Old Mutual Encounters Concert Series: Located on the shore of Johannesburg's Emmarentia Dam, the Botanic Gardens are the venue for the monthly Old Mutual Encounters Concert Series, which brings a cool line-up to the city's afternoons.

MPH - Live Motoring Theatre: Stunt-driving and live-action sequences come to Johannesburg's Coca-Cola Dome at the MPH - Live Motoring Theatre. Test-drive cars, browse motoring exhibits and relive popular elements from a popular TV programme, Top Gear.

FNB Dance Umbrella: Going strong since 1989, the FNB Dance Umbrella Festival takes place in venues throughout Johannesburg to showcase new and exciting contemporary dance work from South African and international artists.

Human Rights Day: 21 March is Human Rights Day and a public holiday. On this day in 1996, the South African Human Rights Commission was established to promote respect for human rights, along with protection, development and attainment of human rights. The organisation also monitors and assesses the observance of human rights in South Africa.

Gardenex: Held at the Coca Cola Dome in Northgate, this is the largest and most popular floriculture exhibition in South Africa. A packed programme and hundreds of exhibits attract 20,000 visitors each year.

Freedom Day: This public holiday takes place on 27 April to commemorate the first democratic elections held in South Africa in 1994.

Joburg Art Fair: Held at Sandton Convention Centre, Joburg Art Fair is exclusively devoted to African art. The show features pieces from local and international galleries, including photography, furniture, moving images and installations.

Joburg Easter Festival: Innovative, lively and unbelievably big, the Joburg Easter Festival packs the Expo Centre with a wide-ranging programme of events and exhibitions. Arts and film festivals provide a cultural experience for all.

Workers Day: This international public holiday is celebrated on May 1 to honour all workers.

The Wine Show: Held at Midrand's Gallagher Convention Centre, between Johannesburg and Pretoria, The Wine Show lets visitors taste and buy wines from around 130 estates. As South Africa's vineyards get more famous, so does the importance of this show.

Youth Day: This public holiday is observed on 16 June and was previously known as Soweto Day. On this date in 1976, around 20 thousand students from Soweto began a protest march for equal rights and civil liberties.

The Women's Show: Held at the Coca Cola Dome, this event provides a space for women to celebrate all things feminine. There are 130 exhibits, 140 live events and six interactive feature areas.

Nelson Mandela's Birthday: The birthday of South Africa’s most famous citizen, 18 July, is regarded as important for the entire country and is celebrated with parties or quiet social gatherings.

The Sunday Times Food Show: Billed as a "culinary explosion of the hottest talent and coolest trends", this event brings celebrity chefs, kitchen gadgets, food demonstrations, awards and plenty of inspiration to the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

National Women’s Day: This public holiday on 9 August commemorates the time when women participated in a national march against pass laws. These laws were enforced to ensure African persons carried a document to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter a ‘white area’.

Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival: The biggest annual jazz festival in Johannesburg, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival presents local and international stars at venues all over town, including Bassline and The Laboratory. Workshops and performances support the development of young musicians.

New Dance Festival: This festival is a platform for contemporary dance, presenting a selection of works by local and international artists at the Wits Theatre and The Dance Factory. Choreographers from South Africa, Italy, Mozambique, Morocco and European countries regularly feature.

National Heritage Day: This relatively new public holiday on 24 September is a day of creative expression, tying into the nation’s history, language and traditional cuisine. The aim is to promote South African unity and heritage. The government determines a theme for each year’s celebrations.

Arts Alive: The city's month-long Arts Alive festival, based in the inner-city Newtown Cultural Precinct, marks the beginning of spring with music, dance, theatre and more. World-class cultural performances take place alongside educational exchanges between local and international artists.

Johannesburg Pride: First held in 1990, Johannesburg Pride is both the original and largest South African Gay and Lesbian Pride celebration. A week-long extravaganza of cultural and club events, theatre and art exhibitions (Pride Heritage Week) precedes the final Saturday's Pride March.

Newtown Diwali Festival: Held in the Newtown Precinct, this is Johannesburg's celebration of the Indian festival of lights. Dance, music, arts and crafts, fashion shows and a Bollywood-style street party are just some of the events to enjoy.

Whisky Live Festival: Held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, the Whisky Live Festival presents examples from around the world, attracting 15,000 devotees. Workshops led by international experts offer a variety of whiskies to sample which are not available in the Tasting Hall.

Woodstock Festival: This event, held at Riversands Farm just outside Johannesburg, fuses music and sporting culture. Top national bands perform on five stages; there are motocross and skateboard demonstrations, with special areas dedicated to swimming and relaxation. Camping is available on-site.

Day of Reconciliation: This public holiday on 16 December commemorates the 1838 battle between troops under the command of Dambuza (Nzobo) and the Voortrekkers. In apartheid South Africa, the day was known as Day of the Vow, as the Voortrekkers took a Vow before God that they would build a church and all their descendants would observe the day if they won the battle. The holiday was later changed to promote reconciliation and national unity.

Gerard Sekoto Youth Festival: Dedicated to the late artist, this event encourages young people to explore their creativity. Enjoy an artists' conference at Johannesburg Art Gallery, or join workshops in drama and film. Puppet shows and poetry amuse younger children.