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It's July, baby. Well... it really depends on when you're reading this.
And what you spend your July doing, well, that really depends on whether you read this.
'Cause I've got just about the whole month sorted. And if, like myself, you’re live for the weekend as much as the week, then check out what’s on Friday to Sunday with my carefully crafted blueprint on how not to waste your three weekly days of freedom.
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Jump to:
- Don't Miss
- Free And Budget-Friendly Events
- Food And Drink Events
- Arts And Culture
- Rainy Day Activities
- Uniquely Auckland Experiences
- Coming Soon
Don’t Miss
Wharenui Harikoa Returns
5-27 July | The Civic | Free
Image credit: Auckland Live | Instagram
Wharenui Harikoa—the world’s first crocheted wharenui—is coming back home this week. Displayed at The Civic and open to the public this Saturday, it's an immersive, multi-sensory experience where every detail is intentional and each colour is described, given a te reo Māori name, and paired with a corresponding vibration. And be sure to peep the Sky Tower on Friday night, which will light up to mark its.
GHD Turns Redroom Pink
2 & 11 July | RedRoom Studio | $
Image credit: ghd | supplied
To celebrate the launch of GHD’s 2025 ‘Pink’ collection, the Redroom at City Works depot is turning pink, twice! Two special non-heated Pilates mornings—45-minute low-impact, non-heated flow sessions with Charlie Francis—plus goodie bags and pink juice post-class. Just $10 a pop, with 100% of proceeds going directly to the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ to support their incredible work in research, education, and care. Snag a ticket, here.
Aotea Square Ice Rink
'Til 20 July | Aotea Square, Auckland CBD | $-$$
Image credit: Auckland Live | Instagram
It’s not winter until Aotea Square has her ice rink out. That’s right, the time has come again for you to get red in the palms and face as you Bambi your way through a first date. Although with beats from a live DJ on Groovy Fridays, your attempt at skating may just about pass for some kind of interpretative dance…
Enamoured Events
Multiple Events | Enamoured Books | Free/$
Image credit Isabella Spinosa | supplied
If you’ve been keeping up with these weekly drops, then you’ll be well aware that Enamoured Books is currently dominating the world of cozy things to do in winter. And if you need a refresher: Tuesday is for their Quiet Nights curl up and read sessions (with a special Magnolia & Soul collab on 1 & 8 July), Thursday is for Late-night Book Club (a $10 host your own, sitch), and last Saturday a permanent jewellery pop-up from The Welder’s Daughter kicked off (book a slot). Oh, and this Friday is the first instalment in their 'For The Vibes' series, with a unique Charm Necklace Workshop from Made By Holly. Oh, oh, oh, and Wednesdays are when we wear pink (I think).
NZBS National Blood Donor Week: ‘Blood Bangers' & ‘Plasma Playlists’ Submissions
Entries Close 1 August | NZBS Instagram & Facebook | Free
I donate blood occasionally. Not as much as I should. But one of my problems is that even though I'm a twenty-something man with hairs on my chest (a few) and a hearty mo' (kind of), I still need a bit of a gee up to get me through those five draining minutes on the chair. Cue, quite literally, New Zealand Blood Society's 'Blood Bangers' & 'Plasma Playlists' initiative, which lets you suggest (here or here) the song you would choose to power you through a lifesaving donation. The end result is a super playlist for the superhero donors among us.
Ponsonby Central x Kindness Collective: 100,000 Dots of Positivity
For The Month Of June | Ponsonby Central | Free/Donation
When it comes to feel-good things that are put on by good humans for the sake of, well, humans, then I never hesitate to show some love. In the latest case of pure joy to come across my desk, Ponsonby Central has partnered with Kindness Collective and dedicated an entire wall to positivity. Grab a coloured dot, write one word that makes you smile, stick it on the wall, and donate to families in need. They hope for a vibrant, growing canvas that reflects the community's spirit in real time, offering a moment of brightness to everyone who passes by.
Food And Drink Events
Celebrate Dry July with Elta Ego
1-6 July | 10 Te Ara Tahuhu, Britomart | Free/$$
Image credit: Elta Ego | supplied
Ah, excuse me… you, yeah you—I saw that espresso martini story of yours last Friday… and Saturday…. annnd Sun- anyway, Dry July kicked off on Tuesday, and the good folks at Elta Ego are getting behind those who are typically quite thirsty with six days of celebration down at Britomart. 100 free drinks daily, plus prizes on offer and a cheeky tote in exchange for a bit of spending. Yessireee.
Viaduct Harbour Unveils ‘Maruata Rikoriko’ for Matariki
‘Til 13 July | Marloet Square, Viaduct Harbour | Free/$$
Image credit: Viaduct Harbour | supplied
Culture, kai and damn good food. 'Maruata Rikoriko' was unveiled down on our lovely Viaduct, and it’s not just nice to look at—it’s a powerful new community installation that embodies the spirit of whakawhanaungatanga (connection) and kotahitanga (unity) through kai and kōrero. The kai in question? Special Matariki dishes from top neighbouring restaurants.
Ladi6 'Le Vā' Album Release Tour
Multiple Dates | Multiple Venues | $$
Image credit: Ladi6 | Instagram
Aotearoa’s resident queen of soul is back on the beat, bringing her 'Le Vā' Album Release nationwide. Dedicated to her late mother Fuarosa and featuring a bunch of new material plus all those classics we know and love, it’s set to be a deeply personal foray coloured by her signature sound. Raglan 4 July, Avondale 5 July and a very alluring Waiheke Island gig 11 July. Lemme go check those ferry tickets aye.
Auckland City Centre’s Matariki Light Trail
‘Til 13 July | Myers Park To The Waterfront | Free
Image credit: Auckland Live | website
There’s a two-kilometre light trail in the city centre—yep, and it's the largest Indigenous light trail in Aotearoa and perhaps even the world. It reminds me a bit of a beautiful series of portals I might race through in Mario Kart, only, with my dwindling demerit points and a massive amount of detail and workmanship going into each instalment, I might as well walk this one. Perchance, a lovely wee winter night this week?
Roger Hall’s End of Summer Time (Auckland Theatre Company)
'Til 5 Jul | ASB Waterfront Theatre | $$
New Zealand’s favourite playwright, Sir Roger Hall, is bringing back his loveable grump, who’s here to steal the show again. Directed by Alison Quigan and starring Andrew Grainger, End of Summer Time is a hilarious solo play following retired cow cocky Dickie Hart, as he moves to the big smoke to be closer to his grandkids. Packed with Hall’s signature wit and heart, it opened last week and is set to be a laugh-out-loud exploration of family, aging, and the chaos of life.
Doc Edge Film Festival
'Til 25 August | Various locations | $-$$$
If documentaries are your schtick, you’ll want to deep dive into Doc Edge Festival, which, this year, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Always packed with high-calibre films from Aotearoa and around the world, plus immersive exhibitions, industry events, and a schools programme, Doc Edge is essential viewing.
Taniwha
'Til 13 July | Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre | $$
The mighty Taniwha has slithered and swum all the way up the Waikato just to make its theatrical debut. Taniwha is a whānau-friendly adventure inspired by the magic of Miyazaki films and old school classics like The Goonies, following young Mereana and friends as they protect a taniwha from urban development. Showing at Herald Theatre in Aotea Centre, the performance is a magical multimedia experience (peep the main image for this article) with a cast of narrators that's a good time for anyone aged five and up.
DIVA at Auckland Museum
'Til 19 October | Auckland War Memorial Museum | $/$$
Image credit: Auckland War Memorial Museum | supplied
My favourite building in all of the land is getting her slay on at the end of the month. Developed by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, DIVA is now exhibiting at Auckland War Memorial Museum to celebrate icons of eras who challenged norms and changed the world through the power of performance. Over 280 objects, including fashion, photography, costumes, music, and design, featuring trailblazing performers, theatrical staging, and an immersive musical soundtrack experience. It's all I could ever have asked of an exhibition and more, more, more.
Reuben Paterson’s Guide Kaiārahi
Now Showing | Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland Central | Free
Image credit: Reuben Paterson, Guide Kaiārahi, 2021. Edmiston Trust Collection, commissioned by Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2021. Courtesy of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2021.
In between brunching, lunching, and hot girl walks, why don’t you wander over to Auckland Art Gallery and have a gander at Reuben Paterson’s downright dazzling sculpture Guide Kaiārahi. Its return to the gallery's forecourt this Friday happens to coincide with Brett Graham’s Wastelands, 2024, alongside a programme of free events at the Gallery for Matariki.
A Century of Modern Art
Now Showing | Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki | Free
Image credit: Vincent van Gogh, Wheat Fields with Reaper, Auvers, 1890, Toledo Museum of Art, Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey.
Manet, Monet, Picasso, van Gogh… Cezzanne, Gauguin, Pissarro, Renoir… if these names have resolutely roused the art aficionado living in that one-bedroom, mattress on the floor, easel at the window, Parisian studio-attic-apartment somewhere in the back of your head, then check this: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki’s ‘A Century of Modern Art’ is now showing. I would say more, but I think those names speak for themselves.
Rainy Day Activities
Continual Store x Fever Vintage Ponsonby Central Pop-Up
'Tul 3 August | Ponsonby Central | $-$$$
Image credit: Continual Store | Instagram
Another week, another opportunity to rummage through some retro gold. Mark my words, 2025 is the beginning of the end for retail therapy (all my homies hate fast fashion), and Continual Store & Fever Vintage wholeheartedly agree with a neat little pop-up in Ponsonby Central 'til 3 August. Bad day to be a pair of baggy jeans.
KŌKĀ Launches in Over 100 Cinemas Nationwide
Now Showing | Nationwide | $-$$
I must say, there are almost too many epic ways to celebrate Matariki this year—we've all stepped up our game quite significantly. Although, I wouldnt say too many, too soon, as I have another stunning recommendation for ya: KŌKĀ, the debut feature by director Kath Akuhata-Brown, has launched at over 100 cinemas across Aoatearo and is more than just a film; it is a celebration of te ao Māori, a tribute to the resilience of indigenous storytelling, and a reminder that healing often begins with looking to the stars.
Imagine The Magic
Through Winter | Westfields Across Aotearoa | Free
Rainy days and shopping malls go together just about as well as Disney and ice. And it just so happens that the latter is coming to the former across Aotearoa this winter, as Westfields from Newmarket to Riccarton put on a few Frozen-themed shows. Yup, Frozen. I can almost hear the shrills of excitement from little Elsas and Olafs across the land.
Unique Auckland Experiences
Auckland Zoo's Dinosaur Nights & Lights
'Til 13 July | Auckland Zoo | $
Image credit: Auckland Live | website
Pick two things that make a kid’s head explode. I’ll go first: dinosaurs & the zoo. Combine both and you’ve got the greatest core memory of a 10-year-old’s life happening every night (bar 28 June & 8 July) for the next few weeks at Auckland Zoo. P.S. A ‘Silent Dino Disco’ at the Dinosaur Tent is on offer for those wanting to get their dino groove on.
Night at Auckland Museum: Superstars
Winter & Spring School Holidays | Auckland War Memorial Museum | $$
Image credit: Auckland War Memorial Museum | supplied
My childhood dreams just came true. Yup, this dumb dumb is getting some gum gum (and my ever-trusty flashlight) and heading down to Auckland War Memorial Museum for their returning Night at Auckland Museum series. This time around, the theme is Superstars, and it’s the perfect solution to quell the impending household rebellion these school holidays. P.S. Your ticket also secures your entry to DIVA too.
Coming Soon
The Art of Banksy
7 July-3 August | Hunua Rooms, Aotea Centre | $$
Image credit: The Art of Banksy | supplied
In my younger and more vulnerable years, forever fighting acne, teenage angst and rumours of ‘The Man’, I would've given up my whole $13.75/hour paycheck to catch an exhibition from this street-art titan. Better yet, I’m now a bit older and wiser and can enjoy the celebrated, definitive works of one of the greatest guerrilla artists to ever pick up a paint can even more. And although most of his work appears without prior consultation, The Art of Banksy is scheduled to wow the Hunua Rooms of Tāmaki Makaurau's Aotea Centre from 7 to 3 August. It’s the world’s largest collection of original and authenticated Banksy art, showcasing more than 150 pieces and including the global exclusive of the first-ever Flower Thrower—now a symbol of Palestinian solidarity and resistance, but initially conceived in '97 as a Valentine’s Day gift for his then-girlfriend.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
15 Jul-9 Aug | ASB Waterfront Theatre, Parnell Village | $$
Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love and tragedy gets a bold, 1960s makeover in this atomic production of Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Benjamin Kilby-Henson, Theo Dāvid and Phoebe McKellar star as the star-crossed lovers in a world of Missoni prints and Pucci glamour. With a powerhouse cast including Miriama McDowell and Bronwyn Bradley, this electrifying reimagining celebrates love’s triumph over hate, but at a devastating cost. A fresh, stylish take on a classic that’s as relevant today as it was back when they were all into their frilly clothes and the word ‘doth’.
Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra
26 July | Spark Arena | $$-$$$
Image credit: Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra | supplied
Black Sabbath meets the Double Bass? Metallica by Maestros? Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra is about the greatest thing I've ever heard of. A high-octane collision of metal and classical music with a 29-piece orchestra belting out all your favourite head-banging anthems. From the teams behind Symphony and Come Together, there’s only one venue that could harness so much classical carnage and that’s Spark Arena… they always said Mozart was the rockstar of his age…
World Press Photo Exhibition
26 July-24 August | 131 Queen Street (New Venue Due To Smith & Caughey's Closure) | $/$$
New venue, same dates, same jaw-dropping imagery. The prestigious World Press Photo Exhibition is returning to Queen Street this month, showcasing stunning photojournalism from 42 international photographers. Featured stories include conflict, climate, and community, and proceeds support Rotary youth charities and the PHAB disability charity. Tickets available online via Eventfinda or at the door, and take it from me: it's well worth the price of admission, and then some.
Chicago the Musical
31 July-3 August | Bruce Mason Centre | $$-$$$
A scintillating tale of fame, fortune and jazz-age glamour—the award-winning, globally adored Chicago the Musical is making its way to little ‘ol Auckland at the end of the month. Directed by Kiwi creative institution Michael Hurst, this brand-new production will boast a professional cast of international and New Zealand singers. So grab a ticket and get ready for the cushy seats of Bruce Mason Centre, where you’ll enjoy all the razzle-dazzle you can handle.
MARY: The Birth of Frankenstein
19 August-7 September | ASB Waterfront Theatre, Parnell Village | $$
Step into the dark, drug-fueled world of MARY: The Birth of Frankenstein, a gripping reimagining of the night Mary Shelley penned her iconic novel. Unsettling, lust-drenched, and utterly captivating.
Ethel & Bethel’s Comedy Bingo Night—Fundraiser For The Kidney Society
12 September | Freemans Bay Community Hall | $$
Image credit: Ethel And Bethel | Instagram
Something about 'R18 Bingo Night' just gets me hyped. Maybe it's my competitive side, or maybe I just love taking seemingly innocuous events to the extreme—like that one mishap I had with Pin the Tail at my nephew's fifth birthday. Anyway... Ethel & Bethel's Comedy Bingo Night in September has me genuinely intrigued. It's a night with a mission—raising $30,000 to support people with kidney disease, with every ticket making a real difference. Beyond their sharp wit and chaotic energy, prizes, drinks, snacks, and a fair bit of community-inspired chaos await. No door sales, so grab your tickets now.
Cirque du Soleil: Corteo
30 Oct-2 November | Spark Arena | $$$
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil | Maja Prgomet
Cirque du Soleil is returning to Aotearoa this October, with the Auckland debut of Corteo. Directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, Corteo is a festive parade imagined from a clown’s perspective, set on a double-sided stage. Expect grace, power, and comedy played out in a liminal space between heaven and earth. Tickets are live.
TIRI: TE ARAROA WOMAN FAR WALKING
4-23 Nov | ASB Waterfront Theatre, Parnell Village | $$
Closing out the 2025 season is TIRI: TE ARAROA WOMAN FAR WALKING, a groundbreaking adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s epic tale. For the first time, the play will be performed in both English and te reo Māori, celebrating the enduring spirit of Te Ao Māori. Directed by Katie Wolfe and starring Miriama McDowell, this two-part production follows Tiri Mahana, a 185-year-old matriarch, from the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi to modern-day Aotearoa. A powerful, history-making theatrical expert.
Not in Auckland? Check out what's on in Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown this year.
Main image credit: Auckland Live | Website.
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