Review: Milk and Cookies Fest Returns Bigger and Better to Cap Off the Festive Season with a Bang

On Saturday, 10 January 2026, Milk and Cookies hosted its second annual Music Fest in Joburg, capping off a week of activations that brought the festive season to an incredible close.

Having learnt from their inaugural event in 2025 which brought international DJ and producing sensation, Kaytranada, to the city of gold, this year’s event featured more international and local artists, more stages, and tons more excitement.

Milk and Cookies concertgoers | What's on in Joburg

The road to the festival: Milk and Cookies Music Week

The Milk and Cookies Joburg events leg began on 7 January 2026, starting with The Dot Connector Panel, where the co-founders of the event, music executives from multiple disciplines, and prolific faces such as Khanyi Mbau, Kim Jayde, and more shared industry insights, meaningful conversations, career pathways, and collaborative opportunities.

Also featured was a Rap Live Masterclass series, and internship opportunities by the EMPIRE Africa label and MCMW (Milk and Cookies Music Week) Global. The day ended with an Out The Oven Merch Pop Up.

On 8 January 2026, the team hosted a vibrant community celebration, maintaining their commitment to their community giveback mission. The event brought music, games, creativity, and connection to the local Lion of Judah ministry, aiming to spread joy and uplift the youth, reinforcing Milk and Cookies’ belief in meeting communities where they are.

On 9 January 2026, Milk and Cookies hosted a 5km morning run with festival headliner and global rap sensation, Gunna, and his Wunna Run Club. Fans and fitness enthusiasts got the opportunity to run alongside their favourite artist, bringing the music closer to the community and reframing wellness as a collective cultural moment rooted in movement and connection.

Milk and Cookies EXTREME section | What's on in Joburg

Local and international acts leave Joburgers ready for more Milk and Cookies

The main concert event on Saturday had Joburgers expectations’ high, and it is safe to say that many of those expectations were met. The location change from Huddle Park to the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec was a welcome one, with this year’s event offering ample space for the addition of a Golden Circle area, a VIP, VVIP and Media section, along with two different stages and an EXTREME mini club section, as well as plenty of vendors.

Milk and Cookies Gunna and Majid Jordan | What's on in Joburg — Gunna (left) | Majid Jordan (right)

Performances and sound

The multiple stages catered to various tastes, allowing for guests to bounce between the different areas if they preferred one act over another.

The Extreme area featured no live acts but simulated a club experience with music running all night, giving concertgoers the chance to dance to groove-inducing hits as others took in the live acts.

The hottest local DJs lit up the Move Mzansi Stage powered by Extreme with Baby Whitz, Omagoqa and Lelowhatsgood as some of the highlights. On the Main Stage local acts did what they do best, with A-Reece leading crowds in a word-for-word singalong and DJ Speedsta playing beloved local hits with surprise appearances from 25K and Frank Casino.

British sensation Elmiene, whose South African debut marked one of the night’s most anticipated moments, seranaded with his smooth sounds, and later, Canadian duo Majid Jordan brought a huge crowd as they sang their hits, becoming overwhelmed by the love they received from fans. Finally, Gunna had fans roaring his tracks to bring things to a close.

The sound quality was pristine and the visuals for each performance added to the spectacle.

Milk and Cookies concertgoers and lounge | What's on in Joburg

Vendors and facilities

General Access ticketholders got treated to a full spread that featured everything from hearty favourites such as Spur, Chip n Dip, Pronto Pizza, Mugg n Bean, Braai Box, and more, to sweet treats such as Dancing Doughnut and Ola Ice Cream.

VIP and VVIP guests got something extra with additional vendors. Plus, they were given the added option to order hubbly for their sections. Lines were swift and the cashless system proved efficient for the most part, though network connectivity issues made it difficult for some patrons to pay for their meals and drinks.

There were plenty of portable toilets available too, making for shorter lines, and the staff constantly maintained the stalls, making sure that toilet paper was regularly restocked and that toilets remained relatively clean at all times.

But, although there was clear signage at the entrances, once you ventured deeper into the large venue, the signage seemed to stop, making it slightly more difficult to find your way around.

And while parking was plenty, exiting the event took up to two hours for some, which proved to add a bit of a damper to an otherwise stellar evening.