Matariki ki te Manawa
He aha āu mahi whakanui i a Matariki i ngā rangi whakataa kei te heke mai?
With light installations that tell stories of place and space, activations for people of all ages, live music, innovative Augmented Reality sculptures, there is something for everyone. Look up, look around...where light, art and music weave a thousand stories across the city centre.
Turama
Mon 15 Jun - Tue 21 July
Shortland Street to Aotea Square
The tāhūhū light trail of Matariki ki te Manawa returns to Queen Street, from Shortland Street to Aotea Square. This award-winning light installation by Graham Tipene, Ataahua Papa, and Angus Muir Design with Phil Wihongi traces the story of Waihorotiu, the historical waterway that flows beneath our feet, connecting past to present along the city’s busiest spine.
Ngā Reo o te Rangi - Voices of the Stars
Fri 10 Jul, 6:45pm
Great hall, Auckland Town Hall
Join us for a powerful evening of music, storytelling, and reflection as some of Aotearoa’s most compelling voices come together under one sky. Headlined by Stan Walker, with performances from Maisey Rika and Troy Kingi, this special concert weaves sound, soul, and whakapapa into a shared Matariki experience.
Waiata Anthems In Concert
Thur 9 July, 7.30pm
Auckland Town Hall
This Matariki, experience the award-winning album that started a movement — Waiata Anthems LIVE in Concert. Hear iconic Kiwi songs performed live against the backdrop of a full symphony orchestra. Exciting guests vocalists Jordyn with a Why, MOHI and Geneva AM join Auckland Philharmonia to bring this waiata to the stage.
Are Atoms Alive?
Fri 10 Jul - Sun 2 Aug
Aotea Square
A visual journey from the sparkling expanse of the galaxies to the depths of the cells dividing in our bodies, this installation connects Earth to the Matariki star realm and encourages us to look up and be aware of all that is around us.
Herenga Waka: where we come from
10 & 11 July, 6.30pm
Basement Theatre
This Matariki, join us for a curation of kiriata (film) focused on identity, reflection and inclusion from Aotearoa, Te Whenua Moemoeā and beyond.
Other July events
Every Kind of Weather
23 July - 2 August
Q theatre
This July, acclaimed actor Stephen Lovatt and director Shane Bosher return to Q Theatre to revisit Bruce Mason's legacy in Every Kind of Weather, a rare repertory season of two of his most powerful plays - The End of the Golden Weather and Not Christmas, But Guy Fawkes.
Sharp Teeth
21 - 25 July, 7.30pm
Q Theatre
Sharp Teeth is a striking new dance theatre work from the creators of Dynamotion. In this latest collaboration, Lara Fischel-Chisholm and Tom Sainsbury return with a bold, surreal, and heart-thumpingly visual experience that lingers long after the lights go down.
Te Tuhi - Exhibitions
24 May – 19 July
Te Tuhi presents six new exhibitions by artists, Allan McDonald, Bahar Noorizadeh, Brendan Kitto, Ilish Thomas, Pao Houa Her, and Sonic Hapori. As individual presentations, the exhibitions navigate the discrete emotions lingering around longing or revisit the past to radically transform the present.
Doc Edge Festival 2026
24 June - 12 July
The Capitol Cinema, Balmoral
Takapuna Beachside Cinemas
Doc Edge Festival 2026 returns to Auckland with its boldest edition yet, showcasing 75 films including 28 world premieres. Screenings span Capitol, Balmoral, and Takapuna cinemas, alongside a landmark immersive exhibition. With Oscar-qualifying awards, industry events, and nationwide Virtual Cinema, the festival celebrates documentary storytelling across Aotearoa, inspiring diverse audiences.
Royal New Zealand Ballet - Winter Season
16 July - August 1
Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
Three works. One unmissable night. This July, the Royal New Zealand Ballet brings their Winter Season to Auckland's Aotea Centre. Don't miss this pure celebration of ballet and ballerinas, including the NZ premiere of Sir Frederick Ashton's Birthday Offering. 23 - 25 July, Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre.
