The events were also the perfect photo ops for our #JacarandaInYourPocket photography competition, giving you the chance to capture and share your celebration of the beauty on our doorstep and to win your share of R40,000 in prizes! Keep an eye on our Instagram @johannesburginyourpocket for the details.
Here’s what happened at our #JacarandaInYourPocket 2025 from Wed, Oct 22 – Sat, Oct 25, 2025:
1. Wed, Oct 22: #JacarandaInYourPocket x Benchwarmers Running Club 5km
I can’t wait for the next experiences you have on offer
What happens when 300 people get together on a Wednesday afternoon to run, jog, walk (and even skip) through Joburg’s jacaranda-lined streets? The midweek blues didn’t stand a chance against this cheerful crowd. Our #JacarandaInYourPocket x Benchwarmers Runners Club 5km in The Parks was every bit as fun as it looked. One attendee summed it up perfectly: “There’s such a genuine sense of community here – I didn’t know Joburg people could be this friendly.”
After picking up some fresh fruit from Garden Fresh at Nine Yards for fuel, we set off for an early-evening jog beneath the purple canopies – though we’ll admit, our team's pace leaned more towards a stroll than a sprint. Thanks to the Rosebank Management District security team and Benchwarmers Runners Club marshals, everything ran smoothly, while Lea’s Lens was on hand to capture it all.
Post-run laughs and free beers at Benchwarmers rounded off the evening – a fitting celebration of Joburg’s prettiest season and the start of our #JacarandaInYourPocket event season.
2. Sat, Oct 25: #JacarandaInYourPocket x Bastion Aviation x Four Seasons The Westcliff walk, helicopter flip, and breakfast
Thank you soo much for arranging everything for us and ensuring my mum is well taken care of. We appreciate all the time you have taken to manage everything and for us to have the best time! Mum really enjoyed it and we had the most incredible, beautiful and breathtaking morning! Thank you.
Saturday morning got off to an early (06:45 to be exact) but glamorous start at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, where we were greeted with an array of fruit juices and nut bars to energise us for the morning ahead. The glamour wasn’t just in the location but also in the lively mix of faces that joined the walk. One guest arrived in bright green heels, confident she could walk anywhere in them (which she did!), while another brought along two charming Dalmatians.
After a warm welcome from the Four Seasons team and Kennedy Tembo from MicroAdventure Tours, we set off. Led by Tembo, our route took us through the beautifully manicured, jacaranda-lined streets of Westcliff, learning more about the history of the tree while passing fellow walkers, runners, and heritage homes like Bishop’s House and The Capers, both proudly bearing their blue plaques.
Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.
Before the helicopter ride took our breath away, we got some practice by tackling a stretch of the infamous Westcliff stairs. From there, we headed to the home of architects Lesley Carstens and Silvio Rech for more sweeping city views and plenty of photo opportunities with Instax, who joined us for the morning. With its concrete structure, floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and cinematic views, it felt like we’d wandered onto a film set of a Beverly Hills mansion.
It was such a beautifully organised experience – everything from the setting to the flow of the morning was absolutely perfect.
From there, it was a short stroll to Hope School, where glasses of bubbly from the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff team and helicopters from Bastion Aviation awaited. The ten-minute helicopter flight offered a rare chance to see Westcliff, Rosebank, and The Parks from above. Suburbia stretched out below in neat grids, dotted with green lawns, glinting blue pools, and bursts of purple jacarandas, Joburg in all its patchwork glory.
After the ride, we returned to Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff for breakfast or the High Tea. We opted for the latter and indulged in gourmet pastries and decadent loose-leaf teas. We sipped on Marula Strawberry Rooibos, accompanied by warm, buttery scones with sweetened cream and berry jam. Delicate desserts followed, a hazelnut and blackberry financier and a Black Forest opera cake that perfectly balanced chocolate and berry flavours. A truly sweet ending to a lovely morning.
3. Sat, Oct 25: #JacarandaInYourPocket x Studio Artwave tote bag painting workshop
Each event you curate has such wonderful quality, creativity, and excitement – and I’ll continue supporting everything you’re doing.
Photo: @we.are.artamicus.
Not too far away, others were celebrating jacaranda season with an intimate Saturday morning workshop at 44 Stanley, where guests painted their own jacaranda-inspired tote bags in collaboration with Studio Artwave. The day began with complimentary coffee from Fairtrade favourite Bean There Coffee, before participants strolled over to Studio Artwave to tap into their creativity in a relaxed, art-filled setting. Facilitator Shumirai Kandawasvika allowed participants to take the lead, exploring their own perspectives on Johannesburg and the purple beauties that bloom within the city. The marvellous Shér Khan and Aziza Domingo (aka @we.are.artamicus on Instagram) joined us on the day to capture the magic.
The workshop started off with a playful blind contour drawing exercise, where participants sketched one another without lifting their pencils or looking down at their pages, a Picasso-style warm-up that sparked much laughter. After that, we could choose between using stencils or painting freehand to design our tote bags, with the option of fabric markers instead of acrylic paint. The atmosphere was low-pressure and therapeutic, where people chatted as much or as little as they liked, laughing at their artistic attempts or admiring the masterpieces that emerged. By the end of the workshop, each person left with a one-of-a-kind tote bag – a hand-painted tribute to Joburg’s jacaranda season.
4. Sat, Oct 25: #JacarandaInYourPocket x MicroAdventure Tours bloom-spotting rooftop tour
I’m really loving how you’re helping me rediscover Johannesburg — the city I’ve lived in for years but am now seeing with fresh eyes!
Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.
We wrapped up our 2025 #JacarandaInYourPocket event series with over 50 guests, toasting to the season with sky-high views, drinks, and great company amidst a city in full jacaranda bloom. The day began at The Leonardo, where guests were warmly welcomed before heading to Alto234, Africa’s highest urban bar. Here, they enjoyed a glass of MCC and a selection of bites, including smoked salmon bruschetta with corn salsa and garlic aioli, and the crowd-favourite, Aurum cheesecake.
Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.
By early afternoon, we were aboard the City Sightseeing bus, ready to explore Joburg with Kennedy Tembo of Microadventure Tours as our guide. A burst of colour from the Joburg Pride parade in Sandton became one of the day’s unexpected highlights. What could have delayed our plans turned into a joyful moment – everyone cheered, clapped, and celebrated the passing crowds.
I feel like so often we get caught up in the busyness of living in Johannesburg, and it was fantastic to take the time to pause and enjoy it.
We cruised through more of Joburg’s iconic jacaranda-lined streets and even spotted a few rare white jacarandas – a genetic twist on the usual purple blooms. Along the way, we caught a glimpse of the now-empty Gupta house in Parktown before winding up Munro Drive in Houghton, which turned into a mini photoshoot for everyone. Our friends from Instax joined us here too, proving that while people dodge phone cameras like paparazzi, a Polaroid somehow makes everyone instantly camera-ready. Next, we headed to The Wilds for a calming moment with nature… and butterflies.
From there, we made our way to Chef Coco's restaurant, Epicure at ONE in Rosebank, for a few wine sips and a delicious culinary tour of Africa via canapés. From South Africa’s magwinya bites to central Africa’s arachini moambe (rice and cassava balls), each flavour was a tiny passport stamp, giving us a taste of what makes every corner of our continent so delightfully unique.
In photos: Celebrating Joburg's jacaranda season in 2025
#JacarandaInYourPocket x Benchwarmers Running Club 5km
#JacarandaInYourPocket x Bastion Aviation x Four Seasons The Westcliff walk, helicopter flip, and breakfast
#JacarandaInYourPocket x Studio Artwave tote bag painting workshop
#JacarandaInYourPocket x MicroAdventure Tours bloom-spotting rooftop tour
Enter our #JacarandaInYourPocket 2025 photo competition
We celebrate Gauteng's jacaranda spring with our annual #JacarandaInYourPocket photo competition hosted on Instagram from Thu, Oct 16 – Mon, Nov 10, 2025. This year, we have more than R40,000 in prizes up for grabs! Find out more about how to enter and what you can win here.
The top 20 finalists will be announced on Thu, Nov 13, 2025 and the winners, chosen by popular vote, will be announced on Thu, Nov 20, 2025. Follow us on Instagram @johannesburginyourpocket a and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates.
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