First Sunday at Victoria Yards

Name: First Sunday at Victoria Yards
Start: 2025-09-07
End: 2025-09-07
Location: Victoria Yards

Sunday Sep 7 10:00–16:00 … 16 Viljoen St, Lorentzville

Victoria Yards provides a delightful respite from the city that surrounds it. Photo: Victoria Yards.

There's a delightful, vast, and creative outdoor area in the Victoria Yards complex. Photo: Victoria Yards.

Discover unique, handmade goods, food, and art. Photo: Victoria Yards.

Always a fun event, First Sunday at Victoria Yards is an opportunity to explore the beautiful urban gardens, maker spaces, and artist studios at this complex of formerly light industrial buildings on the east side of the City Centre. Located opposite the headquarters of South Africa's most famous chicken brand, Nando's, in the gritty suburb of Lorentzville, Victoria Yards provides a delightful respite from the city that surrounds it.

First Sunday Highlights on Sun, Aug 3

Here’s what to look forward to this August edition of First Sunday at Victoria Yards – a day of colour, craft, cupcakes, creativity, and cool encounters with Joburg’s most exciting makers:

Create pretty beaded accessories with the Thread and Thought bead workshop. Photo: Supplied

Thread your thoughts into something beautiful at the Thread & Thought Bead Workshop, where you can make your own friendship bracelet, keyring, or phone lanyard with intention. From just R65 per person, this all-ages activity is perfect for mindful moments under the tree in the Kids Zone. Hosted by Etherealize.inc Studios.

Make lasting memories with handpoke tattoos station at First Sunday at Victoria Yards. Photo: Supplied.

Get under the skin of creativity with Chǎomiàn’s handpoke tattoo station, hosted in collaboration with The [Art]ery. From watching to learning to ink yourself, this all-day walk-in space is for the curious and the committed. R400 per person, all-inclusive.

Create your custom fashion with a tie-dye workshop. Photo: Supplied.

Get your hands dirty with dye at FMK’s tie-dye workshop, where kids and adults alike can swirl colour into wearable art from t-shirts and caps to hats and vests. Classes run from 10:30 – 15:30 at 16 Viljoen Street (just across the road). R250 per person, all materials included. Book your spot via WhatsApp on +27 84 338 4724.

Art you can taste with a cupcake decorating workshop. Photo: Supplied.

Sweeten your skills at the Cupcake Decorating Workshop with La Meli Confectionary, from 10:00 – 12:00. Learn piping techniques, craft fondant flowers, and take home two pretty-as-a-picture cupcakes. R320 per person (with a 10% discount for pre-bookings or groups of three or more). Book your spot via WhatsApp +27 72 579 8205.

Create your own ceramic mini-bowl at First Sunday at Victoria Yards. Photo: Supplied.

Paint, sip, and evolve with Devolutionery and AA Gallerie at their Sip & Paint pop-up. For R250 per person, enjoy a guided art session that includes a ceramic mini-bowl, tote bag, and paper-making experience. Sessions at 09:00 and 16:00 – all supplies included, just bring your energy.

Art, food, fashion, music, and culture at Vic Yards

With its community ethos and bountiful gardens, a visit to Victoria Yards is a highly recommended family outing and a day filled with art, food, fashion, music, and culture.

On First Sunday at Victoria Yards, resident artists open their studio doors to the public, presenting an opportunity to meet the artists and get a look behind the scenes of their creative process. Amongst those you should look out for are prominent artists Daniel "Stompie" Selibe, James Delaney, and Dario Manjate.

You can also explore fashion studios, furniture design workshops, and incredible African craft and design shops keeping traditional artisanal pottery, wood carving, and beadwork skills alive.

There's also a market with an eclectic range of 40 stalls, plus plenty of food and beverages available, including the excellent Foakes Coffee Bar & Roastery, charcuterie at Curado (opened July 2024), Joburg's best fish and chips The Fish and Chip Shop, and Sobae's refreshing and seasonal sorbet.

Shop handmade crafts, vintage and thrifted clothing, accessible art for a cause, and more.

Apart from First Sunday, Victoria Yards offers tours of their gardens and artisan studios daily. The Discovery tour and walkabout runs for half an hour and starts at 10:30 daily and, to visit the different artisan studios, join hour-long Artisan tour at 11:00 daily. You can also organise a private tour of Victoria Yards with Angela at a specific date and time; contact her on +27 78 477 5810.

Prices start from R50 p.p. for a 60-minute tour, and this includes visits to the various studios at Victoria Yards, and a tour of the Jukskei River rehabilitation project. Groups of up to 16 people can be accommodated per guide. School groups are also accommodated.

Follow Victoria Yards on Facebook and Instagram.