Labour weekend in Auckland is stacked with things to do, from a once-in-a-lifetime dinosaur exhibition to open studio trails and a ballet with Wētā Workshop magic woven through it. Here's what's worth planning your weekend (and a few upcoming weeks) around.
The big draw for families is at Auckland War Memorial Museum, where five Triceratops fossil skeletons have arrived for 'March of the Triceratops'. It's the only known Triceratops herd ever discovered, and the exhibition - developed by the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in the Netherlands - assembles more than 1,200 bones and fossil fragments from five Triceratops horridus that lived roughly 66-68 million years ago. Life-sized models, soundscapes, animations and augmented reality fill out the Late Cretaceous world.
Over at Motat, Ngā Mirumiru Bubbles celebrates its 10th anniversary all weekend. The event turns the museum into a bubble-filled playground with live bubble shows, giant wands, a step-inside-a-bubble moment and sneaky science learning on fluid mechanics and problem-solving. Tram rides, crafts and live entertainment are all included with general admission.
Culture fans get plenty of choice too. The Royal New Zealand Ballet's acclaimed production of The Sleeping Beauty, choreographed by Greg Horsman with design touches from Wellington's Wētā Workshop, begins a nationwide tour on Thursday, set to Tchaikovsky's famous score. And from Tuesday, the Intrepid British & Irish Film Festival 2026 runs until November 18, screening from Kerikeri to Dunedin - highlights include Wicker with Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgard, the Michael Parkinson documentary Parky, and Danny Boyle's Ink about Rupert Murdoch.
If you'd rather get out of the city, Raglan Arts Weekend includes painter Sam Mathers' studio at 536 Wainui Rd, where he's unveiling large-scale epoxy-finished works that read like an illustrated travel journal - free entry. Northwest, Helensville hosts ARTS in the VILLE, a free art trail running 10am-4pm Saturday to Monday, complete with open studios, a Makers Market, kids' activities and a Kaipara Cup Paper Boat Race.
Theatre-goers can catch Tāke Kurī: The Dog Tax Rebellion at Te Pou Theatre from Wednesday - Ngāpuhi playwright Geoffrey Clendon's retelling of the 1898 Hokianga conflict, with four actors playing more than 20 characters (plus some canine commentators) and rare archival photos on display. It later travels to Kerikeri.
Looking further ahead, the calendar stays busy: Auckland Diwali Festival (October 31-November 1), a Highwic Plant Fair, Auckland FEAST (November 12-22), Art in the Park at Eden Park, and Love Actually in Concert at The Civic on December 14.
For travellers, this is a good template for a city break: museum mornings, an art trail drive, and an evening show - all reachable without leaving the Auckland region, with Raglan and Helensville as easy day-trip escapes if you have a car.
