Joburg City Festival

I came home from Kariega to find  the Joburg City Festival in full swing. The Joburg City Festival is an annual event that celebrates the downtown central business district of Johannesburg. This year it runs from August 25th to the 31st. The calendar is literally teaming with dance and musical performances, walking tours, art exhibitions, film screenings, sports and games, live demonstrations, dinners, and  parties. You name it! You can even get a back, neck and shoulder massage on the street all day on the weekends from the Pyramid Day Spa. 

The Rand Club

Some of the cooler things on the roster are a number of events happening at venues that are otherwise unavailable to the general public throughout the year. A dance party at Randlords, the private nightclub on the rooftop of the South Point Tower in Braamie, a fashion show at the historic and, until recently gentlemen only, private Rand Club in the corporate mining district, and a tapas and cocktail experience at the underground event space Turbine Hall in Newtown. We chose a Walking Tour, Dinner and Wine Pairing evening at the Apprentice Penthouse. The evening started off with a two-hour guided stroll through Joburg's corporate mining district. The walk was led by Gerald Garner of joburgplaces.

Gerald leading the tour

Gerald has written a wonderful guide book about Johannesburg called Joburg-Places Spaces & Places. I had been wanting to take one of Gerald's Joburg tours for the longest time so I was happy to have the opportunity to do it as part of the Festival line-up. He has a wealth of knowledge about Johannesburg and his talks are entertaining and informative. Can't wait to do another! 

After the two hour stroll on a beautiful Joburg evening, we were more than ready for dinner.

We took the elevator up to the penthouse at 84 Market Street. The view from the balcony was stunning! The setting for dinner was Urban Ocean’s Apprentice Penthouse. Now an event space, it is where the competitors in the South African version of The Apprentice lived while filming in Joburg. The infamous dining room table was the very same one where contestants were fired off the show. 

The informal but scrumptious dinner was prepared by Neville Josie of Silver Palate. It was informal and we were encouraged to mingle and move around the spacious apartment. Passed hors d'oeuvres in the lounge and library, a roasted tomato soup on the balcony and a savory chicken and vegetable curry main dish in the dining room. (I couldn't stay for dessert but it looked great too. Delicate macarons and some delicious-looking chocolate brownies. ) 

Dinner was paired with exquisite Zevenwacht wines. A representative of Zevenwacht gave a short presentation about the estate’s superb wines and we were able to order our favorite wine selections to add to our own cellar too. 

Dinner was accompanied by the live music of Joburg's own Uju. Fabulous! It was a great way to celebrate Joburg City. We'll be back on the weekend for another helping ...

Beautiful evening, beautiful view!

the balcony turret with jacuzzi.
















 the decadent jacuzzi inside.

enjoying the view with Ros. Thanks Louis!