Riverdance 30 Plays Pretoria and Cape Town in April 2027
SOUTH AFRICA · DANCE & MUSIC
Key Facts
- —When it happens Riverdance 30 plays Pretoria from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 April 2027, then Cape Town from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 April.
- —Where to go Pretoria’s shows are at the Sunbet Arena in Time Square; Cape Town’s are at the Grand Arena in GrandWest.
- —When the curtain rises Evening shows start at 8pm on Friday and 7:30pm on Saturday, with matinees at 2pm Saturday and 1:30pm Sunday.
- —How to buy Ticketmaster South Africa is the only authorised seller, and tickets bought on Viagogo will not get you in.
- —What it costs The venues list tickets from R715 (US$43) in Pretoria and from R745 (US$45) in Cape Town.
- —What it means for you Americans need no visa for stays under 90 days, but need two consecutive blank visa pages.
- —The catch Only starting prices are listed by the promoter and venues, Platinum seats move with demand, and tickets reach your account 30 days before.
Riverdance 30 – The New Generation, the anniversary production of the Irish dance show, plays eight times in South Africa in April 2027. For an American visitor, it is a family-friendly night out to fit around a trip to Pretoria or Cape Town.
Big Concerts, the South African promoter behind the dates, sells tickets only through Ticketmaster South Africa. The two venues list seats from R715 (US$43) in Pretoria and R745 (US$45) in Cape Town.
What Riverdance 30 Is and Why It Matters
Riverdance began in 1994 as a seven-minute dance number at the Eurovision Song Contest, a televised European music competition. It then grew into a full-length stage show of Irish dance and live music.
Bill Whelan’s music for the show won a Grammy Award in 1997. Big Concerts says Riverdance has been seen live by more than 31 million people around the world.
Riverdance 30 – The New Generation is the show’s 30th-anniversary production, with new choreography, costumes, lighting, projection and motion graphics. For the first time, every performer was born after the show began.
Moya Doherty, who commissioned the original 1994 piece, is still the producer, and John McColgan directs. Whelan is still credited as the composer.
Riverdance’s website also lists a 2027 US tour, with stops from New Haven, Connecticut, to Denver and Los Angeles. The South African run is shorter, with four performances in each city.
The Pretoria Shows at the Sunbet Arena
Pretoria is South Africa’s administrative capital and lies in Gauteng, the province that is also home to Johannesburg. The Sunbet Arena sits inside Time Square, a casino, hotel and entertainment complex at Menlyn Maine.
The street address is 209 Aramist Avenue, Waterkloof Glen. Time Square opened in April 2017, and Sun International, which runs it, describes the arena as an 8,500-seat venue.
Riverdance 30 opens there on Friday 9 April at 8pm, with doors at 6:30pm. Saturday 10 April has a 2pm matinee, with doors at 12:30pm, and a 7:30pm show, with doors at 6pm.
The Pretoria run closes with a 1:30pm matinee on Sunday 11 April, with doors at noon. Each performance lasts about 1 hour and 40 minutes, plus a 20-minute interval.
The Sunbet Arena is a cashless venue, so bring a bank card. Weapons, cooler boxes and food are not allowed, and secured parking costs R20 (US$1.20).
The Gautrain, Gauteng’s rapid rail line, has stations at OR Tambo International Airport and in Pretoria, including Hatfield. Read more on the Gautrain and Gauteng’s transport plans.
From the station, an app-based taxi or a car booked through your hotel is the simplest way to reach Time Square.
The Cape Town Shows at GrandWest
GrandWest is a casino and entertainment complex at 1 Jakes Gerwel Drive in Goodwood, a short drive from Cape Town’s city centre. It opened in December 2000, and Riverdance 30 plays in its Grand Arena.
The Cape Town run starts on Friday 16 April at 8pm, with doors at 7pm. Saturday 17 April has a 2pm matinee, with doors at 1pm, and a 7:30pm show, with doors at 6:30pm.
The last South African performance is a 1:30pm matinee on Sunday 18 April, with doors at 12:30pm. GrandWest says parking on the complex costs R20 (US$1.20).
After an evening show, book your ride back from inside the venue rather than waiting at the roadside. A matinee is the simpler choice if you prefer to travel in daylight.
The same two arenas host the American R&B singer Kehlani in December; see the guide to Kehlani’s South African shows.
How Riverdance 30 Tickets Work
Big Concerts names Ticketmaster South Africa, at ticketmaster.co.za, as the official and only authorised ticketing partner for the tour. General sales opened on Friday 7 August 2026.
Tickets for Riverdance 30 start at R715 (US$43) in Pretoria and R745 (US$45) in Cape Town, according to the two venues. Conversions use 16.65 rand to the US dollar on Tuesday 6 October 2026.
Official Platinum tickets, sold as the best seats in the house, are priced by demand, much like airline seats. There are no VIP packages for this show.
Each customer can buy up to eight tickets per city. All tickets are digital and appear in your Ticketmaster account or app only 30 days before the show.
Bring photo ID that matches the name on your ticket. If you buy for a group, use the free Ticket Transfer tool to send each person a ticket once it goes live.
Tickets from Viagogo and other resale sites are not valid for entry. Both venues warn that holders of such tickets will be turned away without a refund.
Tips for US and Foreign Visitors
US citizens do not need a visa for stays of less than 90 days, according to the US State Department. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after you leave South Africa.
You also need two consecutive, completely blank visa pages on arrival. Travellers arriving from a yellow fever risk country must show a vaccination certificate.
South Africa has special entry requirements for minors, so families should check the Department of Home Affairs rules before flying. Children under three are not allowed into the venues.
Every minor needs a ticket, ear protection and a responsible adult. The weekend matinees of Riverdance 30 are the easiest fit for younger viewers.
The State Department rates South Africa at Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, in an advisory issued on Tuesday 27 May 2025. It says violent crime is more common in big-city downtown areas, especially after dark.
It advises against walking alone after dark and suggests reputable dispatched taxis or hotel cabs. It also warns that card skimming at cash machines is common.
The advisory notes that some crime victims have been followed from OR Tambo airport to their home or hotel. Keep bags and phones out of sight when you land and on the drive in.
The Pretoria dates fall a week before the Cape Town dates. That leaves time to see both cities, or to choose the show that fits your route.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
Neither the promoter nor the two venues have published a full price list, only starting prices. Platinum seat prices can rise with demand.
The lead dancers and musicians for the South African dates have not been named. Ticket delivery is also delayed, so buyers receive only an order confirmation at first.
If you are planning a trip around a particular seat type or price, check the Ticketmaster seat map before you book flights.
The dates, venues, showtimes and official seller for Riverdance 30 are confirmed. That is enough to start planning an April trip to South Africa.
More: South Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where does Riverdance 30 play in South Africa?
Riverdance 30 plays the Sunbet Arena at Time Square in Pretoria from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 April 2027. It then plays the Grand Arena at GrandWest in Cape Town from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 April.
How much do Riverdance tickets cost in South Africa?
The venues list tickets from R715 (US$43) in Pretoria and from R745 (US$45) in Cape Town. Ticketmaster South Africa is the only authorised seller.
Do Americans need a visa to see Riverdance in South Africa?
No visa is needed for stays of less than 90 days. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after you leave and have two consecutive blank visa pages.
Sources: Big Concerts, Riverdance South Africa tour page and FAQ (promoter), 6 October 2026; Riverdance, South Africa tour dates (official show site), 6 October 2026; Riverdance, the creative team, 6 October 2026; Riverdance, USA tour dates 2027, 6 October 2026; Sun International, Time Square: Riverdance 30 event page (venue), 6 October 2026; Sun International, GrandWest: Riverdance 30 event page (venue), 6 October 2026; Sun International, Sunbet Arena, 6 October 2026; Sun International, Time Square, 6 October 2026; Sun International, GrandWest contact and parking, 6 October 2026; Big Concerts, Sunbet Arena venue page (address), 6 October 2026; Big Concerts, Grand Arena GrandWest venue page (address), 6 October 2026; Cape Town ETC, Riverdance returns to South Africa, 4 August 2026; South African Government, South Africa at a glance, 6 October 2026; Gautrain, stations, 6 October 2026; US State Department, South Africa travel advisory, 27 May 2025; US State Department, South Africa country information (entry requirements), 11 August 2025.
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