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

Pretoria, what are we getting up to this weekend? If you’re keen to get out of the house, you should go out there and live your best life whether catching a show, being outdoors or finding somewhere to enjoy a little live entertainment. The weekend brings a chance to slow things down with a film under the stars at the botanical gardens, while the city’s stages have their own stories to tell, from the drama of Carmen to the sounds of the Charl du Plessis Trio.

Swinter ’26 is bringing the party to Saulsville Arena, while Centurion has Takie Ndou’s one-man show and a night of Urban Soul with Langa Mavuso. From township festival energy to a few laughs, your group chat has no excuse for coming up empty this time.

ICYMI: We've officially launched! Your guide to the best events worth your time this weekend, brought to you in association with Jacaranda FM.

Weekend Weather

Pretoria, looks like the weather is on our side this weekend. With sunny skies and temperatures climbing to 31°C, it’s a good time to catch a film outdoors or squeeze in a morning run before the heat kicks in. Early birds should keep a light jacket handy, though, with temperatures starting at 15°C.

Friday 

• Min: 17 °C 

• Max: 31 °C

• Weather conditions: Sunny

Saturday 

• Min: 15 °C

• Max: 29 °C

• Weather conditions: Sunny

Sunday 

• Min: 15 °C

• Max: 31 °C

• Weather conditions: Sunny

Pretoria North

5km Fun Run/Walk

• Saturday 24 October, 6am

• Location: Crystal Sun Water Park, Akasia

• Cost: R170 - R250 via Webtickets

A 6am start at Crystal Sun Water Park puts Akasia’s 5km Fun Run/Walk on the cards for anyone keen to get their steps in before Saturday gets going. The short distance makes it a good option for casual runners and walkers who want to get active without committing to a full race. You’ll have the satisfaction of ticking off a fitness goal before most people have had breakfast, leaving the rest of the day free for whatever else you have planned. 

Pretoria East

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Wiliete Sport Club

• Friday 23 October, 8pm

• Location: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, 441 Kirkness Street

• Cost: R50 via Opentickets

The reigning African champions have unfinished business! Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a goalless draw by Angola’s Wiliete Sport Club in the first leg, leaving everything to play for when the sides meet again at Loftus Versfeld. Masandawana will be looking to make home advantage count and move a step closer to defending their CAF Champions League crown, but Wiliete won’t simply roll over. There’s more to the evening than football, too, with dancers, music and a light show planned for half-time. Pretoria fans come and back Sundowns as they fight to keep their title defence alive, with a little extra entertainment between the action on the pitch.

Strides & Social Braai Run/Walk

• Saturday 24 October, 7:30am

• Location: Mira Coffee Co, 198 Amarand Ave, Waterkloof Glen

• Cost: R90 Children, R190 Adults via Quicket

Forget the finish line medal, the real prize at Strides & Social Braai Run/Walk is what’s cooking afterwards. Taking place at Mira Coffee Co in Waterkloof Glen, the event features 5km and 10km running routes with a 5km walk, followed by a braai prepared by Chef Will. Once the running is done, the music takes over, with fitness games, prizes and a kids’ play zone keeping the fun going while you work up an appetite for that braai. It’s the kind of morning that gives you a good reason to get out of bed early on a Saturday.

Moonlight Outdoor Theatre

• Saturday 24 October, 5pm

• Location: Pretoria National Botanical Gardens

• Cost: R250 via Webtickets

The only thing missing from this movie night is a trailer, a poster and well, the name of the actual film. Moonlight Outdoor Theatre is bringing an open-air screening to Pretoria National Botanical Gardens, where you can watch beneath the evening sky with snacks on hand. The organisers are keeping the title a mystery for now, leaving us to wonder if we’re in for a romance, a comedy or something that’ll have us hiding behind our snacks. Whatever makes the final cut, at least the setting beats another night on the sofa.

The Social Club

• Saturday 24 October, 6pm

• Location: Moonshine Menlyn, 209 Aramist Ave, Waterkloof Glen

• Cost: R150 via Howler

The Social Club is launching its Colour Series in Pretoria with ‘Out of the Blue’, a party at Moonshine Menlyn featuring DJs Mafia Natives, Shay and Ilhaan Fortuin. Alongside the music, pop-up stalls will give guests a chance to browse clothing and accessories throughout the night. Guests are encouraged to wear anything from baby blue to cobalt. The blue dress code will sort out the photos, but the real question is who’s coming to dance and who’s just there to be seen.

Charl Du Plessis Trio

• Saturday 24 October, 7pm

• Location: Fairtree Atterbury Theatre, 4 Daventry St

• Cost: R240 Pensioners, R280 Gallery, R300 Ground Floor via Seatme 

What do Chopin and Beethoven have in common with Bonnie Raitt and the classic hit Dance Monkey? They’re all part of the Charl du Plessis Trio’s Clair de Lune programme. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the trio brings classical music, jazz and pop together, with pianist Charl du Plessis, bassist Werner Spies and drummer Peter Auret putting their own spin on familiar pieces. From Debussy’s dreamy Clair de Lune to the catchy melody of Dance Monkey, the programme moves between genres you might not expect to hear side by side. It’s a chance to hear these songs reimagined by three accomplished musicians on one stage.

Woodstock Revival

• Sunday 25 October, 12pm

• Location: Pretoria Boys High School Old Boys Association, 251 Roper St, Brooklyn

• Cost: FREE for Children under 14 years, R100 General Admission via Quicket

Dig out those classic rock playlists because Woodstock Revival is bringing the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s to Brooklyn. The Paul Anthony Establishment will perform familiar rock covers with a five-piece band and trombone, setting the tone for an afternoon of live music, food and drinks at Pretoria Boys High School Old Boys Association. Settle in for a Sunday of old school rock, and bring the family along because children aged 14 and under get in for free.

2026 Atterbury National Piano Competition

• Sunday 25 October, 12:30pm

• Location: Fairtree Atterbury Theatre, 4 Daventry St

• Cost: R200 via Seatme

The pressure is on at Fairtree Atterbury Theatre as the 2026 Atterbury National Piano Competition reaches its final round. The competition brings together some of South Africa’s most promising pianists aged 19 and under, each hoping to impress the judges and claim the title. You’ll hear the finalists perform live, giving you a chance to discover young talent and see whose performance comes out on top.

Sip & Paint @ Protea Hotel Fire & Ice

• Sunday 25 October, 1pm

• Location: Summit Place Precinct, 221 Grasfontein Rd, De Beers

• Cost: R425 via Dineplan

Your Sunday masterpiece starts with two cocktails, a canvas and a shisanyama buffet. At the Sip & Paint, artist Mark Save, aka The Artist will guide you through creating your own artwork, with all the painting supplies included in your own ticket. You’ll also have three hours to enjoy the food, sip on your drinks and let your creative side loose. Picasso, you can relax. Nobody’s expecting a masterpiece, but you might surprise yourself. 

Pretoria Central 

Ingoma-Busuku/ Nightsong

• Friday 23 October - Sunday 25 October, Various Times

• Location: DRAMA at SA State Theatre

• Cost: R175 via Webtickets

Jabulani has a musical dilemma. He’s trained in Western classical music, but is drawn to isicathamiya, the vocal tradition his absent father was known for. Ingoma-Busuku / Nightsong follows his search for answers about his father and his own place in the world, with the clash between the two musical traditions playing out on stage. If you’re curious about how family history can shape the music we choose to make, this production puts that question centre stage through Jabulani’s story.

Chasing Summer

• Saturday 24 October, 12pm

• Location: 012 Central, 387 Helen Joseph St

• Cost: R300 via Webtickets

Chasing Summer is bringing a mix of musical sounds to 012 Central in Pretoria CBD this Saturday, with Scotts Maphuma, Njelic and Ch’cco among the performers. The event brings different artists together for an afternoon of live music, giving you a chance to hear familiar tracks and discover performers you might not usually listen to. If you’re keen to explore more of South Africa’s music scene, this is an opportunity to do it right in the heart of Pretoria.

Sol Phenduka: Soliano Music Experience 

• Saturday 24 October, 3pm

• Location: Propaganda, 271 Struben St, Pretoria CBD

• Cost: R50 - R200 via Computicket

Sol Phenduka is bringing the Soliano Music Experience to Propaganda in Pretoria CBD, with a musical mix that goes beyond one genre. The organisers promise everything from soulful grooves and vocals to basslines, so don’t be surprised if the sound shifts just as you’re getting comfortable. Keep Shazam handy because you might hear a track so good that you’ll want to know its name before the next song starts. If your music taste is hard to pin down, this event was made for you.

Carmen: The Ballet

• Saturday 24 October - Sunday 25 October, 3pm

• Location: Opera Theatre at The SA State Theatre, 320 Pretorius St

• Cost: R300 - R480 via Webtickets

Carmen doesn’t take kindly to being told what to do, and that’s where the trouble begins. In Carmen: The Ballet, soldier Don Jose falls for the fiercely independent Carmen, but jealousy creeps in when she turns her attention to bullfighter Escamillo. Accompanied by Georges Bizet’s famous music, the production brings this tale of desire and betrayal to life through movement and expression rather than spoken dialogue. Head to the Opera Theatre at the State Theatre in Pretoria to see how this tangled love story unfolds through dance.

Pretoria West

Swinter ‘26

• Saturday 24 October, 1pm

• Location: Saulsville Arena, Malebye St, Atteridgeville

• Cost: R120 via Computicket

Winter might be behind us, but Swinter ’26 is keeping the street culture alive in Atteridgeville. The lifestyle festival brings music, fashion and youth culture together at Saulsville Arena, with DJs and outdoor activities adding to the experience. Rooted in township culture, the event puts the spotlight on the sounds, style and creativity that shape everyday life in places like Atteridgeville. It’s an opportunity to experience a side of Pretoria’s cultural scene that deserves just as much attention as the events happening in the city centre.

Beyond Pitori

Takie Ndou One Man Show

• Friday 23 October, 5:30pm

• Location: Grace Mission Church International, Centurion

• Cost: R350 via Webtickets 

Takie Ndou has built his name in South African gospel through songs such as Wena O Modimo and Baba Ngisite, and he’s bringing that catalogue to Centurion for his One Man Show. The gospel singer and worship leader takes the stage at Grace Mission Church International for an evening centred on praise, worship and live music. Rather than listening to his songs at home, you’ll get to hear them performed live, where the congregation can join in and make the music part of the experience.

A night with Langa Mavuso

• Saturday 24 October, 8pm

• Location: Theatre of Marcellus, Emperors Palace, 64 Jones Rd, Kempton Park

• Cost: R395 - R595 via Webtickets

If your playlist swings between falling in love and swearing off relationships, Langa Mavuso has the soundtrack for you. The singer brings his Urban Soul sound to the Theatre of Marcellus, blending smooth vocals with stories of love, longing and heartbreak. Revisit Mvula, Panther and listen out for Pretend, where he collaborates with singer Aimee George to explore the complications of a relationship. Come for the vocals, but don’t be surprised if one song has you mentally drafting a message you absolutely should not send.

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