participants
For Brands

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This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.

This component uses custom JavaScript to open and close. Custom attributes and additional custom JavaScript is added to this component to make it accessible.