First Sunday at Victoria Yards

Name: First Sunday at Victoria Yards
Start: 2024-08-04
End: 2024-08-04
Location: Victoria Yards

Sunday Aug 4 10:00–16:00 … 16 Viljoen St, Lorentzville

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

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

There's a delightful, vast and creative outdoor area in the Victoria Yards complex. 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 4

For the upcoming edition of First Sunday, artist Io Makandal will host a walkabout for her striking new public sculpture Ophidian's Promise from 13:00. This eco-duct is Joburg's first. Built out of vintage clay bricks, it bridges the Jukskei River and is intended to foster greater intimacy between humans and nature. It's part of Makandal's greater vision to repair the contaminated Jukskei River through art, civic engagement, and awareness. The walkabout will start at the info kiosk in the main courtyard at Victoria Yards.

Io Makandal's clay brick sculpture Ophidian’s Promise at Victoria Yards is Joburg's first eco-duct. Photo: Alserkal Advisory.

Ahead of the annual Night of 1000 Drawings exhibition at Victoria Yards, on Sat, Sep 7, First Sunday is a chance to create a one-of-a-kind A5 artwork to be sold off, with proceeds going to three great Joburg-based charities. Several artists will be present on the day hosting free doodle sessions from 10:30 – 16:30 on Sun, Aug 4. They are: Arlindo Maunde, Dario Manjate, Pulp, urbanflock, James Delaney, Daniel “Stompie” Selebi, and Hogarth Art. All materials will be supplied.

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 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.