Music, sport, food and culture
The ultimate event guide to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Auckland is Calling! World-class events await you on the ultimate mini break this spring. Treat yourself to a weekend away and take in everything that Auckland has to offer, whether that’s cheering from the sidelines of your favourite sport, dancing the night away with the wide range of great musicians performing in the city or getting your blood pumping with a marathon.
For a comprehensive guide of what to do, where to stay and the vast array of restaurants and cafés to try click here for our Go-to-Guide for Auckland.
Treat yourself to a weekend away or staycation and take in everything that Auckland has to offer.
Huge sporting events
Bit of a sports fanatic? There are heaps of sporting events coming up in Tāmaki Makaurau, so take your pick. There’s Rugby World Cup 2021 (Playing in 2022) at Eden Park and Waitākere Stadium on now through to November, as well as New Zealand’s biggest running celebration, the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon, on Sunday 30 October with five running distances to choose from.
Skippers and their crew from 10 countries in the Globe40 race have arrived in Auckland so head down to the port to marvel at these boats or watch them head out again on 27 October.
Batter up! The Men’s Softball World Cup takes place in Auckland from 26 November - 4 December. This will be the first Men’s Softball World Cup since 2019 when Argentina took home the trophy. New Zealand has won the World Cup a record seven times (more than any other country), so let’s hope 2022 is their year again!
For the intrepid athletes among us who are keen to get out of the crowd and into the sport, the 2022 Spartan races are taking place from 25-27 November in Flat Bush. These incredibly challenging obstacle races vary in distance and difficulty, ranging from 3 miles to marathon distances. There’s still time to register, if you reckon you’re fit enough for it!
The last time India played in New Zealand they lost 3-0 to the Black Caps. So 25 November could be payback time when the two teams face each other in the first ODI. Get amongst the action at Eden Park as these matches are going to bring all the colour, noise, and spectacle of top-tier international cricket. Get your tickets now: tickets.nzc.nz.
Looking forward to next year, the ASB Classic starts on 2 January with a star-studded lineup, including 2022 French Open finalist Coco Gauff, who played in Auckland in 2020, 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, top British player Cam Norrie and 2022 US Open finalist Casper Ruud.
Football fans are in for a real treat in the new year too when North Harbour Stadium (and our friends in Waikato) host the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament from 17-23 February.
Mouth-watering food festivals
60 prestigious wines from around the country will be showcased at Winetopia 2022 on 28-29 October. Discover new and award-winning drops, attend a masterclass, share a glass with famous faces and enjoy some artisan produce to accompany your drinks.
Hop lovers, on the other hand, will want to add The Beer Festival to their annual calendar. This event on 4-5 November will showcase some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most exciting and flavoursome brews from local, independent producers. Meet brewers and learn their stories, taste great beers and enjoy yummy eats from the selection of top food trucks.
Mamma mìa! Grab your sunglasses and bring your appetite on Sunday 13 November from 11am – 5pm, because the Italian Festival returns to Newmarket. Indulge in the best of Italy – from culture to music and sports cars. Taking over the laneways on Osborne Street, Kent Street and The Rialto Centre, you will find New Zealand’s largest Italian street festival, including an Italian village centre complete with market stalls, al fresco lunch offerings and an open-air festival bar. It’s not one to miss!
For those looking to sample some spirits, the Auckland Gin Festival is happening at the Cloud from 3-5 February. The distillers will serve their new and favourite gins, with all tasting samples included in your ticket – that’s up to 300 different kinds of gin to choose from! Plus you get to chat to the distillers and enjoy gourmet treats available for purchase.
Cultural activities
The largest exhibition the British Museum has ever loaned to Aotearoa New Zealand is now at Auckland Museum, featuring over 170 statues, pieces of jewellery, pottery and other artifacts. Until November, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes will transport you back to ancient Greece. Afterwards, you can enjoy dishes inspired by the exhibition and even a Greek martini at Tuitui Museum Bistro & Café.
November is also a month for art lovers with the Aotearoa Art Fair. Wander around the outdoor Sculpture Space, and take in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s incredible harbour views, enjoy viewing a diverse range of contemporary artists on display at non-profit curated exhibition Projects, and attend a talk curated by Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. Listen to your favourite artists in conversation at the daily Artist Talks series, peruse the unique collection of books about art, photography and design at The Art Bookshop by Iffi Is and enjoy coffee, wine, gin and edible treats at one of the pop-up bars and eateries in The Cloud.
Once you’ve had your fill of the art fair, take a walk up to the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki for the long-anticipated Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera exhibit, a New Zealand exclusive show that’s on from now until 22 January. Through Frida Kahlo’s paintings and drawings, the work of her husband, Diego Rivera, and leading artists in their circle, discover an extraordinary story of art, love and life. Not only will you get to see some of their most famous pieces of artwork, you’ll also bear witness to the work of muralists David Siqueiros, Rufino Tamaro and María Izquierdo and photographers Lola Álvarez Bravo, Manuel Álvarez Bravo and Nickolas Muray.
From 2-5 February, bring the family along to celebrate the return of the Auckland Lantern Festival, a much-loved annual event that has been missed since it was last on in 2019. While it will have a new home in 2023 at the Manukau Sports Bowl, the traditions of the festival remain – it will be a bright and colourful event that celebrates the Chinese New Year and features hand-made Chinese lanterns in park-like settings, along with traditional music and dance performances, craft demonstrations, competitions, retail and food stalls.
The Auckland Pride Festival is back in all its rainbow glory in February with several events taking place over the month (not to mention the year-round events put on by the Queer Agenda). It sounds like this coming year will be one for the books, too. Auckland Pride Creative Director Elyssia Wilson-Heti said: “Reflecting on 2022, we’re excited to reimagine, revise and refine how we produce the 2023 Pride Festival to better suit the needs and wants of our community, partners and artists.”
Also taking place during Pride Month is the highly anticipated Rainbow Parade on 18 February, which celebrates the diversity of our Rainbow communities and their rich tapestry of individualism, identity, freedom of expression, community culture and growing everyday acceptance. It’s free to attend, just keep an eye out for details about parking and public transportation!
Splore is back in 2023! A three-day music and arts festival staged annually on the shores of Tāpapakanga Regional Park, Splore offers an eclectic line-up of artists from Aotearoa and abroad who will perform on multiple stages. Tickets are on sale now, so get in quick and get ready to dance like no one’s watching.
Music
Some of the hottest international music acts are coming to Auckland. Pop superstar Dua Lipa heralds in summer in November, with Elton John and Ed Sheeran also headed to Tāmaki Makaurau early in the new year.
If pop music isn’t your jam, sing along with The Killers, rock out with Guns ‘n’ Roses or chill out with Jack Johnson, this year.
Of course there’s plenty of homegrown talent entertaining Auckland crowds this summer too, with fan favourite Six60 bringing back Six60 Saturdays to Eden Park on 19 November.
There are so many reasons to visit Auckland so start filling up your calendar! Don’t miss out on these world-class events – Auckland is Calling https://www.aucklandnz.com/visit/auckland-is-calling
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