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

Pretoria has a rhythm of its own. From the sounds coming out of the townships to the street culture, local food spots and social gatherings that bring people together, the capital city has a way of making a weekend feel like its own occasion. 

There’s a strong sense of local pride woven into the city’s music and nightlife, with different neighbourhoods bringing their own flavour to the mix. This weekend, it’s another chance to get out, discover a new corner of Pretoria and tap into what makes the city tick.

Weekend Weather

Pitori is in for a sunny start to the weekend, with Friday and Saturday bringing clear skies and temperatures reaching 32°C. Sunday has a different story in store, with rain set to interrupt the sunshine. If you're planning to spend time outdoors, Saturday is your best bet to make the most of the weekend before the weather takes a turn.

Friday

• Min: 16 °C 
• Max: 30 °C 
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Saturday

• Min: 17 °C 
• Max: 32 °C 
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Sunday

• Min: 18 °C 
• Max: 30 °C 
• Weather conditions: Rainy

Pretoria North

 

Pitori Kota Festival 

• Saturday 31 October, 10am

• Location: Pretoria National Botanical Gardens

• Cost: R200 Children, R250 Students, R300 Adults via Computicket

Pretoria’s love for sphatlho takes centre stage at the Pitori Kota Festival, bringing kasi flavours together for a day of food, music and local culture. The festival celebrates the kota in all its forms, giving food lovers a chance to sample different fillings and flavour combinations while supporting local vendors. Live performances will keep the energy up, while the kids’ zone has giant slides, jumping castles, PlayStations and rock climbing to keep younger festival-goers busy. There’s also the Mzansi Fo Sho theme, so dress in your best South African-inspired look and come hungry.

Pretty Girls love Lekompo 

• Saturday 31 October, 10am

• Location: Bedrock Valley, Hammanskraal R101 road

• Cost: R120 via Computicket

Time to dust off those Nike tekkies and tracksuits because Hammanskraal is getting a Lekompo party this Saturday. Pretty Girls Love Lekompo brings fans of the genre to Bedrock Valley for a day of catchy beats, sing-alongs and dance moves that might have you forgetting you came to watch. The name might say pretty girls, but everyone who loves Lekompo can join the fun. Just don’t be surprised if the Nike uniform makes a strong appearance.

Balcony Mix Street Festival All White Experience

• Saturday 31 October, 11am

• Location: Mabopane Unit R Botso Street

• Cost: R20 - R150 via Computicket

Mabopane is going all white this Saturday as Balcony Mix Street Festival takes over Botso Street in Unit R. This is a chance to put your freshest white outfit to work and enjoy a street party without having to travel into central Pretoria for the fun. The festival brings the party to the neighbourhood, with music and a crowd ready to make the most of their Saturday. Just be warned, wearing white to a street festival means you’ll have to be a little careful with that food and drink.

Pretoria East

Saints & Sinners

• Friday 30 October, 6pm

• Location: Traders Times Square, Aramist Ave, Menlyn, Pretoria

• Cost: R100 - R150 via Howler

Amapiano, hip-hop and Halloween costumes are coming together at Saints & Sinners, taking over Times Square in Menlyn for a night of music and mischief. This is your chance to have some fun with the dress code, so bring out those devil horns, grab a halo or put together a costume that gets people talking. Instead of the usual spooky Halloween setup, the focus here is on good music, dancing and seeing how creative everyone gets with their looks. The only real question is, are you showing up as a saint or causing a little trouble as a sinner?

Pantry Hazelwood’s first birthday

• Saturday 31 October, 8am

• Location: Panty by Marble, The Village, 5 Hazelwood Rd

• Cost: Free entry

Pantry by Marble is marking its first birthday with a celebration at The Village in Hazelwood. Swing by for a few birthday treats, including a limited-edition batch of 250 doughnuts, face painting and a balloon artist on stilts to keep the little ones entertained. There’s also a chance to win a R2 000 Pantry voucher, while the store is offering buy-one-get-one free regular soft serve, with toppings charged separately. It's a birthday celebration with sweet treats and a few surprises for the whole family.

Mystery Ghost Tour Pretoria

• Saturday 31 October, 7pm

• Location: Starts at Huckleberry’s Restaurant

• Cost: R329 - R399 via Quicket

Think Pretoria's old buildings are only good for a history lesson? Think again. The city's ghost stories bring tales of restless spirits and strange encounters into the picture, particularly after dark. Erasmus Castle, also known as Die Spookhuis, is one of the stops on Mystery Ghost Productions' tour of Pretoria's eerie side. Other locations include the old railway station, Victoria Hotel and Church Square, each with its own tales of unexplained encounters. Before setting off, participants get an introduction to the tour and a demonstration using dowsing rods. They then follow the guide in their own vehicles, stopping at selected locations along the way. You don't have to believe in ghosts to enjoy the tour, but don't be surprised if Pretoria's old buildings feel a little different on your next evening out.

Sady Bee Halloween 

• Saturday 31 October, 7pm

• Location: Senyanturu Road, Mamelodi

• Cost: R100 via Computicket

Mamelodi, your Halloween plans are sorted. Sady Bee Halloween is happening on Senyanturu Road, at Mdala’s, giving partygoers a local spot to celebrate the spooky season. If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to wear that costume you bought and never used, here it is. Go for the full vampire look, throw on some devil horns or get creative with whatever’s in your wardrobe. After all, Halloween only comes around once a year, so you might as well give your neighbours something to talk about on Sunday morning.

Pretoria Central

Rave Room: Halloween Edition

• Friday 30 October, 6pm

• Location: 012 Central, 387 Helen Joseph St

• Cost: R50 via Quicket

Rave Room is bringing its Halloween edition to 012 Central, with electronic music, immersive visuals and lighting setting the scene. The multi-genre selection gives Pretoria’s rave crowd a chance to hear different sounds in one place, while the visuals add another layer to the night beyond the music alone. If your perfect Halloween involves a good sound system and a dance floor that keeps you moving, put this one on your list.

The Gold of Rogues

• Friday 30 October - Sunday 1 November, Various Times

• Location: Arena at SA State Theatre, 320 Pretorius St

• Cost: R170 via Webtickets

South Africa’s gold mining history is about more than the wealth pulled from the ground. The Gold of Rogues, written and directed by Sello Maseko, explores the dangerous conditions, exploitation and mining-related illnesses that came at a heavy cost to those who worked underground and their families. Through music, movement and drama, the production examines the personal toll of an industry that helped shape the country’s economy. Catch it at the Arena Theatre for a closer look at the lives behind South Africa’s gold rush.

Pretoria Maskandi Picnic

• Saturday 31 October, 10am

• Location: National Zoological Gardens of South Africa

• Cost: R150 - R300 via Webtickets

Maskandi lovers have a date with live music at the National Zoological Gardens this Saturday. The Pretoria Maskandi Picnic brings the genre’s signature guitar riffs and storytelling to an outdoor gathering, with performances from Mthandeni SK, Shengewasehlalankosi and Feza. Bring your appetite for good music and settle in for a day of familiar tunes, lively performances and the kind of sing-alongs that come naturally when the crowd knows every word. It’s a chance to enjoy Maskandi in a relaxed picnic setting without leaving the city.

RenderVerse Fest 2026

• Saturday 31 October, 10am

• Location: 1005 Arcadia St, Hatfield

• Cost: Free via Webtickets

Gaming, comics, animation and digital art come together at RenderVerse Fest in Hatfield this Saturday. The festival features virtual reality experiences, interactive gaming zones, cosplay and creative workshops, giving fans a chance to get hands-on with the technology and art behind their favourite digital worlds. It’s also a good opportunity to connect with fellow gamers and see what local creatives are doing in the digital space. Entry is free, so you can spend the day exploring without worrying about the cost of admission.

The Sessions #2

• Saturday 31 October, 2pm

• Location: 012 Central, 387 Helen Joseph Street

• Cost: R350 - R400 via Howler

Deep house devotees, this one’s for you. The Sessions #2 lands at 012 Central this Saturday, bringing soulful grooves and laid-back rhythms to Pretoria’s weekend line-up. It’s the kind of outing where you can settle into the beat, catch up with friends and let the afternoon stretch into the evening without rushing off to the next stop. Just be careful with the “one more track” promise. That’s how you end up being the last one to leave.

Halloween: The Courtyard

• Saturday 31 October, 4pm

• Location: The Courtyard, 1284 Prospect Street, Hatfield

• Cost: R200 via Howler

KUSUSA are heading to Hatfield for Halloween, bringing their signature house sound to The Courtyard alongside Stallion, Neil Hunter and a line-up of local DJs. Away from the dance floor, there’s a beer pong tournament, a costume competition and a food truck to keep things interesting. The bring-your-own-drinks setup is another bonus, so you can stock your cooler before heading out. With live sets running into the early hours, this is one for Pretoria’s house music fans looking to make a night of Halloween.

Pretoria West

 

Halloween 2026

• Saturday 31 October, 1pm

• Location: Heartfelt Gardens, 1000 Voortrekker Rd, Thaba Tshwane

• Cost: R399 - R449 via Howler

If guitars, heavy riffs and bass-heavy beats are more your thing, Silverstein's Halloween show at Heartfelt Gardens is worth a look. The Canadian post-hardcore band will share the stage with Ruff Majik, known for its fuzz-heavy rock, and PHFAT, whose bass-driven hip-hop brings a different sound to the bill. More local and international rock, punk and metal acts round out the day's programme. Between sets, grab a bite, visit the bar or pick up some merch from your favourite band. Since it's Halloween, why not lean into the occasion with a look that would feel right at home in a horror film?

Pretoria South

The Haunted House at Irene Village Theatre

• Saturday 31 October, Various Times

• Location: Irene Village Theatre

• Cost: R50 via Quicket

 

Forget watching horror films from behind a cushion. Pretoria Youth Theatre is turning Irene Village Theatre into a walk-through Halloween attraction, where visitors make their way through a graveyard filled with ghosts and skeletons before moving into a haunted hospital and the final haunted house. Live actors are part of the experience, with spooky surprises waiting along the way, so you won't know what's around the next corner. There’s no complicated concept here, just a classic haunted house for anyone who’d rather spend Halloween screaming than dancing.

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