Johannesburg, 26 June 2025: It’s official. The Smurfs have landed in South Africa and they’re about to smurf the nation. In the build-up to the release of the much-anticipated SMURFS movie, hitting cinemas nationwide on Friday 11 July 2025, fans across the country will have the chance to meet two of the film’s stars right here in Mzansi. Smurfette and a brand-new character, named “No Name,” will be travelling far and wide, to spread the blue love, on one of South Africa’s most extensive costume character tours to date.
The blue duo will be making appearances and doing meet & greets in shopping centres, entertainment destinations and casinos across four provinces. Fans can expect high-energy dance moments featuring tracks from the official SMURFS soundtrack, which includes global music heavyweights such as Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Cardi B, James Corden, Shenseea and South Africa’s own Grammy-winning star Tyla. At each stop, Smurfette and No Name will hand out limited edition Smurfs sticker sets, while stocks last, and spread positive vibes in true Smurf style.
Blue-tiful beginnings in the Cape
The “Smurfing the Nation” tour kicks off in the Western Cape, starting at Somerset Mall on Thursday 26 June, Blue Route on Friday 27 June and a triple appearance on Saturday 28 June at Tygervalley Mall, Canal Walk and for the Global Smurf Day celebrations. Capetonian fans can also catch them at the V&A Waterfront, including at Spur, on Sunday 29 June and GrandWest Casino on Monday 30 June.
From there, they travel east. On Tuesday 1 July, Garden Route Mall will host the duo, followed by Baywest Mall and Boardwalk Casino in Gqeberha on Wednesday 2 July. On Thursday 3 July, the Smurfs will visit Hemingways Mall, before heading to Wild Coast Sun Casino on Friday 4 July.
From the coast to the city of gold
KwaZulu-Natal fans can look forward to seeing the Smurfs on Saturday 5 July at Pavilion Mall and Sibaya Casino, then at Cornubia and Ballito on Sunday 6 July. Galleria and Suncoast will round off the KZN tour on Monday 7 July.
Next up is Gauteng, where the Smurfs will turn the city of gold blue. Gold Reef City will welcome the pair on Wednesday 9 July, followed by Cresta Mall and Clearwater Mall on Friday 11 July, and The Grove Mall, that will feature a Smurfs mushroom village on Saturday 12 July. From there, it’s off to Sun City for a two-day appearance on Sunday 13 and Monday 14 July. The next stretch includes Eastgate and Sandton on Tuesday 15 July, The Glen and Emperors on Wednesday 16 July, Irene Village Mall and Carnival City Casino on Thursday 17 July, and Hyde Park and Menlyn Park on Friday 18 July. They will then be at Montecasino on Saturday 19 July, before the Smurfing journey concludes at Mall of Africa on Sunday 20 July, and a final appearance at Mall of the North on Saturday 26 July.
There is no cost to attend these appearances and each visit promises a mix of music, dancing to the sound track, a splash of blue with meet and greets, and give aways of sticker sheets, while stocks last. Fans are encouraged to check the individual venues’ social media platforms for the specific appearance times.
New faces, iconic voices
In SMURFS, audiences will get to enjoy Smurfette voiced by Rihanna, as she leads the Smurfs into the real world to rescue Papa Smurf, played by John Goodman, who has been captured by the evil wizards Razamel and Gargamel. With a star-studded voice cast including James Corden, Sandra Oh, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Sedaris and Daniel Levy, the film promises to deliver action, humour and heart.
The Smurfs have long stood for community, creativity and caring for the planet. Through this nationwide tour, these beloved characters aim to share those values with South African fans in a real-world way. Adding to the local flavour, a Smurf-themed meal will be available at SPUR restaurants nationwide throughout the tour.
The “Smurfing the Nation” tour is brought to life by UIP SA, Paramount Animation, Sun International and SPUR. To follow the Smurfs on their journey, follow @UIPSA and #Smurfingthenation on social media.
Watch the official trailer for SMURFS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvQUBZzdZTY