Best of Both Worlds Festival at Heartfelt Arena Pretoria

Best of Both Worlds touches down at Heartfelt Arena, 1000 Voortrekker Road in Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria on Wednesday, 16 December 2026, running from 12:00 until midnight and into the early hours of 17 December. The festival brings four of South Africa’s biggest dance movements, Afro House, Amapiano, Gqom and Lekompo, onto two stages, with Black Coffee, Shimza, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, DJ Tira, Dlala Thukzin and Makhadzi all confirmed. Tickets are on sale now through Howler, with General Access Phase 4 at R700.

• Date and time: Wednesday, 16 December 2026, 12:00 to 00:00
• Venue: Heartfelt Arena, 1000 Voortrekker Rd, Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria
• Headliners: Black Coffee, Shimza, Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tira, Dlala Thukzin, Makhadzi
• Tickets: from R700 (GA Phase 4), VIP from R850 still open, tables from R1,750 per person
• Where to buy: the Howler ticket page

Two stages, four sounds

Arena 1 carries the Afro House x Amapiano bill. Black Coffee headlines, with curator Shimza, Sun-El Musician, Darque, Desiree, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Kelvin Momo, Zee Nxumalo, Njelic and Tman Express rounding out a deep and varied day-to-night programme.

Arena 2 flips the tempo with Gqom x Lekompo. DJ Tira, Dlala Thukzin, DJ Lag and Distruction Boyz hold the Durban end of the spectrum, while Limpopo heavyweights King Monada, Makhadzi, Shandesh, Dankie Boi, Mgilane, Naqua, Hitboss, Natiey Lepaka and Tribal King cover the Lekompo side. It’s a lineup built to run hot from the afternoon gates right through the closing set.

The series has built real momentum through 2026. The April edition drew strong feedback on production and energy, and this December date expands the format to two full arenas. Shimza’s announcement post on 23 September, promptly shared by DJ Tira, lit up replies with fans planning the trip to 012.

Tickets, pricing and what’s sold out

Early phases moved fast. GA Phases 1 to 3 (R400, R500, R600) and VIP Phases 1 to 3 are booked out. What remains as of late September: GA Phase 4 at R700, VIP Phase 4 at R850, VIP Phase 5 at R1,500, plus table packages in both arenas.

• Buy via the official Best of Both Worlds Howler page, cashless event
• General Access Phase 4: R700 (Phases 1 to 3 sold out)
• Jack Daniel’s bundle: R1,000, two GA tickets plus a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7
• VIP: Phase 4 R850, Phase 5 R1,500, includes VIP bar, entrance and trailer toilets
• Tables: 4-seater from R1,750 pp, 6-seater R1,750 pp, Lounge Pocket R2,000 pp, includes tickets, bottle and mixers
• Strictly 18+, R.O.A.R refund policy applies

Practical notes: it’s a cashless event, so top up your Howler cashless before gates. Organisers recommend e-hailing over driving, so book an Uber or Bolt both ways. No weapons, cooler boxes, camp chairs or illegal substances. If you’re coming from Joburg, factor in at least an hour on the N1 north for the midday opening.

One minor debate doing the rounds among regulars is genre balance, with a few fans wanting more deep house alongside Black Coffee’s set, but the overall reaction to the two-stage bill has been overwhelmingly positive. If you’re a house head, a piano loyalist or here for the Lekompo, the move is the same: lock your ticket before Phase 4 follows the earlier phases out the door.