Celebrate the best of arts and culture from local and international artists at Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival. From 5 to 22 March 2026, discover shows, gatherings and performances - all carefully curated to honour human connection and the spirit of Manaakitanga (kindness and respect).
From riveting cabarets to Whānau-friendly activities, there's something for everyone at this much-anticipated festival. Below are our top picks from the vibrant lineup of things to do!
Fun (& free) for the whole whānau
Sau Fiafia! Boogie Down! With Island Vibes | 5 MAR | Free
Kick off Auckland Arts Festival with a FREE music gathering at Aotea Square. Throw on your dancing shoes and boogie down to the funky, soulful rhythms of Island vibes! Let it all out and dance like nobody's watching then head on out for an opening night show or hangout at the Festival Garden.
Festival Garden | 5 - 22 MAR | Free
Whether you're out to see a show or to hang out in the city centre, bask in the sun or revel as dusk settles for eats, drinks FREE live music and if you're lucky, an encounter with your favourite Festival artists.
Whānau Day | 8 MAR | Free
Whānau Day returns for another year in Aotea! It's the perfect way for you and your tamariki to fall in love with the arts in the heart of the city. It’s a pint-sized festival within the Festival — all FREE, friendly and fun for the whole whānau.
Drama, humour...and perhaps some curry tasting?
Waiora Te Ūkaipō - The Homeland | 6 - 22 MAR | From $50
Set in the summer of 1965, Waiora follows Hone, who brings his whānau from the East Cape to the South Island in search of a better life. It's a landmark piece of Aotearoa theatre exploring the impact of colonisation, the urban drift, and the tension between past and future.
A Place in the Sultan's Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry) | 12 - 15 MAR | $49 - $59
Join Joshua Hinton for a journey through his childhood memories and family folklore, all the while attempting to cook his grandmother’s famous one-pot chicken curry on stage — which everyone gets a complimentary serving of!
Werewolf | 5 - 8 MAR | $49
Step inside a thrilling game of trust and deception. Binge Culture’s immersive horror-comedy Werewolf turns the audience into a community fighting to survive the night — but who can you trust?
A Place in the Sultan's Kitchen aaf 2026
Werewolf AAF 2026
Waiora Te Ūkaipō - The Homeland AAF 2026
End the night with a bang
A dazzling extravaganza
La Ronde | 4 - 22 MAR | $89 - $125
Five-time Festival favourites Strut & Fret return with La Ronde — a glittering collision of circus, cabaret, comedy, and exhilaration. Expect aerial artistry, dazzling choreography, powerhouse vocals, and champagne-fizz energy in the iconic Spiegeltent.
Duck Pond | 12 - 15 MAR | $69 - $89
Cheeky, exuberant, and spectacular — Duck Pond reimagines Swan Lake with circus flair. Expect feathers, aerials, and breathtaking acrobatics from Circa in a dazzling mix of elegance, humour, and heart on the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre stage.
Ten Thousand Hours | 19 - 22 MAR | $39 - $69
World-class circus crew Gravity & Other Myths return with a mind-blowing spectacle and hilarious hangout rolled into one. Guided by the audience, no two shows are the same — from the elite acrobats behind Backbone (AAF 2019).
Turn it up & feel the beat
The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave | 12 - 14 MAR | $49 - $59
Three dancers. One epic rave. Sixty minutes of pure endurance, sweat, and ecstatic movement — an electrifying tribute to the power, pain, and release of losing yourself to the music.
27 Club | 18 - 20 MAR | $49 - $69
A roof-raising rock revival celebrating Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix. The 27 Club unites Aussie rock legends from The Superjesus, Jebediah, and more for a powerhouse tribute — part concert, part rockumentary, live in the iconic Spiegeltent.
He Manu Tīoriori | 21 MAR | $45 - $59
A vibrant celebration of waiata reo Māori featuring Jordyn with a Why, MOHI, and Muroki. Born from Dame Hinewehi Mohi’s Waiata Anthems project, He Manu Tīoriori brings fresh Māori songwriting, soulful voices, and infectious grooves that celebrate the music and language of Aotearoa
The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave AAF 2026
He Manu Tīoriori AAF 2026
27 club AAF 2026
Click here for the full Auckland Arts Festival 2026 Programme.
