10 Of The Best Things To Do In Auckland This Weekend
Alice Rich
Contributor & Former Editor | Urban List NZ
Another week has become a blur and that’s good news because it means yet another weekend is upon us. And this one might just be the best yet. From a magical mushroom festival, to liquid fashion, letters from the cosmos, and a running donut tour, there’s plenty to get amongst.
Here are 10 of the best things to do in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland this weekend.
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What’s On In Tāmaki Makaurau This Friday
Wear Your Fashion, And Drink It Too
Kingi’s ‘Threads of Taste’ cocktail list is drawing inspiration from fashion runways this month with liquid iterations of everything from silk and tweed to soft velvet and zero-waste linen. And for every drink purchased, $1 will be donated to Fair Food in support of the charity’s winter kaupapa to provide over 350,000 meals to whānau in need.
The Details
Where: kingi, 29 Galway Street, The Hotel Britomart
When: 1-31 August 2026
Cost: Varies
Find out more here.
Sign Up For Star Girl Mail
Maddi Garrett (ex-Studio Alora) is, as she puts it, entering her MILF era right now so her tattoo books are closed. But recently she announced she’s starting a monthly cosmic letterbox project called Star Girl Mail, and if you’re even just a little bit mystical, you’re going to want in. Sign up to receive a gorgeous pack straight from the Alora cosmos, with journal prompts, rituals, stickers, magical treasures and magic insights, and more straight to your actual mailbox–not your inbox. (Finally mail that isn’t a bill.) Sign up before August 15 to get in on her first drop.
The Details
Where: Your mailbox, every month
When: From September 2026
Cost: From $11-22 per month
Find out more here.
Mess With The Bull, Feel The Rush
When the clock strikes 10pm, panic—you’re late to Bullrush and you better pray there’s no lockout. But seriously, get your act together and skip on over to Basement Theatre to see some of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most hilarious people doing ridiculously impressive and bizarre things, all in the name of eliciting a giggle. Dubbed ‘Bullrush’ you can never quite know what to expect, except that it’s going to be one helluva vibe.
The Details
Where: Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Avenue
When: 10 July 2026
Cost: Choose what you pay
Find out more here.
What’s On In Tāmaki Makaurau This Saturday
Partake In The Giant Puff Ball
In case you missed it, Karanaghape Road has been a tribute to the mighty mushroom since Wednesday in a four-day Mushroom Festival full of art, talks, kai, and a subterranean costume parade. Closing out the frivolities is The Giant Puff Ball, an evening hosted by Joanna Cosgrove with dope beats by Carniovorous Plant Society, Halfqueen, ECB Firmware, Hun Lynch, Fergus Waveforms, Ryna Berkley and Foxglove.
The Details
Where: Whakamana Cannabis Museum - Hopetoun Alpha
When: Saturday 15 August 2026
Cost: $20 RSVP or koha on the door
Find out more here.
Move Your Body And Help Those With Incurable Breast Cancer
Grab yourself a ticket to one of KX Pilates Newmarket’s morning classes and you’ll be feeling a whole lot of warm fuzzies alongside those post-workout endorphins. For the uninitiated, ‘KX’ stands for ‘Kaizen Experience’. It’s a dynamic reformer-style workout shaped by the Japanese concept of continuous improvement, in a relaxed setting. This Saturday, proceeds from the 8am and 9am signature classes, and 10am basics class, will be donated to Sweet Louise, a national charity that supports New Zealanders living with incurable breast cancer.
The Details
Where: KX Pilates Newmarket, 29 Nuffield Street, Newmarket
When: 15 August 2026
Cost: $25
Find out more here.
Strut Your Stuff On The Dance Floor
At least one existential crisis is a rite of passage when you hit your 30s. Side effects include latching onto a brand new hobby and salsa certainly fits the bill. But if the closest you’ve ever got to cutting shapes on the dance floor is the old nod and side step or pumping your fist in the air, you might like to head along to KD Dance’s Open Day where you can try a whole bunch of different Latin dance styles, from Cuban salsa rueda to bachata and salsa on2.
The Details
Where: TAPAC, 100 Motions Road, Western Springs
When: 15 August 2026
Cost: $5 per class
Find out more here.
Snag A First Look At The Brand New Karanga-a-hape Station
The cat’s finally out of the proverbial bag–a casual decade in the making City Rail Link will open on 13 September and you can get a first look at the stations over the coming weekends. Each one-hour guided tour will walk you through the station, the stories behind the designs and get you up to speed with how the stations will work once they’re open. Plus, there’ll be busking, community performances and activations in and around the stations too. This weekend: Karanga-a-Hape. .
The Details
Where: Karanga-a-Hape Station, 13 Mercury Lane
When: Saturday 15 August 2026
Cost: Free
Find out more here.
What’s On In Tāmaki Makaurau This Sunday
Put Some Sonic Seasoning In Your Sunday
Every month, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki hosts a free music performance to encourage gallery-goers to experience sounds they might not have heard otherwise. This month, it’s all about folk trio, Tweed, in collaboration with alternative instrument-maker, Fathom. Make a day of it and wander round the gallery’s collections while you’re at it.
The Details
Where: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
When: 16 August 2026
Cost: Free
Find out more here.
Dash Around The City For Donuts
Lace up your kicks, Athletes For Nature is hosting their annual Auckland Vegan Donut Run this Sunday. The 16km loop starts at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and includes four stops along the way to munch on your vegan donut (or other treat) of choice. If that distance seems a bit much (even for donuts), there’s an option to join at Grownup Donuts in Ponsonby Central for the last 5kms/two stops instead. If there were ever a reason to run, this is it.
The Details
Where: Auckland War Memorial Museum
When: 16 August 2026
Cost: Varies
Find out more here.
The Best Things To Do This Weekend
Restore Your Threads At A Sustainability Festival In A Silo
Ahead of Fashion Week comes Restore, an initiative by Jeanine Clarkin, which is part marketplace, part workshop series dedicated to repair, reconstruction, creativity and storytelling. Stop by to peruse sustainable fashion products or make your own with lessons in embroidery, costume jewellery, garment-marking and natural accessories.
The Details
Where: Silo 6, Beaumont & Jellicoe Street, Wynyard Quarter
When: 15-16 August 2026
Cost: Free
Find out more here.
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