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Over 1,000 Marimba Players to Break World Record in Grand Arena Showdown

Guinness World RecordsTM Title Attempt Set to Unite Schools, Provinces and Countries in Celebration of Music, Ubuntu and National Pride

In a bold display of unity, rhythm and youthful joy, over 1,000 marimba players from across South Africa and Zimbabwe are coming together on Saturday, 2 August 2025, at the Grand Arena, GrandWest to attempt a Guinness World RecordsTM Title Attempt for the Largest Marimba Ensemble in the World.

The event, aptly themed “United in Harmony”, will not only attempt to dethrone Guatemala’s standing record of 505 players but double it –putting South Africa firmly on the global stage for a record-breaking celebration of culture, community and music.

The event is expected to bring together players aged 8 to 62, from over 70 schools and institutions, representing every province in South Africa and two schools from Zimbabwe. Marimba bands are even travelling thousands of kilometres to be part of this historical moment.

This is not the first time Marimba Jam has tried to make history. Back in 2018, they gathered 241 girls on Women’s Day to unofficially break Australia’s standing record – but without the official Guinness World Records stamp due to resource constraints. Now, with full international oversight and a Guinness World Records Adjudicator flying in from London, it’s all systems go.

The ensemble will perform a ten-minute medley of “Waka Waka” and “Jerusalema", both powerful anthems of South African pride and unity. The record-breaking moment will be followed by a Gold Medal Ceremony and a Celebration Concert featuring live entertainment from professional marimba bands, DJs, as well as, a headline act from super band Goodluck! The event will feature Carl Wastie as the MC.

The public is warmly invited to attend this once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

Venue: Grand Arena, GrandWest, Cape Town

Public doors open at 4:00pm | World Record Attempt at 5:30pm

Gold Medal Ceremony and Celebration Concert 6-8pm

More info on tickets:

Child tickets are strictly for children 10 years and younger. Please remember to bring proof of age / birth certificate. Pensioner tickets are strictly for adults over the age of 65 years. Please remember to bring proof of age / ID. Please note children under the age of 4 are required to have adequate hearing protection e.g. noise-cancelling headphones. Any person entering the venue is required to have a ticket including infants and baby-in-arms (0-1 years old). There is an option to select a ’lap seat’ during checkout for baby-in-arms. ‘Sight-restricted’ tickets in Block G and Block L will have a restricted view of the Main Stage; however, you will still be able to see all the players on the floor for the World Record Attempt. Wheelchair seats available upon request: please email director@marimbajam.co.za

In addition to the record attempt, the day will include live art installations, marimba demos, educational talks, djembe drumming workshops, photo booths, virtual reality experiences, and a medal ceremony where each participant receives an official Guinness World RecordsTM medallion.

Join the hype and follow the countdown with #BiggestJam2025.

For more information, please visit www.marimbajam.co.za