Things to do in Auckland this weekend: Theatre, exhibitions, dogs and more

NZ Herald

22 Mar, 2024 07:42 PM8 mins to read

The final two performances of Aiga are being staged at Te Pou Theatre. Photo / Jinki Cambronero

Wondering what to do this weekend? From Polyfest to Dog’s Day Out, here are some of the fun things to do in Auckland.

Aiga

This weekend, the final two performances of Aiga are being staged at Te Pou Theatre as part of the Auckland Arts Festival. This is a very special show, which tells the real-life story of Lusi Faiva, the Pacific Toa Award-winning performance artist born with cerebral palsy. Faiva is a founding member of Touch Compass and her story is told in collaboration with an ensemble of women, non-binary, disabled, non-disabled, Pasifika and Māori performers. Aiga (the Samoan word for family, pronounced ay ng uh) explores a universal quest for identity. If this doesn’t move you, you’re probably dead inside.

March 23, 7.30pm and March 24, 2pm. Te Pou Theatre, Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mt Lebanon Lane, Henderson, Auckland. Tickets start at $20 + booking fee from tepoutheatre.nz or aaf.co.nz

Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream Truck

When Easter comes this early in the year, of course you pair hot cross buns with ice cream - duh! This weekend, there’s a Woolworths Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream Truck rolling into the the Papakura Park Fest and down to Mission Bay to serve up deliciously doughy hot cross buns with an array of atypical toppings for you to try including ice cream, maple syrup, sprinkles and even marmite or kimchi for the adventurous palettes among you. The truck is raising money for KidsCan — you get a hot cross bun in exchange for a gold coin donation. Over Easter weekend, the Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream Truck’s taking a trip down south to Tauranga and Mount Maunganui so if you’re lucky enough to be in the Bay of Plenty for the long weekend, keep an eye out for this hot crossie mobile and toss them a gold coin (or more!) to support the wonderful work of KidsCan.

March 23, 10am-2pm. Papakura Park Fest, Central Park, 2 Opaheke Rd, Papakura.

March 24, 10am-3pm. Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay, Auckland.

March 29, Tauranga Racecourse; March 30, Marine Parade, Mt Maunganui; March 31, Tauranga CBD.

Paws Restart is bringing some of their pawsome pooches down to Doctor Dog in Kumeu for a family fun day. Photo / 123rf

Dog Day Out

If you’ve been thinking about getting a K9 companion, then your first stop should be Doctor Dog’s Dog Day Out event on Saturday. Rescue organisation Paws Restart is bringing some of their pawsome pooches down to Doctor Dog in Kumeu for a family fun day, both to raise some much-needed funds and to hopefully find these dogs loving owners. There’ll be ice cream, face painting and dog food samples available, plus a K9 nutritionist on-site and dog training tips. Doctor Dog is also offering a 10 per cent discount on all purchases and they’ll be donating a portion of their sales for the day to Paws Restart, so if you have any dog product needs, Saturday is the day to stock up and help Paws Restart give abandoned dogs a second chance at life.

March 23, 10am-2pm. Doctor Dog, Putaki Drive (next to Burger King), Kumeu.

That’s So Last Century

A new exhibition at Auckland Central City Library is reminding us that the 90s wasn’t last decade-ish but has had its own chapter in history textbooks for longer than we’d care to acknowledge. That’s So Last Century: What We Wore 1950s-90s is a walk down memory lane and into the fashion archives of Aotearoa. It’s a collection of fashion and street photography, magazine articles, books and audio clips that explores the “post-war elegance of the 1950s, to the rebellious spirit of the 70s, and the laid back nature of the 1990s”. There’s photography by John Rykenberg, Noel Brotherston and Clifton Firth and designs by Emma Knuckey, Dame Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Francis Hooper, Helen Cherry and more. The exhibit gives visitors an insight into not just the style trends of Aotearoa but the culture of the time as well. It’s worth a trip into the city, which is a great place to observe the fashions of the 2020s as well.

March 20 - July 13. Level 2, Auckland Central City Library, Lorne St, Auckland CBD. FREE.

World of Cultures

On Thursday, the World of Cultures festival kicked off for 2024 and between now and April 14, there are more than 70 free or low-cost events for you and your whānau to join in. This weekend is the Celebrating Cultures day at Barry Curtis Park where there will be music and dance performances, activities and games from around the world, a market and kai stalls from over 15 different cultures. Also taking place this weekend is a French breakfast, an Irish storytime, a Nowruz celebration, an Indian street food lunch, a Bonsai day, a Polish Easter crafts workshop, a Chinese opera event, a Waitakere Holi event and much more. Tāmaki Makaurau has never been more ethnically diverse and over the next three weeks there are oodles of opportunities to celebrate and enjoy the many different cultures that live here.

Celebrating Cultures: March 23, 11am-4pm. Barry Curtis Park, 141 Chapel Rd, Flatbush. FREE.

World of Cultures: March 21 - April 14. See worldofcultures.co.nz for a full schedule of events.

ASB Polyfest

Saturday is the fourth and final day of one of the largest Pacific festivals in the world: ASB Polyfest. Over the past few days, students have been competing with traditional music, dance, costume and cultural speeches on one of the six stages: Māori, Samoa, Niue, Cook Islands, Tonga and Diversity (featuring a range of cultures including Fijian, Korean, Indian, Tokelau and more). This year’s theme is Me anga whakamuri kia koke whakamua — Looking to our past to determine our future. The festival is always such a vibrant expression of cultural pride and an uplifting reminder of the passion and resilience of the next generation of Kiwi, plus there’s amazing kai. If crowds aren’t your thing but you’d like to catch some of the action, there’s a live stream from each of the stages available through the website asbpolyfest.co.nz

March 20-23, 8am-5pm. Manukau Sports Bowl, 1 Boundary Rd, Clover Park, Auckland. Tickets $10 on the gate or $7.50 + booking fee from iticket.co.nz

Enjoy and support the highlight of Auckland’s cultural calendar. Photo / Ste Murray

Last chance: Auckland Arts Festival

It’s the final weekend of the Auckland Arts Festival and your last chance to enjoy and support the highlight of Auckland’s cultural calendar. For a spicy evening of circus, punk-jazz and cabaret, head down to the Spiegeltent and catch Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett all the way from Berlin. If you don’t mind a little horror and love a little mystery and illusion, then Belgium’s dance theatre show Diptych: The Missing Door & The Lost Room could be up your alley. And, if you have little ones to entertain, check out A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, which is family theatre full of wonder and magical realism. There are also several free dance performances in the city and a baby grand piano, Undergrand, is popping up in Cornwall Park, Māngere, Takapuna and the CBD. But wait, there’s more… you’ll need to visit the festival website for the full programme of events.

On now until March 24. Various locations in Tāmaki Makaurau. Visit aaf.co.nz for the full schedule of events and tickets.

Our Story is One

Earlier this week an important exhibition, organised by the Iranian Women of New Zealand and the New Zealand Baha’i Office of Public Affairs, opened at Studio One Toi Tū. Our Story is One features nine artists who responded to an open call for works that “inspire and raise consciousness about the struggle for gender equality around the world”. It’s curated by Shirin Khosraviani, who says the open call resulted in “numerous interpretations and reflections” from a diverse group of artists working in a range of mediums including painting, printing, tapestry, tapa cloth, sculpture and photomontage. The exhibition marks 40 years since 10 Baha’i women were hanged in Shiraz and reflects on the continued struggle for gender equality in Iran. It’s only on display for one more week.

On now until March 30, Monday to Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-4pm. Studio One Toi Tū, 1 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland.

Have a good belly laugh by getting tickets to Tofiga Fepulea’i’s latest show I Love You Full Speed No Breaks. Photo / Supplied

Plan ahead: Tofiga Fepulea’i

Make some plans to have a good belly laugh by getting tickets to Tofiga Fepulea’i’s latest show I Love You Full Speed No Breaks at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre next month. One half of the iconic Laughing Samoans comedic duo, Fepulea’i recently completed a series of sold-out shows in Australia. I Love You Full Speed No Breaks is a one-night-only performance and also features performances by comedians James Nokise and Bubbah aka Tina from Turners. Take your friends and whānau, it’s a night that’s guaranteed to put a smile on all your faces.

April 6, 7.30pm. Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland CBD. Tickets start at $40 + booking fees from ticketmaster.co.nz