The second edition of The Luxurious Marble Circus turned Ground the Venue in Muldersdrift into a playground of wonder this past weekend. It pulled in more than 12,000 guests for a show-stopping celebration of South African creativity, food, music and design.
A Festival Like No Other
Now in its second year, The Luxurious Marble Circus has evolved into one of the country’s most ambitious events. It is part music festival, part art showcase and part culinary experience. Stretching across 75,000 square metres, the 2025 edition was a masterclass in scale and style.
Guests moved between imaginative spaces that combined fashion, theatre and live art. Meanwhile, trapeze artists, mimes and sequinned performers created a sense of dreamlike spectacle at every turn.
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The Soundtrack of Spectacle
With over 238 performers across the weekend, including DJ Zinhle, Shekhinah, Mi Casa, DJ Kent, Mo Flava and the Soweto Gospel Choir, the festival pulsed with non-stop energy. The main stage, a 65-metre-wide and 22-metre-high marvel, was built in just over three days. This marvel became a canvas for projection mapping and pyrotechnics that lit up the night sky. The result was a visually stunning, technically flawless production. It set a new benchmark for live entertainment in South Africa.
A Feast for Every Sense
Food took centre stage thanks to chef David Higgs and The Marble Group, who brought fine dining flair to the festival format. Over 32,700 dishes were served. Each was paired with craft cocktails, curated wines and 88 unique beverages. Guests could dine in forest settings, under umbrellas, or on zebra-striped loungers. It was a true fusion of gastronomy, theatre and design.
Collaboration at Its Core
The event’s creative success came down to collaboration between The Marble Group, Grid Worldwide, G&G – The Goosebumps Company and Investec. More than 1,600 people worked behind the scenes to bring the weekend to life. Major brand partners including Heineken, Savanna, Fabiani and 947 each curated their own immersive experiences. These ranged from the Heineken Paddock to the Investec Wheel of Wonder.
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Leaving a Legacy
Beyond its visual splendour, The Luxurious Marble Circus continues to prioritise purpose. Through its LMC Legacy initiative, the event aims to raise R1.5 million for 11 local beneficiaries in food, fashion and creative education. Sustainability was also front of mind, with an ambitious goal to recycle 70% of festival waste and audit its CO₂ emissions. This proves that luxury and responsibility can coexist.
“By placing purpose at the heart of this experience, we’ve not only celebrated excellence, but redefined what it means to show up with meaning,” says Ryan Parkhurst, head of marketing at Investec Wealth & Investment International. “This year’s event wasn’t just memorable; it was transformative.”
Unathi Boniwe, head of marketing for Investec Private Bank, adds, “It’s proof that South African creativity can compete on the world stage. It’s luxury with imagination, and entertainment with real substance.”
The Takeaway
Extravagant, intentional and proudly local, The Luxurious Marble Circus has proven once again that South African creativity knows no limits. It’s not just a festival, it’s a statement that the extraordinary truly is homegrown.
