Leaoa Junior Petelo, from the Tipaula Family Dance Group, performed on the Samoa stage at the 2023 Pasifika Festival. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Leaoa Junior Petelo, from the Tipaula Family Dance Group, performed on the Samoa stage at the 2023 Pasifika Festival. Photo / Jason Oxenham
There’s still time to check out these epic events in Tāmaki Makaurau.
If you’ve found yourself wondering where on earth January and February went, you’re not alone. March is here and while it means summer is ending, there is still plenty happening around the city from wholesome farmers markets to celebratory festivals.
Here are some dates to mark out on your calendar.
1) Pasifika Festival - Western Springs
Prepare to celebrate all things Pacific at one of Auckland’s longest-standing events, the Pasifika Festival. Today and tomorrow eight villages will show off the best of the 11 Pacific Island nations with delicious food, dance and music shows and entertainment, including a performance by Parris Goebel’s legendary international dance troupe. Just next door, Motat is also getting in on the celebrations with Paiskifa Vibes, a free Pacific-themed event that includes coconut shaving workshops, Pacific-themed films, ukelele lessons and more.
Whether you call Tāmaki Makaurau home or are visiting for the weekend, this vibrant festival offers people of any age the chance to learn more about the region’s vibrant Pacific community.
Don't miss the fun at Kelmarna Gardens. Photo / Supplied
If you’re yet to visit Auckland’s 1.6ha inner city community farm, head along on Sunday for the Kelmarna Festival. Set to mark the end of the summer harvest, the area is inviting the community to the farm for a day full of delicious kai, bustling stalls, gift raffles and music performances. Whether you head down with a classic canvas tote and fill up with organic produce, wander around the stalls while enjoying treats from local suppliers like Ripe Deli, Cazador and Millers Coffee, or drop in on the kōrero tent for a speaker session, it’s a perfect way to mark the end of summer.
When: Sunday, 10am-3pm
Where: Kelmarna Community Farm, 12 Hukanui Crescent, Ponsonby
Price: Free
3) The Baby Show - Auckland Showgrounds
Check out The Baby Show. Photo / Supplied
Every parent knows that raising a child is no easy feat, in fact, it often takes a village. Fortunately, a village of sorts will be gathering this weekend for The Baby Show, a two-day extravaganza full of all one needs to know or buy to help raise a wee one. During the expo, guests can test-drive dozens of new prams or car seats, collect free product samples and listen to free seminars where experts provide practical advice on sleep, birth and breastfeeding.
Already got a few kids in tow? Don’t worry, they’re more than welcome here, with family entertainment, games and the best-stocked parenting room you’ll ever see.
When: Saturday and Sunday, 9am-4pm.
Where: Auckland Showgrounds, 217 Green Lane West, Epsom, Auckland.
Price: Tickets are$10 for adults and free for under 16-year-olds. Buy tickets at babyshow.co.nz.
4) Cross Street Music Festival - Cross Street
Hang with the cool kids at Cross Street Music Festival. Photo / Supplied
This eclectic, vibe-filled festival is back this year, bigger and better than ever. Established in 2018, Cross Street Music Festival has long been a gateway to fresh musical talent in Aotearoa, showing off home-grown artists with international-level talent.
Thrown on Cross Street, just off Karangahape Road, this laneway block party is +18, so leave the young ones at home and enjoy a leisurely afternoon-turned-late night set to the tune of artists including Princess Chelsea, Balu Brigada, Fathe and the Sweetos and more. Pair it with a bite to eat or drink at one of K Rd’s many top-notch bars or restaurants, and you’ve got a recipe for an epic Saturday night.
Media release here. Images here. Please click here to view a selection of images for promotional use.
Stop by Matakana Farmers Market for fresh produce and handmade products. Photo / Matakana Coast Tourism
Do you know where your fruit and veggies come from? if you say “the supermarket” then maybe it’s time to learn a little more about Aotearoa’s food system. Luckily, this week is National Farmers’ Markets Week, an annual event celebrating the vital role markets play as a direct bridge between grower and buyer.
With dozens of stalls selling their own seasonal produce or hand-crafted products alongside food trucks and buskers, farmers’ markets have long been a more exciting place to do one’s shopping. Even better, many products can also be cheaper when purchased directly from growers. So, if you’ve been meaning to dust off the tote bag and visit a market, head along this weekend.
Farmers’ Markets NZ have 26 markets across the country and five to choose from in Auckland, including Matakana Village Farmers’ Market, Catalina Bay Farmers’ Market, Grey Lynn Farmer’s Market, Parnell Farmers’ Market and Clevedon Farmers’ Market.
When: March 9-17
Where: For information on all 26 farmers markets nationally, check out farmersmarkets.org.nz.
Price: Free.
Auckland Arts Festival
March also means it’s time for the Auckland Arts Festival, which promises 18 days of culture and creativity across the city from March 7 to 24. Here are three events worth marking in the calendar:
This is sure to be a one-of-a-kind performance. Photo / Supplied
From Kyiv, Ukraine comes DakhaBrakha, a folkpop-punk quartet that combines dramatic costumes with a mess of traditional Indian, Arabic, African and Ukrainian music for a performance like nothing you’ve ever seen. Considered the most famous ambassadors of Ukranian music, gracing stages at Glastonbury to the Lincoln Centre, these four musicians are guaranteed to stir up an electric sense of passion and defiance in the heart of the crowd during their one-off concert.
Our connection to the land has never been more important, or fraught, in recent years, making this group exhibit one worth your time, whether you’re an art-lover or not. In Underfoot, Māori, Aboriginal and Pākehā artists from Aotearoa and Australia have come together and created works that aim to give a body and voice to the land we live on. The exhibit, located in Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, looks to provoke reflection on our relationship to the land.
Catch incredible stunts at The Big Little Circus. Photo / Supplied
Send in the clowns!... And world-class jugglers... and aerial acrobats and...human changing room? Yes, that’s right, you’ll see all this and more at the circus street theatre show, The Biggest Little Circus. From tots to grandparents, this free action-packed show is perfect for all ages and is guaranteed to provide big laughs, daring stunts and unpredictable tricks. Be sure to catch them during their performances around Auckland this weekend.
When: Saturday 1pm and 6pm. Sunday 11am and 5pm.
Where: Saturday performances will be at Manukau Civic Centre and Britomart. Sunday performances will be at Matakana Country Park and The Falls Carpark, Henderson on Sunday. Check out www.aaf.co.nz/event/biggest-little-circus for more information.
