What’s on in Auckland this weekend: Christmas shows, art exhibits, Santa parades and more

There’s a huge Smith & Caughey’s-shaped hole in Auckland’s festive events calendar that Auckland Museum is now helping to fill.

If you’re looking for something to do in Auckland this weekend, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve scoured all the arts, culture and events taking place this Saturday and Sunday to bring you our top 10 highlights. From art to classical music and Santa sightings to football, here’s our selection of the best activities and entertainment taking place in Auckland this weekend.

1) Small art, big impact

The Frame Workshop & Gallery has opened its final show of the year, Mini.

Last night, The Frame Workshop & Gallery opened its final show of the year, Mini. It’s a collection of small artworks, all under $1000 and many for much less, by some of the gallery’s favourite artists. It is continuing the celebrations today with coffee and treats in the gallery – the perfect opportunity to buy yourself a wee Christmas present before you spend all your money on everyone else.

When: On now (online portal opening Monday).

Where: The Frame Gallery, 182 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay, Auckland.

Price: Free entry.

2) Classic Christmas adaptation

Head along to the stage adaptation of Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life at The Dolphin Theatre.

If you need the cockles of your heart warmed this Christmas, then head along to the stage adaptation of Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life at The Dolphin Theatre. It’s the story of a man who has fallen into a pit of despair. Just when he thinks there’s nothing left to live for, he is visited by a guardian angel who shows him what the world would be like if he’d never existed. If you haven’t seen the movie – a true classic – do the double this weekend and see both versions. It opened this week and is just the ticket to get you into the holiday spirit.

When: On now until December 6.

Where: The Dolphin Theatre, 12 Spring St, Onehunga, Auckland.

Price: Tickets $25-$32 from dolphintheatre.org.nz.

3) Christmas comes to the city

This evening in Te Komititanga Square, Te Manaaki – the big Christmas tree – will have its official lighting. Photo / Sacha Stejko

When fiercely saving pennies for Christmas presents, there’s no more exciting Christmas event than a free one. This evening in Te Komititanga Square, Te Manaaki – the big Christmas tree – will have its official lighting, accompanied by a live concert. The ever-effervescent Sharyn Casey is hosting the show, with Drax Project performing alongside members of the Auckland Youth Choir. It’s a lovely way to kick off the festive season with the whānau, albeit a bit of a late night for the youngest family members. As we hurtle towards the big day, the concert marks the beginning of a spate of Christmas festivities by Heart of the City, all worth checking out.

When: Today, 7.30pm.

Where: Te Komititanga Square, Auckland Central.

Price: Free.

4) Creativity abounds at Corban Estate

Get your creative juices flowing at Corban Estate Arts Centre’s Open Arts Day. Photo / Martine Lord.

Get your creative juices flowing at Corban Estate Arts Centre’s Open Arts Day today. The estate in Henderson is a wonderful hub for artists of all kinds. Today you can enter studios of visual artists, see the current exhibitions Past Visions and Te-Kahu-O-Rangi, sit in on artist kōrero sessions, attend a live collagraph printmaking workshop, see live painting at Kākano Youth Arts, experience VR dance performances and video work with Atamira Dance Company, see an open rehearsal of Tales of the City by the Sea, which opens next week, plus poetry readings and more. There will be food trucks on-site and the cafe will be open, so you can spend the whole day soaking up the creative energy of Corban Estate.

When: Today, 10am-3pm.

Where: Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mt Lebanon Lane, Henderson.

Price: Free entry.

5) Inaugural festival of black arts

Actors Estelle Chout (left), Sonya Renee Taylor and Sandra Zvenyika.

This week, the first Aotearoa Festival of Black Arts kicked off with a return season of play Po’ Boys and Oysters at the Herald Theatre. Created by writer/director/facilitator extraordinaire and Black Creatives Aotearoa founder Dione Joseph, the festival is all about celebrating the creative talents of the African and Caribbean communities in Aotearoa. The play Po’ Boys and Oysters is a drama-comedy centred around an Afro-queer couple – Jo and Flo – on the precipice of adopting their first child. The Aotearoa Festival of Black Arts also includes FutureTense writing workshops; Nyege, a wellness festival in Aotea Square; JingleBeatz – Afro-Caribbean versions of Christmas carols at the Tuning Fork; Obsidian & Seen – Black Films in Aotearoa at The Capitol Theatre; and Beyond the Frame: Black Abstraction and the Politics of Joy at Auckland Art Gallery.

When: Today until December 22.

Where: Various locations in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Price: Visit afoba.nz for more information and tickets to events.

6) Papakura parade

South Auckland locals and anyone who prefers the charm of a suburban Santa parade should head out to the Papakura Christmas Festival and Parade tomorrow. Held at Bruce Pulman Park, there will be food vendors, a market, community stalls and of course, the main drawcard, the big man in red.

When: Tomorrow, 11am-4pm (parade at 2pm).

Where: Bruce Pulman Park, 90 Walters Rd, Takanini.

Price: Free entry.

7) Santa comes to the museum

There’s a huge Smith & Caughey’s-shaped hole in Auckland’s festive events calendar that Auckland Museum is now helping to fill. Today, the museum opens Santa’s Study, where visitors can meet, greet and get photos (BYO camera) with Father Christmas on weekends leading up to the big day. There’s also a Christmas tree in the Grand Foyer, a North Pole Mailbox for Santa mail, Christmas craft sessions and performances by Auckland choirs on Saturdays at noon. Today, the Auckland Korean Choir is performing, with future performances by Vocālis, Handel Consort & Quire, All Together Now and Stimmung Choir.

When: Today until December 21.

Where: Auckland Museum, Auckland Domain, Auckland.

Price: Free entry for Aucklanders. Visit aucklandmuseum.com for more information.

8) Football for the win

Auckland FC are playing three home games back to back at Go Media Stadium starting tomorrow. Photo / Auckland FC

If you’re not already on the Auckland FC bandwagon, now’s the perfect time to hop on board. Possibly Auckland’s fastest rising sports team, AFC are playing three home games back to back at Go Media Stadium starting tomorrow. They’re taking on Brisbane Roar first, the Newcastle Jets next Sunday (November 30) and finally squaring off against the Wellington Phoenix on Saturday, December 6. The games are great family fun with an inflatable slide, face painting and mini football on site. Plus, the American tradition of tailgating is getting some traction at these games, with attendees able to fire up the free barbecues in a designated picnic area of the carpark.

When: Tomorrow and November 30, 3pm, December 6, 5pm.

Where: Go Media Stadium, 2 Beasley Ave, Penrose, Auckland.

Price: Tickets $59 for a family of four; children $16.80; adults from $28 from ticketmaster.co.nz.

9) A Magnificat show

Handel Consort & Quire, an ensemble of singers and instrumentalists, will perform Magnificat with Bach’s Double Concerto.

As their name suggests, Handel Consort & Quire almost exclusively perform music by Handel, but this weekend they’re taking a brief detour into the works of another great Baroque composer, J.S. Bach. Today, the ensemble of singers and instrumentalists will perform Magnificat with Bach’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin. Led by Robert Howell, the concert features some talented soloists, including countertenor Samuel Mataele, and will be performed at the Pitt Street Methodist Church before a repeat performance tomorrow at St Andrews Anglican Church in Pukekohe.

When: Today, 3pm.

Where: Pitt St Methodist Church, 78 Pitt St, Newton.

When: Tomorrow

Where: St Andrews Anglican Church, 43 Queen St, Pukekohe, Auckland.

Price: Tickets $30-$35 + booking fees from eventfinda.co.nz.

10) Plan ahead: Oz on stage

Budding Arianas and Cynthias will be up on that stage, singing and dancing their talented little hearts out.

If your family has been swept up in Oz-mania this year, then you’re going to want to get tickets to see the National Youth Theatre’s production of the original Wizard of Oz at Aotea Centre next weekend. The cast of musical theatre-loving young people range in age from 7 to 21, with the youngest members making for some pretty darn cute munchkins. This year is NYT’s 20th year of providing the ultimate training ground for young performers. Budding Arianas and Cynthias will be up on that stage, singing and dancing their talented little hearts out and watching them shine is the most wholesome, life-affirming entertainment you could hope to witness.

When: November 28-30.

Where: Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland Central.

Price: Tickets start at $25 + booking fees from ticketmaster.co.nz.

Coming up

• Calligraphy Exhibition: November 23-30, Gifford Gallery, Mt Eden, Auckland.
• Tales of a City by the Sea: November 25-29. Te Pou Theatre, Henderson, Auckland.
• Toody Cole & Her Band, with Jenny Don’t & The Spurs: November 25, Whammy Bar, Auckland.
• H.R. The Musical #2: November 25-December 6, Q Theatre, Auckland.
• Queens Rooftop 24-hour Movember Fundraiser: November 28-29, Auckland Central.
• The Greatest Christmas Show: November 28-December 21, nationwide.
• Auckland Horticultural Council 24th Annual Flower Show: November 29, Western Springs.
• The Others Way Festival: November 29, Karangahape Rd, Auckland.
• NZSO presents Joyce DiDonato, Summer Nights: November 29, Auckland Town Hall.
• The Greatest Christmas Show: November 28-December 21, nationwide.
• 92nd Farmers Santa Parade: November 30, Auckland.
• Auckland Choral presents Sing Christmas: November 30, St Matthew-in-the-City, Auckland.
• Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: December 2-7, The Civic, Auckland.
• Basement Theatre’s Silly Season: December 4-13, Basement Theatre, Auckland.
• MOTAT Christmas Lights: December 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, MOTAT, Auckland.
• Twilight Christmas at Howick Historical Village: December 6, Auckland.
• Muriwai Twilight Christmas Market: December 7, Muriwai Surf Club, Muriwai.
• Cathedral Christmas Market: December 9, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland.
• The Comedy Culture Holiday Buffet: December 9-11, Basement Theatre, Auckland.
• Kirk Franklin, The World Tour: December 10-13, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland.
• Dynamotion & Q Theatre present A Christmas Crisis: December 10-20, Q Theatre, Auckland.
• Stonefields Choir Sing for the City: December 13, Diocesan School for Girls, Epsom, Auckland.
• Aotango International Tango Day concert: December 13, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland.
• Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park: December 13, Auckland Domain.
• Oprah In Conversation: December 14, Spark Arena, Auckland.
• Auckland Choral presents Handel’s Messiah: December 14-15, Auckland Town Hall.
• Auckland Phil’s Tunes 4 Tamariki, Christmas with Suzy: December 14 (Bruce Mason Centre) and 21 (Auckland Town Hall).
• Auckland Phil’s Christmas Cheer: December 19 and 20, Auckland Town Hall.

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