The Playground Braamfontein Johannesburg is Johannesburg’s most creatively reimagined inner-city gathering space — the worthy successor to the legendary Neighbourgoods Market that defined Braamfontein’s identity from 2011 until it closed during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020. Located at 73 Juta Street — the same landmark building with its iconic Edoardo Villa sculpture façade — and created by Adam Levy, co-founder of Neighbourgoods and the force behind Play Braamfontein, The Playground reopened in early 2023 and underwent a significant reimagining in January 2024, evolving from a market format into something broader: a weekly entertainment, culture, and activity destination that gives Johannesburg something it had lost and then rediscovered. Open every Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00 with a R20 entry fee (free entry from 11:00 to 12:00; children under 12 free), The Playground combines an artisan food market, live music, Johannesburg’s first rooftop basketball court, Paint and Sip creative sessions, a beach club, wraparound balconies with iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge views, and a carefully curated programme that changes monthly. 100% Facebook recommendation across 17 reviews. 6,900 Facebook likes. A cashless environment powered by Yoco.

The Legacy: From Neighbourgoods to The Playground

To understand The Playground, you need to understand what came before it. The Neighbourgoods Market at 73 Juta Street was, from 2011 until March 2020, one of Johannesburg’s most vital cultural institutions — a Saturday ritual that had drawn nearly two million visitors through its alleyway entrance over nine years, changed the way Joburgers experienced Braamfontein, and created a template for inner-city community gathering that shaped an entire generation of city dwellers. When South Africa’s first lockdown closed it in March 2020, the city lost something genuinely irreplaceable.

The Playground is Adam Levy’s answer to that loss. Using the same building, the same Braamfontein spirit, and the same community-first philosophy that made Neighbourgoods so beloved, Levy has created a space that is both a continuation of that legacy and a genuine evolution. The 2024 reimagining was the defining moment — the shift from “market plus music” to a fully realised adult play space with a rooftop basketball court, a beach club, a diverse food offering, and a monthly rotation of activities that keeps the programme fresh.

The Saturday Programme: Play, Eat, Create, Watch, and Listen

Every Saturday at The Playground is structured around a set of recurring experiences alongside a rotating programme of activities:

The Artisan Food Market — 30+ food stalls (in the original 2023 format) serving gourmet street food made fresh from local produce. The 2024 reimagining pared this down to a curated selection of five food vendors serving a refined menu. Fresh coconuts and cold drinks are available throughout, with alcohol and cocktails purchasable from the bar upstairs.

Live Music — a Saturday afternoon music lineup featuring a variety of talented musicians is integral to every Playground weekend. Live performances and DJ sets create the soundtrack to the day, building from a daytime market energy to a later-afternoon social scene.

Paint and Sip — The Playground’s creative workshop offering provides a 2-hour guided painting session with three different creative format options, available weekly. Paint and Sip has become one of the venue’s most booked recurring activities.

Johannesburg’s First Rooftop Basketball Court — a signature addition to the 73 Juta Street building that positions The Playground as more than a market. The rooftop court is part of the broader Play Braam precinct vision for Braamfontein, and is one of the features that makes the venue genuinely unique in the Johannesburg inner-city landscape.

Board Games and Table Games — including table tennis and a rotating selection of board and social games, available for spontaneous play throughout the day.

360-Camera Experience — photo experiences that leverage the venue’s distinctive architecture and city views.

The Wraparound Balconies and Outdoor Deck — The Playground’s physical structure provides panoramic views of the Johannesburg city skyline and, in particular, the iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge directly below. The multi-storey open-air location, large wraparound balconies, and outdoor deck overlooking the city are consistently cited as among the venue’s most memorable qualities.

The Play Braam Precinct

The Playground is the heart of the broader Play Braam precinct — four blocks around Juta Street that Adam Levy’s company Play Braamfontein has curated into a cohesive urban entertainment district. The precinct includes:

• Hugh’s — on the 13th floor of 73 Juta Street, a restaurant with “killer views”
• Loco — tacos and tequila cocktails in a “fun, quirky, colourful” space
• Coalition Pizza — the Braamfontein outpost of the well-known pizza brand
• Drama Club — a recently revamped venue with a refined designer aesthetic
• S.W.A.N.K’s flagship store — local streetwear brand’s home in the precinct
• A future-focused KFC concept store — designed as much for music and fashion as for food

The precinct also sits within walking distance of the Wits Art Museum, Nelson Mandela Bridge, and the broader Wits University campus area — giving The Playground a natural audience of students, academics, young professionals, and inner-city culture enthusiasts.

Private Events and Performance Venue

Beyond the regular Saturday programme, The Playground at 73 Juta Street operates as a performance venue for private events, brand activations, concerts, launches, and cultural productions. The multi-storey open-air structure, custom-designed performance space, outdoor decks, and city backdrop make it one of the most dramatically positioned private event venues in the Johannesburg inner city.

Practical Information

• Open: Every Saturday, 11:00–19:00
• Entry: Free 11:00–12:00 | R20 (card only) from 12:00 | Under-12s free
• Enter via: De Beer Street
• Cashless environment: Card payments via Yoco only — no cash accepted
• Parking: Limited in the area; ride-share services recommended
• Security: On-site security during all events and activations
• Backup power: Generator on site for load-shedding continuity

Location and Getting There

The Playground is at 73 Juta Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2001 — in the heart of Braamfontein, a short drive from Park Station (Gautrain). Enter via De Beer Street.

Tel: 060 890 4501
Email: info@theplayground.co.za

For the weekly programme, event bookings, and private hire enquiries, visit The Playground’s official website.

Explore more event venues and cultural spaces in Johannesburg through our Johannesburg event venues directory, or browse all Gauteng event venue listings for venues across the province.