Main Street in Marshalltown will close to traffic from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, April 12, for Jozi’s inaugural car-free day. Organized by Jozi My Jozi and partners, the event—stretching from the magistrates’ court to Gandhi Square—offers families arts, music, skating, yoga, readings, and more in a pedestrian zone.
The car-free event, dubbed Main Street Sundays, is hosted by Jozi My Jozi, Young Urbanists South Africa, the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership, the City of Joburg, and Open Streets Cape Town. It draws inspiration from global initiatives in cities like Bogotá and Cape Town, prioritizing pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters while fostering human connections in a non-commercial setting.
"Come and enjoy a Sunday where Jozi feels like it belongs to the people," said Mbali Zulu of Jozi My Jozi. "Come and hear the city’s heartbeat without the roar of taxis and buses."
The free event runs from 10am to 5pm. Register online and arrive by foot, bike, rideshare, or park at Anglo’s 42 Parkade in Anderson Street.
Activity zones include: a zen area with yoga and wellness amid trees and fountains; kids’ zones with playgrounds, interactive museum games from Play Africa, street games, face painting, upcycled crafts, graffiti by Baz-Art; active mobility spots for cycling, skateboarding, and roller-skating; arts areas with live sketches by Sankofa Art Productions and Urban Sketchers Johannesburg; silent reading spots and open-air literary tours by Bridge Books; music performances featuring hip-hop artist Osmic Menoe; and stalls from 30 makers.
Radio hosts from Talk Radio 702 and VOW88.1 FM will broadcast live. Food options include a court at Gandhi Square, stalls, and spots like Sadie’s Bistro and the Reef Hotel’s Elevate Rooftop Bar. Art venues Asisebenze Art Atelier and Standard Bank Art Gallery will open, displaying the “Homecoming: The Return of the Johannesburg Art Gallery Collection” with 145 masterpieces.
