1. Laugh out loud at Billy T Jams at Q Theatre on Friday night, featuring performances this year's five nominees for the Billy T Awards - Alice Brine, David Correos, James Malcolm, Matt Stellingwerf and Laura Daniel.
2. Watch a movie outdoors, with plenty of options this long weekend: 80s classic Top Gun screens at Silo Park on Friday night [UPDATE: This event has sadly since been cancelled due to bad weather], while Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens plays at Western Springs Quarry. On Sunday evening, Jennifer Lawrence's Joy will screen, along with live music from Latinaotearoa Soundsystem.
3. Discover something new at the Auckland Folk Festival at the Kumeu Showgrounds, with performances throughout the weekend and food stalls including Dixie Barbeque.
4. We will take any excuse to visit the red pandas at Auckland Zoo, and this Friday night's concert from Stan Walker is a good one for the weekend.
5. Visit one of Auckland's newest openings: Fish Fish in Ponsonby Central, K'Rd bar Madame George or Remuera Italian Spacca.
6. Walk your dog in style on Sunday at Woof - The Auckland Pride Dog Show at Western Park Ponsonby, with prizes for best dressed, best dog/owner look-a-like, biggest dog, smallest dog and more. Entry is by donation with proceeds going to the SPCA.
7. Enjoy a day of food and music on Waitangi Day at Te Rā o Waitangi - look out for the boil-up and hangi. In Auckland, bring along a picnic to the festival at Bastion Point from 10am, or enjoy something from the wide range of food stalls on site.
8. An unruly mash-up of theatre, dance and home videos, Chris Parker's show No More Dancing in the Good Room tells his story of growing up as a gay boy in middle-class Christchurch.
9. Spend your Saturday indulging in mussels of many kinds - fritters, steamed, grilled, battered - at the Coromandel Mussel Festival.
10. Relax and be in the moment at Wunderlust, a 4-day festival of yoga and mindfulness at Lake Taupo. READ: Wunderlust headliner Shiva Rea
