COOL temperatures and a slight drizzle did not deter jazz lovers who flocked to the free Cape Town International Jazz Festival concert on Greenmarket Square on Wednesday night.
The annual concert heralds the start of the three-day jazz festival – the 15th – at the international convention centre this weekend.
It draws crowds of more than 30 000 each year.
Friends, families and couples gathered to enjoy the sounds of artists such as Tasha’s World.
Some huddled on resturant balconies, others opted for cafes and eateries on the square.
Shirley Burns, 49, and her husband had brought camping chairs.
“We come every year, since the first jazz festival started. Back then it was in the Good Hope Centre.”
The housewife said she loved the music and the vibe. “Usually there’s a bigger crowd, but I think the rain may have had something to do with it.”
Lynette Swartz, a family friend from Delft, said she loved jazz and the crowd each year. “I come to see each and every one and to have fun.”
It started to drizzle faintly just before 7pm but this did not discourage the Dawood family of five.
Abduraghmaan Dawood, from Grassy Park, brought his four children – and a blanket.
“It’s the second year that we are here and it’s always better to have live music.”
His daughters, Hadia, 5, and Thana, 7, huddled under the blanket as a thumping bass boomed across the square.