This past weekend, The Luxurious Marble Circus transformed Ground the Venue in Muldersdrift into a world of wonderfilled whimsy, bringing together 12,000 glorious guests from across Gauteng for an unforgettable celebration of food, fashion, production, music and creativity.
Now in its second year, The Luxurious Marble Circus has cemented itself as South Africa’s most ambitious and artfully produced festival; a high-luxury, high-fun experience that exists in a class of its own. The 2025 edition unfolded across 75,000 square metres of manicured festival grounds where extravagonairs and revellianswere treated to sensory surprises at every turn.
“What an incredible honour to be part of the Luxurious Marble Circus once again this year – a truly spectacular showcase of creativity, collaboration and intention,” says Ryan Parkhurst, Investec Wealth & Investment International, head of marketing.
Over 238 musicians and performers filled the weekend with 23 hours of enchantifying entertainment. Artists included DJ Zinhle, Oskido, Laura Zimmerman, Amy Wiles, Micasa, Mörda, Kid Fonque, Shekinah, DJ Kent, Mo Flava, the Soweto Gospel Choir, to name but a few, while trapeze artists, mimes, characters donned in sequinned suits and carousel-skirts, roamed the venue and took to the stage for gasp-worthy Goosebump Moments.
The towering 65-metre-wide and 22-metre-high main stage, built over 74 hours following more than 584 hours of design, was a fantazmagorical feat of engineering, design, and imagination. With projection mapping and pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky, guests were swept into a dreamscape of colour and sound, a sensory crescendo that set a new benchmark for live production in South Africa: technically accomplished, artistically audacious, and utterly unforgettable.
Gastronomy was in the spotlight as David Higgs and The Marble Group redefined outdoor and festival dining. Over 32,700 dishes were served, paired with 88 unique beverages and 37 cocktails of delicious concoctionism. Guests dined al-fresco, in forests, under umbrellas or on zebra-striped loungers, sipping bubbly from more than 1,600 champagne flutes, using 38,000 pieces of crockery and cutlery, and moving between spaces that fused food with theatre, live art, design and storytelling.
Making this event the zestiful festival that it is, The Luxurious Marble Circus brought together 12 exceptional brand partners and 18 spectacular interactive spaces, each designed to immerse guests into a world beyond words. Whether living an F1 dream-come-true in the Heineken Paddock, laughing it up in Savanna’s Dry District, fusing food, fashion and hot-air-ballooning with Fabiani, trampolining to tunes with 947, or taking in the vibesque views on Investec’s Wheel of Wonder, there truly was something for everyone.
Behind the scenes, 1,680 individuals helped bring this world to life over 13 days of setup. Curated by a grand collaboration between The Marble Group, Grid Worldwide, G&G – The Goosebumps Company, and Investec, 25 full-time staff and countless hours of work were dedicated for an entire year to make this fantazma possible.
Beyond the entertainment, The Luxurious Marble Circus continues to honour its ethos of ‘leaving a legacy beyond luxury’. Through the LMC Legacy initiative, the festival aims to contribute R1.5 million towards uplifting 11 local beneficiaries, driving impact across food, fashion, and creative education. The programme also set a new benchmark for sustainability and waste management at local festivals, not only auditing CO2 emissions and basing decision-making on environmental impact, but seeking to recycle 70% of waste, proving that world-class experiences can inspire meaningful change.
“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 – to give back, to lead boldly, and to inspire others to do the same,” adds Parkhurst. “This year’s event wasn’t just memorable; it was transformative – proof that when brands come together with heart and intention, extraordinary things happen.”
“The Luxurious Marble Circus is so much more than a festival,” agrees Unathi Boniwe, Investec Private Bank head of marketing “It’s proof that South African creativity can compete on the world stage. It’s luxury, but with imagination; scale, but with intimacy; and entertainment with real substance.”
Delivering an extravaglamour that is luxurious, fun and intentional, The Luxurious Marble Circus once again proved that the extraordinarious is possible, and if we’re honest, that no other event in South Africa is anything like it.