Bree Street: Car-Free Summer Sundays

One of Cape Town’s most food-centric streets is getting into summer mode with car-free Sundays all season long. Inspired by the Open Streets Cape Town movement, this Young Urbanists NPC initiative gained mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’ support last year to close Bree Street to vehicles and make it a pedestrian-friendly zone every Sunday between 10am and 5pm. This includes the entire street – between Wale and Strand – and including Shortmarket Street.

Car-free Sundays

Photo: Solly King, Young Urbanists

The mayor puts it simply: We’re closing Bree Street to vehicles every Sunday afternoon, making a space safe and welcoming for families to enjoy the city on foot. I hope the Cape Town public will support this experiment and I invite everyone to enjoy a pedestrianised Bree Street.”

The idea is for Capetonians to bring their families and reclaim this public space in a safe and pedestrian-friendly way. Expect temporary installations and hands-on activities that change and evolve as the organisers see what works and what doesn’t. There won’t be loud music and commercial stalls… just an interactive car-free space where people can enjoy the community and explore creativity and social engagement together.

Not to mention all the fabulous restaurants (and design destinations) on this stretch of Bree Street… You’ll be able to stroll between galleries, sit at pavement eateries, and soak up the sun and the scene while you enjoy the traffic-free street vibe.

When Sunday (from 2 November)
Time 10am – 5pm
Where Bree Street (Wale to Strand, including Shortmarket St)

A cycle lane, too!

Photo: Solly King, Young Urbanists

A cycling lane on Bree Street was a natural follow-up to the car-free Sundays initiative. It is thought to be the first of many to be rolled out across the city’s cycle network, with upgrades such as tactical bollards and kerbs to transform Cape Town’s favourite foodie hub into a cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly space.

The aim, part of the Safe Passage Programme and driven by a public-private partnership between the City of Cape Town, SDI Trust, Young Urbanists, CCID and Mission for Inner City, is to keep Cape Town moving safely, while encouraging safer and more accessible transport between the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Bree Street Gallery

A fresh addition to the bustling innercity hub is the Bree Street Gallery, which celebrates homegrown talent and adds even more appeal to the precinct. Breathing new colour into a heritage building, a collective of local artists has turned its walls into a vibrant canvas for creativity. Featured names include Kirsten Sims, Amy-Lee Originals, Danielle Clough, Yay Abe, Hypercreative Arts, and Aviwe Plaatjie. With plans to add seating soon, it’s shaping up to be a must-stop on your next Bree Street stroll.

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