Things to do in Auckland these school holidays: Art, theatre and more

The musical & Juliet promises a pop-tastic night out. Photo / LK Creative

We’ve arrived at the April school holidays midway point, and thankfully, there is still plenty out there to keep whānau members of all ages occupied. If the weather is behaving and you’re near Auckland’s CBD, hit the Aotearoa Art Fair Sculpture Trail to blow off the cobwebs and discover some of our most exciting creative talents, before descending into the deep blue sea at the Maritime Museum, where an immersive exhibition celebrates the lifeforce of the outer Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The finishing touch? A late lunch at Queens Rooftop, with no need to do the dishes.

1) Juliet gets to do it again

A smash-hit musical that took the West End and Broadway by storm, & Juliet has officially arrived in Aotearoa – and promises a pop-tastic night out like no other. Created by the Emmy-winning writer from Schitt’s Creek and jam-packed with earworm-ready tunes, the show flips the script on the world’s greatest love story and asks: what if Juliet’s famous ending was really just her beginning? This version sees the doomed heroine given a second chance at life and love – her way. Featuring hits like I Want it That Way, Larger Than Life, Roar and Oops... I Did It Again, chances are you’ll be singing along well before the curtain drops. Catch it at Auckland’s Civic theatre before it pops up in Wellington from May 9 and Christchurch from May 30, with all tickets available now.

2) Art for all

The Aotearoa Art Fair Sculpture Trail is back for 2026, and it’s bigger and better than ever. Photo / Jeremy Ho featuring Gregor Kregar’s T-Rex Lullaby, 2024

The Aotearoa Art Fair Sculpture Trail is back for 2026, and it’s bigger and better than ever. The trail sees Auckland’s waterfront transformed into an open-air gallery as large-scale sculptures appear throughout the Viaduct Harbour precinct, with works by leading artists to ponder and delight. Now in its second year, the Sculpture Trail is still free and open to all, and those who walked it last year will notice the line-up has expanded significantly in scale – growing from nine sculptures in 2025 to 24 works by 18 artists in 2026. The trail invites visitors to encounter contemporary sculpture within the everyday urban landscape of the city centre, set against the backdrop of the Waitematā Harbour, and runs until May 4.

3) Get growing

Auckland’s Kelmarna Community Farm is aiming to help householders get growing this autumn and well into winter.

Auckland’s Kelmarna Community Farm.

Many of us think growing successful food crops at home is just for the spring and summer months, but Auckland’s Kelmarna Community Farm is aiming to dispel that myth and help householders get growing this autumn and well into winter. With Tāmaki Makaurau’s sub-tropical climate and quality soil, the team at the inner central’s favourite urban farm say now is a great time to grow, whatever your garden size, so have an Autumn Seedling Sale happening this morning with everything you need to get started. On until 12.30pm, they have everything on offer from seedlings and bulbs to compost and tools, as well as an easy-to-follow growing guide, downloadable from their website. The free garden party also includes Kokako coffee, delicious baked goods from The Lophie Project and live music courtesy of Songwriters 4 Climate Action.

4) A search for identity

Finding Cynthia is a play written and directed by Renee Lyons. Photo / Michael Stephen

On tonight at Waiheke Island’s Artworks Theatre, before heading to Wellington next weekend, Finding Cynthia is a play written and directed by Renee Lyons and performed by Sue Watson, based on the latter’s own search for the truth that no one wanted her to find.

Adopted as an infant, Watson is adventurous and whip smart, leading a dynamic life until her past resurfaces and throws it up in the air. Adapted from her own recently published memoir, Finding Cynthia Winters, it follows the turbulent, transformative search for her whakapapa as she navigates complex relationships, looking for peace inside a truth that everyone seems hell bent on keeping from her. Tickets are available now from artworkstheatre.org.nz.

5) Great knight out

Georgia Knight is back in Aotearoa with another spellbinding set. Photo / Laura May Grogan

Georgia Knight. Photo / Laura May Grogan

Playing tonight in Tāmaki Makaurau’s much-loved Whammy Bar, singer-songwriter Georgia Knight is back in Aotearoa with another spellbinding set – and this time with her full live band. Naarm-born and sometimes Aotearoa-based, Knight crafts otherworldly pop from autoharp, dusty loops, synth textures, and avant-garde edges, and has been wowing audiences at festivals across the globe with immersive live shows in support of her new album, Beanpole. Promising a performance that is intimate, cinematic, and impossible to look away from, it’s the perfect chance to experience Knight’s extraordinary vocal range and graveside poems up close and personal. Tickets are available now.

6) Yes, Queens

Auckland CBD's favourite Queens Rooftop.

Queens Rooftop.

Midway through the holidays and getting sick of on-the-go snack packs as you hit the city centre sights? Auckland CBD favourite Queens Rooftop has you covered, with a dedicated kids’ menu offering for the first time running alongside their stellar adult fare. Available weekdays from 11am to 4pm throughout the holidays, options include classic fish and chips with a fruit skewer, a chicken sandwich with fries, or a comforting creamy pasta – each kiddie-sized and priced at $18. They’ll love the view, in prime position for spotting sea birds, ferries and all the action at the port, while you’ll enjoy having a cocktail in hand and no need to clean up after.

7) Into the blue

New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa is inviting you to take a deep dive into an under-the-sea world teeming with life.

Free with museum entry, Ngā Huhua | Abundance is on now in the Edmiston Gallery at New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa, inviting you to take a deep dive into an under-the-sea world teeming with life. An immersive exhibition that celebrates the lifeforce of Te Moana-nui-a-Toi, the outer Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, it welcomes all to follow the Ōku Hoa Moana trail and discover the vibrant citizens beneath the waves along the way. You’ll meet the spectacular creatures that call this place home, from tohorā (whales) to honu (turtles), and explore how this ecosystem is facing new threats and needs our protection.

8) Romance lovers rejoice

Auckland readers are being invited to slow down and indulge in more beautiful stories as boutique romance bookstore Enamoured Books celebrates its first birthday today. For one day only, the Remuera store will transform into the kind of elevated bookshop moment many only dream about, with a styled in-store coffee cart experience, curated goodie bags for the first 50 guests, limited-edition tote bags and the chance for visitors to win back their entire book haul purchased on the day. Founder Ruby Wallace created Enamoured as a space where romance lovers can feel seen, inspired and free to explore the genre without judgment, and one year on, the store has plenty to celebrate.

Coming up

• Voices From Gallipoli April 16-21, Q Theatre Loft, Auckland.
• Jimmy Barnes, Working Class Man: April 19, Spark Arena, Auckland.
• The Graduate Choir NZ Recital for Pope Francis April 21, St Michael’s Catholic Church, Remuera.
• The 2026 NZ International Comedy Festival, May 1-24, nationwide.
• The KidsCan GlowRun, May 2, Eden Park, Auckland.
• Forever Tomorrow: China Art Now, May 2–August 23, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
• Split Enz, Forever Enz Tour: May 6, Wellington and May 9, Auckland.
• Auckland Travel Show, May 9-10, New Zealand International Convention Centre, Auckland.
• Stephen K Amos - Now We’re Talking, May 9-10, Q Theatre, Auckland.
• Lōemis Festival, June 9-21, across Wellington.
• The Veils Fragile World Tour, June 25- July 11, nationwide.
• Englebert Humperdinck: The Celebration Tour, June 28, Christchurch Town Hall.
• Matariki: Waiata Anthems in Concert, July 9, Auckland Town Hall.

Email canvasplanner@nzherald.co.nz with brief details of your upcoming event, including dates/times, location and website.