Auckland Council's Movies in the Park series is ideal for families and first dates. Photo / Cactus Photography 2023
No weekend plans? From the Manu World Champs and the Big Gay Out, here are eight things to do in Auckland (plus a few ideas for the future).
Droves of Aucklanders will be heading out to the BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival this weekend, however, as spectacular as it is, it’s not the only way for you to entertain yourselves this Saturday and Sunday.
Summer in the Square is serving up a jazz festival; there’s the always iconic Rainbow Parade; the Henderson Music Trail; an exhibition opening at Te Uru; the polo, darling and more. Here’s our curated list of the top eight things to do in Tāmaki Makaurau this weekend and a couple to plan for in the future.
It’s getting jazzy in the city this weekend where the two-day jazz festival, Somethin’ Else, is taking over Aotea Square. Part of Auckland Live’s ongoing Summer in the Square series, Somethin’ Else proves that the jazz music scene in Tāmaki Makaurau is thriving. There’s a wide range of styles on display across the weekend from smooth jazz to afrocentric jazz to jazz DJ sets. Some of the highlights of the lineup include Hudge, The Circling Sun, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Clan, Alice Rose, Nathan Graves, Joe Kaptein, Nathan Haines, Christoph el Truento, Miss Dom, Gene Rivers and Carlotta. There’s something quite dreamy about lounging in the sun listening to jazz music and you can experience that all weekend at Aotea Square.
When: February 15, 1pm - 11pm and February 16, 12pm - 8pm.
Where: Aotea Square, Queen St, Auckland Central.
Price: Free.
Get your most sparkly, colourful and outrageously flamboyant outfit on this Saturday for the Auckland Rainbow Parade in Ponsonby. The parade welcomes everyone to join in the celebration of love, unity, kindness and the freedom to be you. The pre-parade entertainment kicks off at 5.30pm and the parade proper at 7.30pm. The Rainbow Parade is always a highlight of the year and a great party. It’s a time for LGBTQIA+ communities to be loud, proud and joyful and, for everyone else to get on board the love train and embrace an inclusive and kind Aotearoa. Don’t forget your rainbow flag!
When: February 15, 5.30pm (entertainment start), 7.30pm (parade start).
Where: Parade starts from Tole St and ends at Western Park, Ponsonby, Auckland.
Price: Free.
For a bit of posh weekend entertainment, why not head to the New Zealand Polo Open on Sunday? Held in Clevedon, it’s a true display of equine excellence with these talented ponies sometimes getting up to more than 60km per hour. Of course, an important part of the polo experience is the hobnobbing and people watching. There’s a Fashion Quarterly Fashion at Polo competition - it may be in the country but this is not a field on which to wear your gummies and Swanndri, though you may want to pack your trainers if you plan to take the Ladies and Gentlemen’s 100m dash seriously. This year, when you head onto the field to stomp the divots, you’re invited to give something back by making a donation to the Ronald McDonald House. There are still a few tickets available including some of the VIP options, so gather your squad and get ready to enjoy New Zealand’s top polo players and some international stars too this Sunday.
When: February 16, 11am.
Where: Auckland Polo Club, 102 Clevedon-Kawakawa Rd, Clevedon.
Price: Tickets start at $60 adult; $25 children under 14 and free for under 5s from nzpoloopen.com
West Auckland’s bike paths are becoming more than just a convenient and safe way to cycle from A to B this Saturday, they’re hosting a festival: the Henderson Music Trail. It’s a free community event that spans two kilometres of Henderson’s bike paths. There will be live music from Hopetoun Brown, Huia, The Saxobros, Goodspace and Auckland Philharmonia Aspiring Musicians; roving performers; an antique bike display; an art workshop; bike-related activities and more. You can attend the event on bike, scooter or foot. The trail takes you through or by Corban Estate Arts Centre, Cranwell Park and Falls Park so you can pack a picnic or stop into a cafe enroute. The event aims to get locals out and about enjoying the cycleways, engaging in sustainable practices like biking or walking and discovering and appreciating the creative community that exists in Henderson. It’s a wholesome whānau-friendly event to participate in this weekend, especially if West Auckland is your home.
When: February 15, 11am - 4pm.
Where: Falls Park to Corban Estate Arts Centre, Henderson, Auckland.
Price: Free.
Revive your fluorescent zinc because this Sunday is the Big Gay Out and if it’s a scorcher you’re going to want to incorporate some sun smartness into your vibrant rainbow aesthetic. Held at Coyle Park in Pt Chevalier, the Big Gay Out (part of the Auckland Pride festival lineup) is the biggest rainbow event in the country. There’s live music, market stalls and a dance party also known as the Big Gay Dance Party and the Big Gay Marketplace. Janaye Henry is the MC on the mainstage with special guest Kita Mean and performances by Paige, Lagoon, Kira Puru and more. Aside from being a wildly fun day of music, dancing and gaiety, the Big Gay Out is dedicated to being an event that supports the LGBTQIA+ community in a myriad of ways including through the Hauora Hub, wellness area, and with free STI and HIV testing. Parking will be tricky so take one of the Big Gay Buses from Britomart or Karangahape Rd if you can.
When: February 16, 12pm - 7pm.
Where: Coyle Park, Pt Chevalier, Auckland.
Price: Free.
For your art fix this weekend head out to Titirangi where Te Uru gallery is opening their new exhibition, Photosynthesisers: Women and the lens. Featuring photos and videos by 40 women artists and collectives from Aotearoa and Australia, including queer and trans women, the show has work spanning four generations of artists - from the 1960s to today - with ancestral ties to Aboriginal, Māori and other diasporic communities. Similarly to the process of photosynthesis, the artworks in the exhibition use light to create something - an image - that over time transforms in meaning and cultural significance. These women have played a vital role in capturing our diverse histories and shaping the way we think about the past, present and future. It’s a fascinating exhibition, well worth a trip out west to see. The launch event is on Saturday afternoon, with the exhibition officially opening on Sunday.
When: February 16 - May 25 (launch February 15, 4pm).
Where: Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Rd, Titirangi, Auckland.
Price: Free.
If more than 500 lanterns, impeccable food and live entertainment isn’t enough to entice you along to the Auckland Lantern Festival this weekend, then perhaps the outdoor movie screenings will be. Cathay Pacific is hosting outdoor movie screenings complete with free popcorn throughout the festival. Showing a selection of Disney short films, the screenings are free, as is entry to the festival. However, if you want a VIP experience, you can pay $80 for a group of up to five guests to watch from the VIP area with beanbags, popcorn delivered directly to you, and a Cathay Pacific goody bag. The Lantern Festival is an enormous event so plan your travel wisely. Auckland Transport is offering festival attendees free use of public transport to and from Manukau with festival tickets.
When: February 13 - 16, 1pm - 10pm Saturday and Sunday.
Where: Manukau Sports Bowl, Te Irirangi Dr, Manukau City Centre, Auckland.
Price: Free but essential tickets from aucklandnz.com/lantern
The art of the manu is not to be underestimated. There’s more at play than just the size of the manu-er, there’s technique and creativity involved and to be crowned Aotearoa’s manu champion is quite possibly one of this country’s greatest honours - an honour completely unique to New Zealand. It’s getting down to the final few events before the highly anticipated Z Manu World Champs final on March 1. This weekend and next at Karanga Plaza in town, it’s the Auckland CBD super qualifiers. You can still register for next weekend if you’re game to pop a manu for the crowd or just head down to Wynyard Quarter and watch in awe. Over the two weekends, 40 manu experts will be selected to go through to the grand final. It’s a very entertaining event but if you get too close, you may well get wet.
When: February 15, 16, 22, 23, 1pm - 2.15pm.
Where: Karanga Plaza, Auckland Central.
Price: Free to watch, $10 child, $15 youth, $20 adult to enter at manuworldchamps.com
It’s not surprising or even interesting to say that Waiheke Island is an artistic hub and the location for many of Auckland’s most enviable homes but it is very exciting to learn that the Waiheke Art Gallery is hosting a Waiheke House Tour in early March. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of art, architecture or interior design should get tickets to attend the tour on either Thursday, March 6 or Friday, March 7. You could rent a car or take the car ferry and drive yourself around the island with the windows down and your spirits up or you can get a bus ticket and enjoy a wine or two with lunch. The featured homes have stunning architecture, some of the best views in the world as well as incredible personal art collections. All the proceeds from the tour goes to support the Waiheke Community Art Gallery and you can give them a little extra by adding lunch at Casita Miro on Thursday or The Heke on Friday to your booking, which is a win for everyone.
When: March 6 and 7.
Where: Various locations on Waiheke Island.
Price: Tickets $95 self-drive, $125 including bus ticket. Visit waihekeartgallery.org.nz for more information and to book.
Along with the ever-popular Music in Parks series, Auckland Council begins its annual Movies in Parks series on Friday. Invariably a good time for whānau, a great place for a date and an excellent excuse to indulge your inner child with a family movie, the first of the season is New Zealand film, The Mountain, screening at Henderson Park. Others on the programme include Wonka, Coco, Dolittle and Raya and the Last Dragon. The movies don’t start until sundown so it can be a bit of a late night for the youngest family members but there’s pre-movie entertainment and snack vendors to keep them fueled or just let them crash out under the stars and enjoy the movie in peace. The screenings are Friday and Saturday nights at a different park each time so check the schedule to find out what’s near you.
When: February 21 - March 15.
Where: Visit moviesinparks.co.nz for more information and the screening schedule.
Price: Free.
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