Christmas Eve at the Voortrekker Monument
The sun drops behind the Magaliesberg and the amphitheatre at the Voortrekker Monument fills with the sound of a string quartet working through "Carol of the Bells." This is the anchor of a Pretoria Christmas season — a candlelight concert in the open air, the monument's stone silhouette behind the players, and a programme that moves from Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy through Greensleeves, O Holy Night and O Tannenbaum before landing on the songs everyone hums on the drive home: Let It Snow, Feliz Navidad, Jingle Bells, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Last Christmas, All I Want for Christmas Is You.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for Saturday 19 December, 8:00 PM, at the Voortrekker Monument Amphitheater — five nights before Christmas Eve, which makes it the natural centrepiece of a longer Pretoria stay rather than a single-evening dash. The performance runs 60 minutes. Doors open one minute before the show and there is no entry after it starts, so arrive with time to spare. Seating is assigned first come, first served by zone. The venue is wheelchair accessible. The concert is rated for ages 8 and up, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Performers are announced closer to the date.
What to Do With the Rest of Your Evening
December in Pretoria is a city-wide evening rather than a single ticketed event. Build your night around the concert and let the rest of the city fill in around it.
- Take in the lights and the crowds. December evenings in Pretoria bring residents out to walk, shop late and eat outdoors. The summer heat breaks after sunset, which is why the streets stay busy well into the night.
- Eat late and eat outside. Christmas Eve falls in the heart of South African summer, so the seasonal table is a braai rather than a roast — grilled meat, pap and relish, salads, and cold drinks. Book ahead; this is one of the busiest dining nights of the year.
- Look for a midnight service. Churches across the city hold Christmas Eve services, many of them late. If you want the traditional close to the evening, this is where the night ends for a large part of the city.
- Plan around the 19th. If the Candlelight concert is your reason for coming, treat 19 December as your fixed point and leave Christmas Eve itself open for the city's own rhythm.
When to Go
Pretoria in late December is hot, green and loud with cicadas. Days are long, evenings are warm enough to sit outside without a jacket, and the city is in full holiday mode. The Candlelight concert on 19 December 2026 gives you a firm date to plan around; the days either side are yours to fill with markets, late dinners and the general bustle of a city that has emptied its offices and filled its restaurants.
Because the concert starts at 8:00 PM and admits no one after the start, aim to be at the Voortrekker Monument well before then. The amphitheatre is outdoors — dress for a warm evening, but bring a layer for the drive home.
Practical Notes for the Concert
- Date and time: Saturday 19 December 2026, 8:00 PM.
- Venue: Voortrekker Monument Amphitheater, Pretoria.
- Duration: 60 minutes.
- Entry: Doors open one minute before the show; no entry after the start.
- Seating: Assigned first come, first served by zone.
- Access: The venue is wheelchair accessible.
- Age: 8 and up; under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Make the Night Yours
Book the 19th first — that date is fixed, and the amphitheatre seats by zone on a first-come basis, so the earlier you commit the better your view of the monument behind the quartet. Then build the rest of your Pretoria stay around it: a late braai, a Christmas Eve service, an evening walk through the lights. December in this city is warm, unhurried and full, and the music at the monument is the best place to start.