Out and About in Johannesburg: Best things to do this weekend

Looking for things to do in Johannesburg this weekend? We’ve got you!

Last weekend may have been one for staying under the covers, but this weekend is shaping up rather differently. Johannesburg has a busy weekend ahead, with Bollywood parties, live music, food festivals, comedy and outdoor events all on the calendar. Here’s your guide to what's going on around Johannesburg this weekend.  

Weekend weather

After last weekend’s disappointing weather, the forecast is looking far more promising. Daytime temperatures should reach 23°C, while mornings and evenings will remain cooler at around 11°C. If last weekend’s weather put a dampener on your plans, this weekend should be a much better one for getting out and about.  

Friday  

• Min: 12 °C 
• Max: 23 °C
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Saturday  

• Min: 12 °C
• Max: 21 °C
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Sunday 

• Min: 11 °C
• Max: 21 °C
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Johannesburg North

BollyRave Festival – Fake Sangeet 

• Friday 11 September, 5pm
• Location: Maracanà, 58 Wierda Rd, Wierda Valley, Sandton
• Cost: R200 - R250 via Howler 

Who needs a wedding invitation when there’s a sangeet to get to this Friday? BollyRave brings the feel of a Bollywood wedding to Maracanà, with live dhol, DJs, mehndi and a soundtrack made for dancing. Bollywood favourites will keep the dance floor moving, with plenty of dramatic moves and a few improvised routines along the way. Give your Friday night a little more sparkle.  

Kurt Schoonraad: Funny Side Up 

• Friday 11 September, 8pm
• Location: The Capital Empire, Sandton
• Cost: R200 via Quicket 

Kurt Schoonraad is back in Joburg, turning familiar South African frustrations into material for the stage. Funny Side Up takes a comic look at everyday South African life, with Schoonraad finding the funny side of familiar situations. Put the phone away, get comfortable and let real humans provide the entertainment for a change. This one is for the friend who always has a story to tell and probably a few opinions to add. 

FNB Family Fun Day

• Saturday 12 September, 7am
• Location: Johannesburg Zoo, Jan Smuts Ave & Upper Park Dr, Parkview
• Cost: R200 via Howler 

Make an early start at Johannesburg Zoo for the FNB Family Fun Day, where a 5km run sets things in motion before a day at the zoo. Go for a quick run or take your time, particularly if your family has very different ideas about Saturday morning activities. Your morning out also helps support the Zoo, with proceeds going towards animal care. Get the running out of the way, then enjoy a slower day at the Zoo. 

Bed By 10pm 

• Saturday 12 September, 4pm
• Location: Sognage, 11 Larch Street, Strydom Park
• Cost: R250 - R400 via Howler

It turns out you can go out, have a good time and still be home by 10pm. The early start is part of the appeal, with Bed By 10pm bringing '80s, '90s and early-2000s favourites to the dance floor from 4pm. You get the throwbacks and the nostalgia without having to spend all of Sunday recovering. And the fact that it wraps up early is no bad thing. 

The Matinee 1st Anniversary Celebration

• Saturday 12 September, 4pm
• Location: Artistry JHB, Sandown
• Cost: R100 via Quicket 

The Matinee is one year old and will be celebrated at Artistry JHB with an afternoon built for music and dancing. With drinks and a crowd in a celebratory mood, this is one daytime session that won’t feel particularly sleepy. The matinee is a retro daytime social experience for party people who prefer to have the time of their lives earlier in the day and be home by the witching hour. 

Majozi: Holy Moly, It’s Majozi in Jozi

• Sunday 13 September, 3pm
• Location: Sognage, Strydom Park
• Cost: R100 - R200 via Webtickets 

This is the sort of Sunday afternoon that puts you in a good mood. Indie-folk and afropop artist Majozi brings his biggest Jozi headline show to Sognage, promising familiar songs, big singalongs like Darling, Fire and many others, as well as plenty of dancing. It’s also family-friendly, so the whole crew can join in. There’s a good chance you already know the words to a few of Majozi’s songs, especially if Darling or Fire have featured in your singalongs. The songs sound even better live when the whole Jozi crowd joins in. 

Johannesburg West 

NIROX Spring Jazz: ‘Breathe’ 

• Sunday 13 September, 10am
• Location: NIROX Sculpture Park, Kromdraai
• Cost: R750 via Howler  

Put the busy weekend behind you and spend Sunday with live jazz at NIROX Sculpture Park with Nomfondo Xaluva, Shane Cooper & The Spirit Whisper and other stars. The rescheduled ‘Breathe’ concert brings live jazz to the sculpture park, swapping the usual Sunday routine for art, gardens and live music. Grab a blanket, find a comfortable spot on the lawn and settle in for an afternoon of live jazz. It’s close enough to Joburg for an easy day out, but far enough to feel like a change of scene.

Johannesburg Central

An Ode to Motown 

• Friday 11 - Sunday 13 September, Various Times
• Location: Mandela Theatre at Joburg Theatre 
• Cost: R200 - R400 via Webtickets 

You probably know more Motown songs than you realise and An Ode to Motown brings them to life on the Joburg Theatre stage. Tamara Dey, Lerato Mvelase and Liesl Penniken lead the South African cast, bringing serious vocal firepower to the stage. The familiar hits by the Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Erikah Badu, Boys II Men and others performed live by Mzansi’s finest live feel fresh all over again. If you leave without singing at least one chorus, you’ve got more self-control than most.   

JOMBA! Contemporary Dance

• Friday 11 September - Saturday 12 September, 7pm
• Location: John Kani, Market Theatre
• Cost: R100 - R150 via Webtickets 

Want to swap the DJ booth for something a little different this weekend? JOMBA! uses contemporary dance at The Market Theatre to tell stories through movement. It’s the sort of performance that can leave you thinking about what you’ve just seen long after you’ve left the theatre. If you’ve done the usual dinner and drinks routine enough times, this is a change of pace. 

Johannesburg South

Jhumka Bazaar 

• Saturday 12 September, 5:30pm
• Location: Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City
• Cost: R190 - R250 via Webtickets 

Get a dose of Bollywood at the Lyric Theatre this Saturday with Jhumka Bazaar, a dance production built around elaborate costumes, energetic choreography and vibrant performances. The mix of semi-classical Indian dance and Bollywood numbers makes this a far more energetic theatre outing than usual. It’s worth dressing up for, especially if you’re planning to spend the rest of the day at Gold Reef City. 

Soweto Kota Festival

• Saturday 12 - Sunday 13 September, 11am
• Location: Elkah Cricket Oval, Rockville, Soweto
• Cost: R80–R130 via Webtickets 

A trip to Soweto isn’t complete without a kota, and this two day festival puts the township staple front and centre. The ninth edition brings dozens of kota vendors together with live music and entertainment, celebrating the food culture that makes Soweto such a draw. The hardest part might be choosing which kota to try first. The second hardest is convincing yourself you only need one. Make a day of it in Rockville, with the family in tow and an appetite to match. 

Beyond Jozi

RoughStock Rodeo: Bikes vs Horses

• Saturday 12 September, 8am
• Location: RoughStock Rodeo Club,  Pretoria
• Cost: R20 children, R75 spectator, R320 Bike Riders via Quicket 

Could a bike outrun a horse? There’s only one way to find out. RoughStock Rodeo has the bikes and horses going head-to-head, with rodeo action, mechanical bull rides, pony rides, live music and food to keep everyone around for the day. It’s not the kind of Saturday outing that comes around every weekend, so pick a winner, bring the family and see how the race unfolds. 

Wines in the Park

• Saturday 12 September, 11am
• Location: The Blades Hotel, Pretoria
• Cost: R365–R465 via Quicket 

Grab a glass and settle in at Wines in the Park, where tastings, live music and river views set the scene for Saturday afternoon. Every ticket includes a wine glass and mini cheese box, and the higher-priced option comes with an extra R100 wine voucher. Find a patch of lawn, sample the wines and settle in for an afternoon that feels a world away from the usual Joburg Saturday. 

The Last Hand

We've been teasing something mysterious of late - and now we have more info for you.

The Last Hand, an exclusive invitation-only experience created through a partnership between Jackpot City and The Luxurious Marble Circus (LMC), is designed to surprise, intrigue and reward those who embrace the thrill. Find out more here.

Follow Time Out Johannesburg on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram! While you're at it, sign up for our newsletter to receive even more of the best of your city.

TIME OUT JOHANNESBURG RECOMMENDS:

📍 The best things to do in Johannesburg
🏨 The best hotels in Johannesburg
🍽 The best restaurants in Johannesburg
🛏️ Where to stay in Johannesburg
📢 Latest news from Johannesburg