Welcome to Johannesburg, a vibrant city bursting with energy. Joburg offers an array of exciting activities and experiences for everyone, whether you're new to the city (check out our list of best Joburg tours and experiences) or a nature admirer (visit Joburg's most beautiful parks). If you love to shop for unusual items, see our round-up of Joburg's best markets.
Joburg's galleries are always active, with new shows opening weekly. You can read our exhibitions guide here. If you're a jazz lover, check out our list of places to listen to jazz in Joburg. For movie lovers, there are many cinemas in the city, plus stage productions including ballet, theatre or opera, if that's your style. And if you have kids or want to find family-friendly activities (check out our fun Gauteng attractions for families guide), there are plenty of options to choose from.
For a full guide to what’s on in Joburg, explore our events calendar and subscribe to our weekly newsletter published every Thursday morning. Follow us on Instagram, where we publish daily updates on events in our Instagram stories.
Note: While we update this information regularly, Johannesburg is an ever-changing city, so make sure to click on links, follow our booking advice, and if in doubt, call ahead, as venues do not always communicate changes.
Our top picks for the week ahead (Thu, Jun 4 – Wed, Jun 10, 2026)
Thu, Jun 4 – Thu, Jun 25 – Swap your playlist for a full orchestra as Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s Winter Symphony Season opens at Linder Auditorium, Parktown, with Beethoven, Dvořák and Brahms performed live.Thu, Jun 4 – Sun, Jun 14 – Experience 58 powerful documentaries from 33 countries at Encounters 2026, Africa’s leading documentary film festival, where stories of love, memory, resistance and joy come alive on screens across Johannesburg.
Fri, Jun 5 – Sun, Jun 28 – Mark 50 years since the Soweto Uprising with Rise '76: The Story of June 16th at Market Theatre, Newtown, a powerful new production that brings one of South Africa’s defining moments to life through deeply personal stories.
Fri, Jun 5 – Sun, Jun 7 – Experience a taste of Japan at Japanese Festival at Menlyn Maine Central Square, Pretoria, with martial arts demonstrations, cultural showcases, family-friendly activities and a special live screening of the Japan vs South Africa women’s football match on Saturday morning.
Sat, Jun 6 – Get hands-on with flowers at Artwave’s Make Your Own Flower Bouquet Session at 44 Stanley, Milpark, where you'll learn the basics of bouquet making and leave with a beautiful winter arrangement of your own.
Sat, Jun 6 – Tap into Joburg’s underground music scene at The Get Down by Raving in Johannesburg at Mary Jane’s Hacienda in Kensington with deep grooves and intimate dancefloor energy.
Sat, Jun 6 – Celebrate Pride with Queer Speed Dating at Artüro in Melville, where playful prompts, queer joy and unexpected connections set the scene for an afternoon of romance, friendship and everything in between.
Sat, Jun 6 – Let the candlelight guide you to an evening of rich, soulful jazz as The Luyanda Madope Trio returns to Die Pienk Kerk in Melville by popular demand, delivering masterful improvisation and deeply emotive contemporary jazz.
Sun, Jun 7 – Stock up on artisanal goodies like fresh bread, cheeses, charcuterie, pastries, preserves and coffee goodness at The Craighall Collective Deli Market at Cnr Café in Craighall Park.
Sun, Jun 7 – Gather around for Roundtable Lunches ft. Chef KwaBongz at Mamakashaka and Friends in Braamfontein, a shared-table Sunday experience of food, culture and conversation.
Sun, Jun 7 – Refresh your wardrobe at Dress for Less Sundays at the Rosebank Sunday Market.
Sun, Jun 7 – Enjoy thrift shopping, a food market, kids' crafts, workshops and mocktails at the latest edition of First Sunday at Victoria Yards in Lorentzville.
Until Sun, Jun 14 – A dazzling blend of couture and aerial performance as Behind the Crimson Door by Gert-Johan Coetzee and The Cirk takes you on an adventure of dreams and courage at Cresta Shopping Centre.
Ongoing – It's cinema on a whole new scale: next-level picture, sound and spectacle via IMAX with Laser at Ster-Kinekor at The Zone @ Rosebank.
Hot tickets
Thu, Jun 11 – Sun, Jul 19 – It’s kickoff time as the FIFA World Cup 2026 arrives with its biggest edition yet, featuring 48 teams across the USA, Canada and Mexico. Here's our guide to where to catch the matches in Joburg.
Sat, Jun 20 – Groove to jazz, pop, rock, soul, indie, funk and slam poetry at Fête de la Musique Joburg at Victoria Yards, the city’s free festival giving emerging artists the spotlight and everyone a reason to move.
Sun, Jun 21 – Step into a car-free Main Street, Marshalltown, for art, music, skateboarding, urban gardening, kids’ zones and plenty of city surprises at the second edition of Main Street Sundays with Jozi My Jozi.
Thu, Jun 25 – Sat, Jun 27 – It's all about art, music, fashion and film at the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival, celebrating South African youth, creativity and culture across three action-packed days at Constitution Hill.
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