School holidays

Our highlights

POPS! | 25 SEP - 11 OCT | Free

Meet Peep, Pop, Zig, Bloop, Mmph and Oof. Each POP has its own colour, pattern and personality, from sunny and smiling to charmingly grumpy. Dressed in candy stripes and polka dots, they stand watch over the square by day and transform after dark, glowing from within like giant night-lights.

Out There in the Square | 25 SEP - 11 OCT | Free

Enjoy a mix of creative and interactive experiences like joining a circus workshop, creating your own puppets and busting moves on the outdoor dance floor. There will also be outdoor picnic tables and umbrellas, so whānau can relax, enjoy lunch, and soak up the atmosphere.

The Imaginarium | 10 - 11 OCT | $12 - $45

The Imaginarium returns after a sold-out run last year, now expanded into special two-day experience. This year's theme, Our Natural World invites you to forage, adventure, dream, and connect with the beauty and possibilities of the world around us, as you explore interactive sensory environments and hands-on creative experiences.

Discover more We The Young activities, here. 

Magic aglow

Octopoda | 22 AUG - 15 SEP | Free

Step up to one of eight giant drums and bring Octopoda to life. Every beat, bang and rhythm lights up his colourful tentacles, triggering dazzling animations and playful bursts of light.

The Lightship | DAILY | From dusk until sawn | Free

Australasia's largest public art lightwall will once again illuminate Auckland's waterfront this spring, with three leading wāhine Māori artists launching First Light - The Lightship's 2026/27 curatorial programme.

Huihui Whetū | Until 24 SEP | Free

Huihui Whetū showcases an artistic interpretation of the stars that play an important role in te ao Māori. Featuring spectacular imagery from Graham Tipene and curated by Ataahua Papa. You're encouraged to pause for a moment, look up and connect with the upper realm and be transported to another dimension, if only for a fleeting moment.