R&B lovers, clear your December: Once Upon A Time in Joburg announces headliners
Once Upon A Time in Joburg returns on 5 December 2026 at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens, with Lucky Daye, Smino and Baby Rose on the bill. Phase 1 tickets start at R750 on Howler.
Once Upon A Time in Joburg is set to return to its roots in Johannesburg later this year, with the R&B and neo-soul daytime festival series announcing its headliners for its December 5, 2026, event at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens in Emmarentia. The series' return to the city's central location was met with fan enthusiasm following last year's event at the Rosefield Equestrian Club in Centurion.
The first artists confirmed for the bill include Lucky Daye, Smino, and Baby Rose, with more local acts to be revealed. Tickets for Phase 1, which start at R750 for General Admission, are now available on Howler. The festival's lineup and venue changes have sparked mixed reactions online, with some fans praising the return to Joburg proper and others questioning the lineup's value compared to earlier editions.
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