Catherine Smith looks at the best free and family shows on offer during the two major arts festivals showcasing Auckland City this month.

Auckland's fine weekend weather brought record crowds to the city's lantern festivals, organisers say.

Auckland's set for a creative feast, says Ann Newbery.

We round up some of the events taking place today and tomorrow.

The Auckland Lantern Festival is celebrating a "full cycle" with the Year of the Rabbit when it opens for the 12th time at Albert Park tonight.

One of the biggest film festivals in the world started with a red carpet première of US blockbuster True Grit on Thursday in Berlin. Celebrities, star-crazed fans and journalists with silly questions, packed the German capital.

At the end of the 19th century, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild built Waddeson Manor in the style of a 16th century French chateau.

World music worked hard for its place in the sun, says pioneer Simon Emerson. By Paula Yeoman.

All the action from the bands and the crowds at the 2011 Laneway Festival at Aotea Square on Auckland Anniversary Day.

Live At the Islands draws some big music names to support conservation work.

Thousands have been flocking to the Viaduct Harbour this holiday weekend to tuck into seafood ranging from oysters to sea escargots (sea snails).

Despite marking its fifth consecutive year, the 2011 Auckland Seafood Festival has a number of firsts up its sleeve.

Yeasayer are back for Laneway, but don't expect a repeat of an infamous earlier trip, says Paula Yeoman.

Crowd control at Gisborne's Rhythm and Vines festival is being improved after boisterous partygoers forced organisers to shut down bus services last night.

Kiwi collective Fat Freddy's Drop has won a spot at one of the biggest music festivals in the United States.

Taking New Zealand's rich and diverse music scene to the world is the aim of Womad's Emere Wano, who has launched the music expo Sounds Aotearoa to provide an opportunity for NZ artists to be heard overseas.

Paula Yeoman looks at the hottest music festivals on offer over the next few months and talks to an expert on the subject of sweet summer vibes, Tiki Taane.

Like your frocks fabulous and your produce pesticide-free? Dunedin's for you, writes Rachel Grunwell.

This fabulous annual festival of wordless performance spans the full mime spectrum, including live art, physical theatre, circus and puppetry.

In 2009, a recession-generated ‘perfect storm’ saw poor ticket sales and losses for the biennial Auckland Arts Festival. Yet, as Alan Perrott finds, its director David Malacari is upbeat for 2011.

This annual music and arts festival is held on a farm surrounded by the beautiful Otway rainforest above Victoria's stunning Great Ocean Rd.

A road trip to the Gisborne Wine & Food Festival is a hilarity-filled affair for Sarah Ivey and friends.