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

October is coming to a close, and Johannesburg is seeing out the month with a weekend of Halloween celebrations, live music and cultural outings. From spooky seasonal experiences to dancefloors and creative activities, there are different ways to make the most of the final days of the month. If Halloween isn’t your thing, theatre productions and outdoor events offer other reasons to get out and explore. Here’s what to add to your plans this weekend in Johannesburg and beyond.

Weekend weather

Johannesburg, the last weekend of October is shaping up to be a warm one, with temperatures sitting between 15°C and 29°C. Friday and Saturday bring clear skies and sunshine, making it a good time to get out for a market stroll, catch some outdoor entertainment or enjoy lunch in the sun. Sunday looks a little less settled, with rain in the forecast, so make the most of the brighter weather before it turns. Your weekend plans are calling!

Friday

• Min: 15 °C
• Max: 28 °C
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Saturday

• Min: 15 °C
• Max: 29 °C
• Weather conditions: Sunny

Sunday

• Min: 17 °C 
• Max: 28 °C
• Weather conditions: Rainy

Johannesburg North

Fourways Mall Night Market

• Friday 30 October, 4pm

• Location: Fourways Mall Level 7 Roof Top Parking

• Cost: R20 via Webtickets

Fourways Mall is taking Halloween to the rooftop, giving Friday night a little more character than the usual dinner plans. The Night Market brings together food stalls, sweet treats and drinks from local vendors with live entertainment to keep the evening vibrant. Bring the kids along for the planned activities. If you’re feeling bold, pull out your best Halloween costume and enter the best-dressed competition for a chance to win prizes.

 

Halloween Pub Run

• Friday 30 October, 5:15pm

• Location: 25 Braeside Rd, Greenside

• Cost: R350 via Quicket

Who said Halloween has to mean clubbing all night? The Halloween Pub Run takes you on a roughly 5km route through Greenside, with four bar stops for drinks along the way. Pull out your most outrageous costume, lace up your running shoes and get ready for a night of spooky-season fun with a side of exercise. Starting and finishing at Pirates, the event puts a Halloween spin on a night out at some of Greenside’s local bars. It’s strictly for adults, so leave the little monsters at home and get ready to run, sip and socialise.

Johannesburg Pride

• Saturday 31 October, 10am
• Location: Katherine Street, Sandton
• Cost: Free Registration via Howler

Sandton is getting ready for a celebration of queer identity, music and self-expression as Johannesburg Pride returns to Katherine Street. This year’s theme, ‘Proudly African, Authentically You’, puts African LGBTQ+ identities in the spotlight, with the event combining the Pride March with live entertainment across three stages. DJs and live performers will keep the music going, while Fem Aldehyde and her team are part of the Rush Cider Garden takeover. The march gives the community and its allies a chance to take to the streets in a visible show of solidarity, celebrating how far the fight for LGBTQ+ rights has come while recognising that equality still needs defending. Entry is free, but you’ll need to register through Howler before heading out.

Secret Sunrise: Spooky Halloween

• Saturday 31 October, 8:30am

• Location: 25 Minerva Ave, Glenadrienne, Sandton

• Cost: R100 - R165 via Quicket

Halloween plans don't have to wait until dark. Secret Sunrise is bringing a spooky twist to the morning with a silent dance session at Sandton Gate, where wireless headphones deliver the beats while everyone dances along to their own monster mash. 

Come dressed in your quirkiest witchy outfits or skeleton-inspired looks, and get ready for a morning of music and movement. There are surprise treats up for grabs, too, so bring your best moves and a little Halloween spirit. 

The Brother Moves On

• Saturday 31 October, 6pm
• Location: Sankayi Jazz Room
• Cost: R400 via Quicket

The Brother Moves On have never been a band that sticks to one sound. The group blends jazz, rock, funk and experimental music, drawing on South African history, politics and everyday experiences to shape its work. Formed in 2009, the group has developed a distinctive approach to performance that brings music, theatre and visual art together. Catch them at Sankayi Jazz Room for a closer look at a group that continues to challenge what a live music show can be.

Johannesburg East

4 Youth Experience: Haunted House

• Saturday 31 October, 12pm

• Location: Sass The Venue, 12 Concorde Rd, Bedfordview

• Cost: R150 - R550 via Howler

Halloween gets a gaming makeover at the 4 Youth Experience, where younger fans can spend the day jumping between live performances, arcade games, virtual reality and racing simulators. This one is headlined by Justin99 and Prince Kaybee. There’s no reason to play it safe with the costume either. 

Think of it more as a Halloween-themed youth festival than a haunted house,with enough activities to keep things fun without the frights. Between the games, performances and themed activities, there’s more to the experience than simply showing up for a party.

Lee Cole Live

• Saturday 31 October, 6:30pm
• Location: 109 Langerman drive, Kensington
• Cost: R799 via Quicket

South African singer Lee Cole heads to Music Box JHB in Kensington for the Dark Room Sessions, bringing a catalogue that blends pop, rock and soul. He first caught attention with his cover of Sun-El Musician’s Akanamali before carving out his own lane with songs such as I Don’t Wanna Wait, Pink Dragons and Honey, Let Me In. If you know him from the radio, this is a chance to get better acquainted with the musician behind those familiar tracks and hear how his sound translates live. Put those lyrics to the test and see which songs you know by heart.

Johannesburg Central

Janice Honeyman’s Alice in Wonderland Panto 2026

• Saturday 31 October - Sunday 24 December, Various Times

• Location: Mandela Theatre at Joburg Theatre

• Cost: R170 - R390 via Webtickets

Janice Honeyman returns to Joburg Theatre with her 2026 pantomime, Alice in Wonderland, following a curious young girl who tumbles down a rabbit hole into a world where things rarely make sense. Ashley Scott stars as Alice, who encounters the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter while navigating Wonderland’s strange adventures. 

A missing-tarts mystery and the Queen of Hearts’ outrageous bake-off add to the chaos. Desmond Dube returns to the panto stage as a Dame and Brendan Van Rhyn takes on the role of the Queen. Younger theatre fans can enjoy Alice’s curious adventures, while adults get a few cheeky jokes of their own. The production runs until Christmas Eve, 24 December.

The Halloween Experience at Johannesburg Zoo

• Saturday 31 October, 5pm

• Location: Johannesburg Zoo

• Cost: R81 - R135 via Webtickets

The Johannesburg Zoo is opening its gates after hours for a Halloween evening filled with spooky attractions and family activities. Brave visitors can make their way through a zombie tunnel, a haunted harvest house and a circus zone, while younger guests can follow trick-or-treat trails, watch wildlife demonstrations and join storytelling sessions.

The kiddies’ area has face painting, jumping castles, arts and crafts and photo booth  while live music, dance and Halloween performances keep the evening lively.

Johannesburg West

DOUBLE BILL: What We Bring to the Table & Wrong Emotional Address

• Friday 30 October - Saturday 31 October, Various Times

• Location: Basement Theatre at Roodepoort Theatre

• Cost: R150 per show, R250 for both shows via Webtickets

Two plays, two relationship dilemmas and plenty to talk about afterwards. This double bill at Roodepoort Theatre looks at the expectations people bring into relationships and the awkward conversations that come with falling for someone.

In What We Bring to the Table, a dinner date prompts Nomfanelo to think about what she wants from love, while her best friend offers a different perspective. Wrong Emotional Address centres on Amahle and Naledi, whose night together leaves them confronting the fact that they may not want the same things. Together, the plays tackle dating, intimacy and the challenge of finding someone who is on the same page emotionally.

Schweppes Joburg Gin Festival

• Saturday 31 October, 12pm

• Location: Syringa Park at Avianto Estate, Muldersdrift

• Cost: R330 General Access, R550 Sip & Paint via Howler

The Schweppes Joburg Gin Festival is bringing a day of gin tasting, cocktails and live music to Syringa Park. With more than 20 local gin distillers on site, you can sample different flavours and discover a new favourite. Oskido, Tamara Dey and TK Tequila are on the line-up, while free mixology classes offer tips for making better cocktails at home. Fancy getting creative between drinks? The Sip & Paint ticket lets you add a little art to your afternoon, and every ticket includes a complimentary gin cocktail on arrival.

Johannesburg South

Halloween Sip & Paint at Eighteen13 South

• Saturday 31 October, 11am

• Location: The View in Kibler Park, 4333 Vereeniging Rd, Olifantsvlei 327-Iq

• Cost: R250 via Eighteen13.co.za

Forget trying to make your Halloween costume the best one in the room. At Eighteen13 South, the competition is on the canvas instead. The Halloween Sip & Paint invites guests to spend the afternoon creating their own spooky artwork while enjoying a glass of wine. You don’t need to know your way around a paintbrush either, so expect a few masterpieces, a few questionable ones and a good excuse to get creative. There’s no telling what will end up on the canvas once the wine starts flowing.

October Rush Premium Xperience

• Saturday 31 October, 2pm

• Location: Zola 3, Nxumalo Park Soweto

• Cost: R100 - R150 General, R250 VIP via Webtickets

October Rush Premium Xperience is bringing a day of live music to Nxumalo Park in Zola 3, Soweto, on Saturday. TmanXpress is among the artists on the line-up, with the festival putting music front and centre alongside fashion and food. There's a bonus for football fans, too, as the Soweto Derby will be livestreamed at the venue for those who missed out on match tickets. You can spend the afternoon catching the performances before tuning in to see the rivalry unfold on screen.

Halloween Movie Night at Gold Reef City

• Saturday 31 October, 8pm 

• Location: Theme Park - Townsquare, Gold Reef City

• Cost: R1 200 per couple via Tsogo Sun

Gold Reef City is putting a spooky spin on its theme-park experience this Halloween. The night combines selected rides with an outdoor screening of A Nightmare on Elm Street, giving you a bit of adrenaline before the horror begins. 

The picnic dinner for two gives the evening more of a date-night feel, while the outdoor setting adds to the atmosphere. Watching A Nightmare on Elm Street under the night sky feels like a fitting way to spend Halloween. With rides, dinner and a movie all in the mix, there’s enough happening to keep the evening moving. It’s a good choice if you want your Halloween plans to feel like a proper night out rather than just another cinema trip.

Beyond Jozi

Gungano Reggae festival 3rd Annual Celebration

• Friday 30 October - Sunday 1 November, 12pm

• Location: Makhulong Park, Tembisa

• Cost: R500 3 Day Pass via Webtickets

Gungano Reggae Festival is returning to Makhulong Park in Tembisa for its third annual celebration, bringing three days of reggae music and culture to the township. Friday opens with a music seminar for artists and creatives, while Saturday puts dancehall in the spotlight. Hip-hop also joins the programme this year, adding a new dimension to the festival. With music and activities running across three days, it's a chance to spend time immersed in the reggae scene.

Trick or Treat

• Friday 30 October, 6pm

• Location: Emerald Resort Animal World, 777 Frikkle Meyer Blvd, Vanderbijlpark

• Cost: R110 - R140 via Webtickets

Forget door to door trick or treating. Emerald Resort’s Animal World is giving Halloween a wildlife twist, with children invited to explore the animal park after hours and collect treats along the way. Little ones can show off their costumes while enjoying a Halloween adventure surrounded by animals, making it a fun alternative to the usual neighbourhood candy hunt. If your kids love animals as much as they love sweets, this is a chance to enjoy both in one outing.

 

Benoni Kota Feast

• Saturday 31 October, 11am
• Location: Willowmoore Cricket Stadium
• Cost: R80 Children, R100 Students, R120 Adults via Computicket

A kota can start a debate faster than a football match. Chips inside or on the side? Russian or polony? Atchar or no atchar? The Benoni Kota Feast is putting this beloved street-food staple in the spotlight at Willowmoore Cricket Stadium, giving kota fans a reason to head to the East Rand with an appetite. It’s an opportunity to see what local vendors are serving up, compare their takes on the classic quarter loaf and decide who deserves your money for that next lunch run. Forget the knife and fork rules for a moment. This is about finding a kota worth getting stuck into, one messy bite at a time.

Fancy winning a trip to Zanzibar, some cash or other cool prizes? Take The Great Big SA Lifestyle Survey and you could be a winner!

Follow Time Out Johannesburg on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram! While you're at it, sign up for our newsletter to receive even more of the best of your city.

TIME OUT JOHANNESBURG RECOMMENDS:

📍 The best things to do in Johannesburg
🏨 The best hotels in Johannesburg
🍽 The best restaurants in Johannesburg
🛏️ Where to stay in Johannesburg
📢 Latest news from Johannesburg