Prepare yourselves, this weekend is packed full of more twists and turns than a packet of twisties.
Style yourself like Harry and fall into a wonderland of culture and sonic spice. Attend an Autumnal celebration of movement and more, bliss out at an urban retreat, indulge in a French feast or sip your way around one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s lushest precincts. Do the mahi to treat the beach, DIY a hot sauce that’d put Hot Ones to shame and dance to the beat of the Earth. All this and more.
Here are 23 epic things to do in Tāmaki Makaurau this Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and all weekend.
Friday 24 March
Get All That Watermelon Sugar
It’s déjà-vu, Harry Styles edition, with a delicious tribute party popping up at The Tuning Fork. So whether you missed out on seeing the man himself, or you just can’t get enough (relatable), deck yourself out in a Harry-inspired get-up and get ready to dance the night away at On Repeat: Harry Styles with pop’n’bop club, Superficial. Expect all the Harry tracks plus bangers from One Direction, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and more.
Wrap Your Mouth Around A Zesty Lil’ Number
If you’re an Irish Whiskey connoisseur (or aspire to be) you might like to scamper down to Dr Rudi’s this Friday for Jameson March Madness. The international tour promises to be music to your ears, and your taste buds, with their popular tipple transformed into a zesty Jameson Orange Sour which we’ve heard pairs ridiculously well with a side of soundwaves by Lee Gray, Murray Cammick, Guy Jay and Lucas Datt. Entry is free.
Level Up Your Doodling
Swap your screen for a pencil this Friday and try your hand at live drawing at the Auckland Art Gallery. These sessions are a great way to shake off any workday tensions by flexing your creativity in the gallery spaces of Tāmaki Makaurau’s art capital. You’ll be guided by observational drawing tutor, Abbey Lyman, and drawing materials are provided (but you’re welcome to bring your own provided they’re dry).
Feast On Tāmaki Makaurau’s Tastiest Food Trucks
The Food Truck Collective is slingin’ all your fave eats this weekend so head along to Luckens Reserve in West Harbour for mouthwatering kai by Akemi’s Gyoza, Brooklyn Dogs, Double Dutch Fries, El Patron, Hapunan, Jo Bros, Vege Bang Bang and Lalele, plus a bunch of lip-smacking beverages. Busy Friday? No problem. Pop to Lloyd Elsmore Park in Howick for a similarly delicious lineup.
Saturday 25 March
Get Cultured
One of the things that make Tāmaki Makaurau such an incredible city is its multiculturalism—this gorgeous city is home to over 200 ethnicities. World of Cultures is a 21-day-long event encouraging Aucklanders to celebrate this cultural vibrancy and this Saturday Celebrating Cultures, a free, family-friendly day of performances and activities is taking place at Barry Curtis Park. Vibes.
Embrace Autumn
Beckon in the Autumn Equinox with a Supper Club unlike any other. A collab between local legends Everybody Eats and atmospheric fitness studio, Sala, you’ll be treated to a yoga flow with Sarah, a Reiki-infused Sound Bath with Jess Pearson and a three-course vegetarian dinner (gluten-free and vegan available) by Everybody Eats. Tickets are limited so if you’re in the mood to revel in movement, kai and good energy, you know what to do.
Snag All The Bargains
Local brand Bronwyn Footwear is throwing a rad sample sale this Saturday at Ambian Studios in Grey Lynn this Saturday. From 10am ‘til 4pm you can score deals on end-of-season footwear, samples and seconds. The best thing to pair with a furious shopping sesh? Pastries of course. And, thanks to Daily Bread, you’ll have exactly that, plus coffee from Supreme and refreshments from Zangria. Delightful.
Soothe Your Vibe With This Urban Retreat
Women’s empowerment advocate, Balancing Act, is hosting an urban retreat at Om Yoga Studio this Saturday and you’re going to want to get amongst. Featuring registered naturopath, medical herbalist and clinical nutritionist Katrina Browne, and HIIT pilates instructor Kelly Parker, the three-and-a-half hour retreat will give you the lowdown on how to live an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. We can feel ourselves relaxing already.
Discover Provence, One Bite At A Time
From the people who brought us La Longue Table Du Chef comes One Day In Provence, a luxurious long lunch reminiscent of boujee summer parties in Saint-Tropez, at The Cloud. With regular, vegetarian and vegan menus and ample gluten-free options, all palettes are welcome at this delicious affair. Tickets are $123 per person and include a glass of Aix Rosé on arrival. Come hungry.
Unleash Your Creativity At A Vans Waffle Day Workshop
Brand-new shoes are a vibe but your pimping your fave kicks is even better. In celebration of the iconic Vans Waffle sole we all know and love, graphic designer and artist James Hunt will be at Vans Queen Street for a Waffle Day Workshop. Customise your shoes or have James illustrate them on your behalf. Taking place from 12pm-4pm, swing by whenever it takes your fancy.
Explore Ponsonby, One Cocktail At A Time
That’s right folks, some of our favourite Ponsy bars have been magically linked together in an Urban Cocktail Trail that’s all about… hydration. Your liquid dance card for the evening may include ACS, The Broken Lantern, Elmo’s, Chapel Bar & Bistro, Bedford Soda & Liquor, Hoppers Garden Bar, Fitzroy Lounge Bar, Longroom and Revelry. And it’s a walking trail, so it’s practically healthy. Delish.
Break Up With Your Old Tech
If you’ve got any old electronics kicking around that you’ve been meaning to get rid of forever, swing by the Holy World Church of Auckland and get that e-waste recycled once and for all. Hosted by Computer Recycling Ltd you can ditch a whole lot of tired goods for free—from computers and monitors to tablets, modems and phones. Other bits and bobs are accepted for a small fee, with recycling charges donated to Variety - The Children’s Charity.
Sunday 26 March
Get On Your Bike And Ride
Cycle Babes is a relaxed social club and education hub for bike lovers and throughout March they’re offering a bunch of wicked bike-related events—from workshops to a group ride and even a film and cocktail night at the end of the month. This Saturday they’re chucking their most popular workshop on repeat in Tumeke, Sandringham. If you’ve been searching for a wheel-y cool group to roll with (we had to), this is it.
Clean Up The Beach
Boosted levels of wind and rainfall (not to mention the recent near biblical-level flooding and cyclone chaser) have seen our beaches more burdened with litter than ever before. If, like us, that makes you want to cry a little bit, you can make a difference this weekend by mucking in at the Campbells Bay Clean Up. Requiring only two hours of your day, volunteers will gather for a cleaning spree. Gloves and buckets provided.
Flow In The Forest
A series of free Tai Chi all-level classes are taking place in Cornwall Park every Sunday from 9-10am and every Tuesday from 6-7pm until 28 March. Dubbed “medication in motion” by Harvard Medical School, tai chi may be low intensity but it ticks all the boxes for strength, flexibility and balance, and is touted for having a range of mental health effects too. If that sounds like a bit of you, swing by Pōhutukawa Drive and drop into the class.
Set Yourself Up For A Very Smooth Sunday
Pssst, secret New York-inspired cocktail bar, Caretaker, offers live jazz every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night from 9pm. The perfect tonic to a wild weekend, shimmy on over to the speakeasy for a total change of pace and unwind with tastebud-tingling cocktails and all the good vibes. Just please don’t ring the bell.
All Weekend
Get A Dose Of Korean Culture
If you're a fan of K-pop then you're going to love this Korean Culture Festival. This new inner-city fest is born from the previous successes of ‘Kfestival’ and is set to bring Korean culture to the life in the city of sails from 24-31 March. Experience Korean food's flavours, learn about Korea's history, brew authentic Korean spirits, learn how to make kimchi and bust some moves at a K-Pop concert. Count us in.
Fall Down The Rabbit Hole
The wonderland that is Earth Beat is back. Taking place just outside Tāmaki Makaurau, this five-day family-friendly festival boasts music that’ll speak to your soul (and will get your groove on), delicious kai and good vibes. Workshops include holistic and organic gardening, Celtic earth wisdom and tree lore, mindfulness with the epic Zac Parish, ceremonial cacao immersion and more.
Light Your Tastebuds On Fire With Hot Sauce Made By You
Eco Fest 2023, a month-long festival for the love of sustainability and the environment, is in full swing, and it’s packed full of intrigue. This weekend you could learn how to make your own hot sauce and natural dyes, or immerse in an adventure performance art walk on Waiheke Island. Check out the full programme, round up your planeteer mates and get amongst.
Get Lit At The Art Gallery
If, like us, you’re a bit of a moth to a neon flame, visit Light from Tate: 1700s to Now at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. With over 70 artworks curated from collections at The Tate in London including artists like Olafur Eliasson, Lilian Lin, and Pae White, expect immersive, multi-sensory vibes that play with light and darkness across painting, photography, sculpture, installation, drawing and moving image. This spellbinding exhibition is around until 25 June.
Blanc De Blanc Encore
A smash hit from the acclaimed creators behind Madonna’s Rebel Heart tour, BLANC de BLANC is simply a must-experience. The naughty cabaret number showcases some of the world's best cabaret, burlesque and acrobatic talent. Bringing the much-loved Spiegeltent to life in Aotea square, BLANC de BLANC will make you surrender all of your inhibitions and embrace the weird and the wonderful. You guessed it, this is but one of many sensational Auckland Arts Festival offerings.
Get Answers To An Ancient Mystery
If you stan the famed stone circle, Stonehenge, will want to hightail it to Auckland Museum to get the down-low on some pretty spicy Stonehenge secrets. Delving into all the big questions—who built it, the intentions behind it, and its role as a domain of the dead-this world-class exhibition is a must-see. Around until 25 April 2023, it’s sure to rock (sorry not sorry).
All this planning of weekend antics left you a bit hangry? Wrap your mouth around the best food news in Aotearoa.
Image credit: Earth Beat Festival.