Kōanga Festival
10-20 September
Te Pou Theatre
Kōanga Festival returns to Te Pou Theatre for its 12th year, showcasing Māori and Pacific performing arts. Named for spring’s new growth, it champions bold new voices through theatre, music, spoken word, comedy and visual arts, culminating in the beloved free Whānau Day.
Atomic!
15 August
Auckland Town Hall
Boh Runga and Julia Deans headline Atomic!, Aotearoa’s ultimate femme rock supergroup, returning this August. This all-star lineup of acclaimed, award-winning musicians celebrates the best of women in pop rock – Blondie, Eurythmics, Pretenders, Kate Bush, Florence and Madonna – for one unmissable night of powerhouse performances.
Auckland Mushroom Festival
12-15 August
K’ Road
The inaugural Auckland Mushroom Festival transforms Karangahape Road into a four-day celebration of fungi. Expect mushroom-focused dining, public art, panel talks with foragers and scientists, free whānau activities, a costume parade and a giant puffball closing party – celebrating Aotearoa’s 20,000-plus fungi species and hidden underground networks.
New Zealand Fashion Week
18-22 August
Shed 10, Queens Wharf
New Zealand Fashion Week, presented by Giltrap Group, returns to Auckland’s Shed 10. Expect runway shows, designer activations, panel talks and cultural moments celebrating established and emerging Kiwi talent – fashion lived from runway to street, connecting the industry with fashion lovers across the city.
Cirque Alice
28 Aug – 6 Sep
The Civic
Direct from the USA, Cirque Alice brings Alice in Wonderland to life for a limited Auckland season. From the creators of Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple, The Illusionists and Le Noir, world-class circus stars defy gravity in this high-energy, gravity-defying spectacle for all ages – bigger, wilder and more stunning than imagined.
TRIBE Vinyl Club
6 August – 2 October
40 Fort Street
TRIBE Auckland Fort Street launches TRIBE Vinyl Club, a new monthly listening series celebrating analogue sound. Held at Sienna in partnership with Real Groovy, expect vinyl-only sets, music-inspired cocktails and relaxed community vibes – an intentional listening experience for enthusiasts and casual fans alike this winter.
JOB by Silo Theatre
3-20 September
Q Theatre
There’s been an incident. She’s a tech girlie with a heavy tote bag; he’s the therapist deciding if she’s safe to return to work. A simple evaluation spirals into power, panic and doubt. Straight off Broadway, JOB sent TikTok and Reddit into a frenzy – funny, devastating, impossible to walk away from. The less you know, the better.
Tofiga Fepulea’i
15 August
Te Paepae Theatre
Topp Prize winner Tofiga Fepulea’i’s nationwide tour sees him reviving beloved characters Aunty Tala, Uncle Sam and Master Tavita. Joined by rising online star Laban Miller, the Laughing Samoans alum promises his biggest, funniest show yet from this Samoan-Kiwi comedy icon.
