Things to do in Auckland this weekend: Pasifika, boat fest, Kumeū Show

Pasifika offers vibrant performances, traditional food and cultural performances. Photo / Lachlan Kirkwood

There’s nary a public space in Tāmaki Makaurau that isn’t occupied by an event this weekend. From the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival to the Kumeū Show, from Pasifika to The Roots Tattoo Convention, whatever your interests there’s likely to be somewhere to indulge them. Here’s our selection of the best things to do in Auckland this weekend and while we’ve left the Auckland Arts Festival off this week’s list to make room for things we haven’t previously mentioned, you should obviously be all over that as well.

1) Country comes to the city

Farm Week is a whānau-friendly nine-day programme of events.

If you enjoy an agricultural-based pun, Cornwall Park is the place to be for the next week or so as it kicks off Farm Week, a whānau-friendly nine-day programme of events, including today’s Moo-sic in the Park – featuring the cows’ favourite music, reggae, and next weekend’s Do Ewe Know – a farm quiz. Other, more prosaically-named events include Farm to Fibre and Meet the Machinery. There are activities for the kids at Huia Lodge and guided farm tours, including one especially for the little ones next Saturday. With a working farm inside its boundaries since 1844, Cornwall Park has a good claim to be the longest-running urban farm anywhere in the world and that’s something worth celebrating for at least a week.

When: Today until March 22.

Where: Cornwall Park, Auckland. See cornwallpark.co.nz/farmweek for the full schedule and bookings (some events are ticketed).

2) Two wheels and a whole lot of fun

World-class riders will be performing incredible feats today at Bike Curious.

If you ever dreamed of one day becoming the first person to land a quadruple backflip on a BMX, bad news: Jed Mildon beat you to it. In better news, he and other world-class riders will be performing incredible feats today at Bike Curious, a free community event celebrating bikes, beats and climate-action. With the acrobatic stunts and performances, the event will feature live music and DJs, a community potluck banquet, pump-track riding, a bike-powered smoothie station, a Pimp Your Bike station and unicycle lessons. Later in the day, there will be a glow ride through Cranwell Park and the Henderson Creek Path.

When: Today, 3pm-8.30pm.

Where: Falls Park, Henderson, Auckland.

Price: Free. Tickets from humanitix.com.

3) The art of ink at The Cloud

The Roots Auckland Tattoo Convention at The Cloud is worth a look. Photo / Ace Alexander

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of a golden age of tattooing, with the industry forecast to double in size to a value of more than US$4 billion ($6.8b) by 2032. Auckland is fast becoming a hub of tattoo excellence, so it’s fitting that the city has its own tattoo convention kicking off this weekend. The Roots Auckland Tattoo Convention at The Cloud is worth a look, whether you’re already heaving with ink or just vaguely tattoo-curious. More than 185 world-class tattoo artists from Aotearoa and overseas will be working live at the event, among other attractions including interactive art installations, tattoo seminars and a tattoo museum showcasing Auckland’s oldest studio.

When: Today 10am - 10pm and tomorrow 10am - 7pm.

Where: The Cloud, Princes Wharf, Auckland Central.

Price: Tickets $25 + booking fees from aucklandroots.com. Children under 14 are free with a paying adult.

4) It’s Pasifika weekend

If it’s not Auckland’s best-loved annual event, it’s definitely on the shortlist, and it’s back once again at Western Springs to bring the city a hugely colourful celebration of everything Pasifika. Across its eight villages, as it has done since its beginnings in 1993, the festival will offer vibrant performances, traditional food and cultural performances, all for the very attractive price of absolutely nothing. Don’t even think about trying to get a park nearby. Shuttle buses and park and ride options are available, so make use of them and ensure a stress-free visit to the world’s largest Pacific cultural festival.

When: Today 9am - 6pm and tomorrow 12pm – 6pm.

Where: Western Springs Lakeside Park, Western Springs, Auckland.

Price: Free.

5) Food, wine and a very good view

The annual Mairangi Bay Food and Wine Festival.

Is there anything better than a sunny Saturday evening on the beach with a glass of wine or craft beer in your hand, some delicious food in your gob and the sweet sounds of live music in your ears? We might not be able to guarantee the sun, but the annual Mairangi Bay Food and Wine Festival has got everything else covered, including the kids who can get their faces painted, burn off some energy in the bouncy castle and go rock climbing. It might be autumn according to the calendar, but for this weekend at least, it’s still summer according to Mairangi Bay. Entry is free, but if you’re planning to drink, you need to purchase one of their glasses for $25 to help cover the cost of liquor licensing.

When: Today, 12pm – 8pm.

Where: Mairangi Bay Beachfront Reserve, Mairangi Bay, Auckland. Visit mairangibayvillage.co.nz for more information.

6) History, family and a very good show

The Kumeū Show brings a dose of the rural A&P vibes to the suburban fringe of Auckland. Photo / Geoff Salisbury Photography

Now into its 103rd year, the Kumeū Show is a special event that brings a dose of the rural A&P vibes to the suburban fringe of Auckland. Held across two action-packed days just 20 minutes from the CBD, the event offers livestock competitions, animal petting, equestrian events, woodchopping and all the fun of the fair, not to mention live music and abundant food. Pro tip: don’t miss the skills and daring on display in the tree climbing and lawnmower racing.

When: Today 8.30am-5pm and tomorrow 8.30am-4pm.

Where: Kumeū Showgrounds, Kumeū.

Price: Tickets $16 + booking fees from kumeushow.co.nz. Free for children under 15.

7) Row, row, row your boat

The Wooden Boat Festival is super fun for the whole whānau. Photo / Suellen Hurling, Live Sail Die

Forget your flashy fibreglass super yachts, this isn’t Below Deck, it’s the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival, and it’s super fun for the whole whānau. This weekend at the Viaduct, there’s a full programme of hands-on experiences, heritage vessels and live demonstrations. You can witness live boatbuilding at the Percy Vos Boat Yard, where a kauri dinghy will be made alongside Māori and Pacific waka. There’s a festive atmosphere at Viaduct Events Centre, where there’ll be live music, knot-tying demonstrations, model ships and sailmaking. Plus there’s expected to be close to 200 wooden vessels on the harbour with some available to hop aboard, including the steam launch the SS Puke, 1946 wooden ketch the Vega, heritage boat the Ted Ashby and more. Along with the Z Manu World Championship grand final today, it’s the final major event of the Moana Auckland festival and great weekend entertainment for sea-loving folk.

When: Today and tomorrow, 10am - 5pm.

Where: Viaduct Events Centre, Jellicoe Harbour, New Zealand Maritime Museum and Percy Vos Boat Yard, Auckland Central.

Price: Free entry.

8) Throw the kids to the sharks

Enter the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s blockbuster shark doubleheader.

The only thing we as a species love more than a good shark story is a risk-free opportunity to explore their world. Enter the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s blockbuster shark doubleheader: the exhibition – simply named Sharks – and the live theatre experience Swimming with Sharks. While the exhibition offers an awe-inspiring digital oceanarium, life-sized models and touchable fossils and teeth, Swimming with Sharks uses puppetry and storytelling to help reframe the way tamariki (and the rest of us) think about these incredible animals and the vital role they play in our ecosystem.

Sharks

When: On now until June 1.

Where: Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Domain, Parnell.

Price: Tickets $22 adult, $11 child (5–15 yrs), under 5 free, $59 family (2 adults, 2 children), $20 concessions (students & seniors), free for Museum members.

Swimming With Sharks

When: Today and tomorrow, March 21–22 and April 3–19, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Price: Tickets on a Pay What You Can basis at aucklandmuseum.com.

9) Remembering wars past

Warbirds is a timely reminder of military history. Photo / Johan Koch

Given current global tensions, it may be a little more sobering than usual to attend tomorrow’s Warbirds on Parade at Ardmore. A timely reminder of a military history that no one wants to repeat, Warbirds is also an exciting celebration of aeronautics with impressive flying displays as well as grounded display aircraft, military and classic vehicles, Formula 5000 racing cars, and merchandise and refreshments. The skilled team from Chipmunk Blue have been practising and perfecting their aerial formations for weeks, so gather the whānau, consider some earplugs, and head south to Ardmore tomorrow for an exhilarating day out.

When: Tomorrow, 9am-4pm.

Where: Ardmore Airport, Hamlin Rd, Ardmore.

Price: Tickets start at $15 + booking fees from iticket.co.nz. Children under 5 free.

Coming up

• Seed by Elisabeth Easther: March 17-28, Titirangi Theatre, Auckland.
• Linkin Park: March 18, Spark Arena, Auckland.
• Five Films For Freedom: March 18-29, nationwide.
• My Name is Rachel Corrie: March 19-22, Te Pou Theatre, Auckland.
• Cambridge Autumn Festival: March 20-29, Cambridge.
• World of Cultures: March 21-April 5, Auckland.
• EcoFest: March 22-April 22, Auckland.
• Waiheke On Stage presents Stones In His Pockets: March 26 - 28, Q Theatre, Auckland.
• Bic Runga, Red Sunset Tour: March 27, NZICC, Auckland.
• Aspiring Conversations, Festival of Ideas and Kōrero: March 27-29, Wānaka.
• Breakfast with Dame Malvina Major: March 28, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland.
• CubaDupa 2026: March 28-29, Wellington.
• MOTAT’s Stem Fair: March 28-29, Motat, Auckland.
• Dreamer Light Festival: April 3-12, NZICC, Auckland.
• K-Pop Live: April 7-18, nationwide.
• Milli: April 7-11, Basement Theatre, Auckland.
• & Juliet: April 9-May 3, The Civic, Auckland.
• Auckland Phil’s Six-thirty Session, Tchaikovsky 4: April 9, Auckland Town Hall.
• Darklight, The Hidden World: April 9-18, Aotea Centre, Auckland.
• NZSO Resonance featuring Jörgen van Rijen: April 10, Auckland Town Hall.
• Finding Cynthia: April 10-11, Artworks Theatre, Waiheke Island
• Split Enz, Forever Enz Tour: May 6, Wellington and May 9, Auckland.