The Jazzy Joburg Market is returning in 2026 alongside the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, bringing local fashion, art, jewellery, crafts, home décor and other locally made products into the spotlight.
The market will take place at the Sandton International Convention Centre during the 27th edition of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz on 25 and 26 September.
Now in its second year, the Jazzy Joburg Market is positioning itself as more than a shopping experience. Organisers say it is designed to create market access for small businesses while giving festivalgoers an opportunity to experience another side of Johannesburg’s cultural identity.
The initiative follows the 2025 edition, when 25 local SMMEs were given an opportunity to showcase their businesses to audiences attending the jazz festival.
Where creativity meets commerce
Mantwa Chinoamadi, CEO of T Musicman and Festival Producer of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, says the market is intended to connect entrepreneurs with audiences who are interested in local culture and creativity.
“The Jazzy Joburg Market is about creating a space where creativity and commerce meet,” Mantwa says.
“The market gives local entrepreneurs an opportunity to connect directly with audiences who appreciate culture, creativity and authentic experiences. As we return in 2026, we want to continue building on that platform and creating opportunities for the businesses and creatives that make Johannesburg such a dynamic city.”
Visitors can expect a curated collection of locally produced products, with the market bringing together established and emerging entrepreneurs.
The event is presented in collaboration with the Johannesburg Tourism Company, placing the market within the broader push to promote Johannesburg as a destination where entertainment, tourism, business and culture intersect.
A platform for Joburg’s entrepreneurs
For many small businesses, access to large audiences remains one of the biggest challenges. The Jazzy Joburg Market is attempting to bridge that gap by putting entrepreneurs directly in front of festival audiences.
Belu Mabandla, Executive Head: Destination Marketing & Events at the Johannesburg Tourism Company, says the market reflects the character of the city itself.
“Johannesburg is a city driven by creativity, diversity and entrepreneurial spirit,” Belu says.
“The Jazzy Joburg Market gives us an opportunity to showcase that Joburg’s creativity to local and international visitors while supporting the entrepreneurs who contribute to our city’s economy and cultural landscape.”
The 2025 market provided 25 SMMEs with space at the Sandton Convention Centre, allowing visitors to interact directly with business owners and purchase locally produced goods.
Organisers say the 2026 edition will continue that focus while expanding the market’s role within the overall Joy of Jazz experience.
A festival carrying a bigger historical conversation
The return of the market comes during a significant year for the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz.
The 2026 festival is reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising and 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March – two moments that remain deeply connected to South Africa’s history of resistance, identity and social change.
Those milestones have given this year’s festival a broader focus on heritage, memory and the evolution of South African culture.
Against that backdrop, the Jazzy Joburg Market offers a contemporary expression of that cultural story – through the entrepreneurs, designers, artists and makers building businesses and creating products in present-day Johannesburg.
The business behind the music
The market is also part of the wider economic ecosystem surrounding the Joy of Jazz.
According to the organisers, the festival has historically generated more than R34.5 million in direct spending, contributed approximately R86 million to the Gauteng economy and supported more than 1,200 temporary and permanent jobs across its value chain.
The Jazzy Joburg Market itself supports more than 25 SMMEs annually, extending the festival’s impact beyond performers and audiences to small businesses and the wider creative economy.
With thousands of people expected to attend the Joy of Jazz, the market gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to benefit from the foot traffic generated by one of the country’s established jazz festivals.
More than a shopping stop
While the Joy of Jazz remains centred on its music programme, organisers are hoping the market will encourage audiences to spend more time engaging with Johannesburg’s creative scene.
Festivalgoers will be able to browse local brands, meet entrepreneurs and discover products spanning fashion, jewellery, art, décor and crafts while attending the festival.
It also gives visitors from outside Johannesburg a chance to encounter the city through its independent businesses and creative practitioners.
As the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz returns to Sandton on 25 and 26 September, the Jazzy Joburg Market is putting the city’s entrepreneurs and creatives alongside the music – offering a reminder that Johannesburg’s cultural rhythm extends well beyond the concert stage.
