If you're in Tāmaki Makaurau this weekend, the city has stacked the decks against staying in. There's a chocolate-and-coffee festival on the waterfront, a family festival that drew more than 10,000 people in its first year, a fresh musical revival, a fashion runway in a laneway, and a concert built around the oldest named pipe organ in Australasia. Here's what's worth knowing about.
The sweet one first: the Chocolate and Coffee Festival, billed as New Zealand's biggest celebration of the two, runs all weekend at the Viaduct Events Centre. Expect the country's top chocolatiers, roasters and artisan producers in one place, with tastings and exhibitor stalls aimed at everyone from casual snackers to proper connoisseurs. It's become one of Auckland's most in-demand foodie events, so arrive with a plan and an appetite.
Families have the stronger draw, though. Auckland Live's We The Young festival runs until October 11 across multiple city venues, with more than 25 performances and experiences for children aged 0-12 — theatre, music, circus, puppetry and creative play, over half of it completely free. One standout: The Kids' Election, which lets tamariki cast votes and play at being politicians and activists. After last year's debut pulled in more than 10,000 visitors, expect the popular sessions to fill up.
Culture buffs get two new exhibitions. At the Gus Fisher Gallery, Touchsprings features a large-scale glass installation called Pavilion under the building's Art Deco dome — wild weeds from outside the gallery have been cultivated inside sealed glass tubes, a nod to the 19th-century Wardian cases colonists used to ship plants across oceans. Over at Motat, All Aboard – How Tāmaki Moves dives into the city's public transport history with an immersive projection show, from horse-drawn trams on Queen St to today's network, timed neatly with the newly opened City Rail Link.
Two more reasons to head into town: Q Theatre has opened a pop-concert-styled Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, with a cast that includes Andrew Papas (& Juliet) and Nick Hall, aka drag performer Anita Wigl'it, on until October 10. And tomorrow evening at Ponsonby Baptist Church, Meet Mr Avery! pairs English Baroque music with the church's 1779 John Avery chamber organ — the oldest pipe organ in Australasia with a known builder, restored in 2004 and sounding distinctly 18th-century.
Shoppers get a look-in too. Commercial Bay's Solstice weekend includes a free open-air runway show at 1pm today, styled by Sammy Salsa and soundtracked by DJ P Money, plus a claw-machine promotion: spend $150 at participating retailers and you get a token and a shot at a $5000 spending spree.
Further out, the 2026 Auckland Heritage Festival has kicked off its 22nd year with the theme Tastes of Tāmaki — two weeks of mostly free or low-cost walks, talks and workshops exploring the region's food history, from mana whenua's māra to wartime catering for US forces. Later in the season: NZ Opera's The Pearl Fishers, Cabaret at ASB Waterfront Theatre until October 18, the Wiggles in October, and Diwali festival events in central Auckland on October 31-November 1.
Plenty here for locals, but if you're visiting Auckland soon, time your trip around one of these and you'll get the city at its most alive.
