Have you ever found a band that you thought was amazing but for some reason or another never managed to make it beyond a couple of local gigs? Financial constraints are, perhaps, the biggest problem new bands face when they try to break into the music industry. Often there simply isn’t enough money in the kitty to buy studio time or even to market a mini-tour. Now you can make a difference; you can help give a band the aid it needs to crack the big time with Fanraiser.

If you like everything motorcycle related then you’ll love the Cape Town Bike Festival (CTBF) which kicks off on Friday 16 December (Day of Reconciliation) and continues for the remainder of the weekend at the Cape Town Stadium. It’s the first bike festival of its kind in South Africa and is guaranteed to appeal to the inner hell’s angel and dirt-biker in all of us. Even if bikes aren’t really your thing, it’s worth popping around to experience the roaring atmosphere, see some of the world’s best bikers at work (or play, depending on your view) and, at the very least, sample some excellent food and wine.

Rolling Stone magazine will launch in South Africa on Wednesday 23 November. Known for its controversial and cutting  edge articles on music, liberal politics and pop culture, Rolling Stone is set to be the first magazine of its kind in South Africa.  It will be managed by Miles Keylock as editor-in-chief, Georgia Gardner as creative director and Anton Marshall as digital editor. 3i Publishing will produce it under license and it will sell for R34.95 at stores such as CNA, Pick ‘n Pay, Look ‘n Listen and Musica.

Whether you are single, married, in-between, weighed down with children and in-laws, or not, Kirstenbosch is a winner for entertainment this summer. Apart from offering a beautiful garden to relax in, this botanical garden also offers a variety of events to keep you busy.

If you are into sculpture, there are both permanent and changing art exhibitions on display. Many of these sculptures are of animals, which should capture the imagination of young children and give them, and yourself, reason to walk around the garden.

Over the past three years Rock the River has become one of South Africa’s premier New Year’s Eve parties. It styles itself as an “Alternative New Year’s Eve Event” as it provides a safe place outside of the city limits to rock out and go wild. It appeals to all manner of music lovers from electro and drum and base to metal and punk. As the genres don’t often mix well, there are three separate stages to accommodate the diverse tastes.

Rock the River 2011/12 will kick off, unsurprisingly, on 31 December and run through to 2 January. It will be held at the Westcoast (Cape Town) Ostrich Ranch on Van Schoorsdrift Road, Philadelphia, just off the N7. It’s only a 20 minute drive from Cape Town, which makes it ideal for local revellers, as well as holiday-makers from further afield.