It’s almost the end of March… well, one more week.
And that week is this week, where you’ll be pretty flat-out dancing, adopting, stretching, partying, grooving, singing and sculpting for seven days straight.
And if all those ings aren’t enough, check out what's on(ing) in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland this weekend, this month, with kids, and in 2025.
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What's On In Auckland This Week
Gen B Campaign—BLUNT Umbrella Repair Workshop
24 March | Britomart Square
Image credit: BLUNT Umbrellas | Instagram
Got a busted brolly? BLUNT Umbrellas is hosting a free repair workshop in Britomart Square this Monday (10am–3pm) as part of Gen B—a campaign by B Lab AANZ to rally nearly 750 purpose-driven brands across NZ and Australia for its biggest-ever B Corp Month, celebrating businesses that balance people, planet, and profit. This workshop celebrates sustainability and the power of repair over replacement, so bring your broken umbrella down to Britomart, and the BLUNT team will work their magic.
World of Cultures Festival
21 March-6 April | Across Auckland
Culture connoisseurs and curious minds—World of Cultures is rolling out a kaleidoscope of 120 free and affordable events scattered across mighty Tāmaki Makaurau. Kick off the week with a bit of tail feather shaking at Colombian Caribbean dance workshops, then roll up your sleeves for some dumpling-making masterclasses (all ages welcome). Next week get down to some of Transglobal Ensemble's cross-cultural jams before hitting the the grand finale: CultureFest on 6 April.
National Pet Adoption Month & Adoption Weekend
Throughout March
Image credit: Creatures & Co. | Instagram
Pet lovers with room in your hearts and homes—thousands of furry (and not-so-furry) friends need you this National Pet Adoption Month. The Petstock Foundation is dispelling those rescue pet myths and making matches made in animal heaven, especially during their adoption weekend this weekend. Already living with a rescue bestie? Share your adoption success story with #NPAM and @petstock_nz for the chance to win a professional photoshoot from Creatures & Co. with your four-legged (or winged, or scaled) family member. Because nothing says "I love you", like professional glamour shots of your rescue pet.
NZ Spirit Festival North Island 2025
27-30 March | Kumeu Showgrounds
Image credit: Bella Rose | NZ Spirit Festival's Instagram
Swap the city grind for four days of pure bliss at the NZ Spirit Festival North Island. Just 30 minutes from Auckland, this alcohol and waste-free celebration is your chance to soak up the last of the sun along with some wholesome vibrations. Yoga, breathwork, and nature walks by day, then dance under the stars to world-class DJs by night. With 100+ market stalls, 50 healers, and workshops that’ll leave you glowing, it’s a full immersion into wellness, culture, and good vibes. Final tickets are live and limited.
Ready & Reset
29 March | Secret Clevedon Location
Already need a break but can't commit to a week in Bali? Model turned wellness guru Esther Cronin has created the perfect send-off to the balmier months with Ready & Reset's inaugural Countryside Reset Day. Set in a secret location amongst the lush rolling hills of Clevedon (very mysterious, very chic), this one-day retreat is all about farewelling those golden rays in style. First things first, morning smoothies from Bowler before flowing into Pilates under the sun. A bit later, it's gratitude workshops, and finally, the now-essential sauna and ice bath combo courtesy of Sauna Collective and Icemunity. With a live DJ spinning good vibes all day and nourishing food to fuel your reset, you'll leave feeling refreshed and ready to tackle 2025.
An Evening with Bob Geldof: Songs and Stories from an Extraordinary Life
29 March | Michael Fowler Centre
From punk rock rebel to global activist, Bob Geldof is bringing his extraordinary life to the stage. Celebrating 40 years since Live Aid and 50 years of The Boomtown Rats, this intimate evening blends acoustic performances of his biggest hits with raw, unfiltered stories from his journey as a slaughterhouse worker to Nobel-nominated icon. Expect multimedia magic, candid anecdotes, and a dose of his relentless passion for justice. It’s not just a concert; it’s a masterclass in turning chaos into change. Tickets for a rare chance to hear it straight from the legend himself are now live.
Manuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival
29 March | Auckland Domain
Orchestra meets bass drops? Say less. Auckland's most magic musical mashup is storming back to Pukekawa Auckland Domain with a lineup that'll have your refined and raving sides screaming. CYRIL, Example (UK), KORA, Ladi6 and Th' Dudes will be doing their thang while Auckland Philharmonia, at the behest of Sarah-Grace Williams, provides the string theory to your dance floor physics. After last year's 35,000-person orchestral mosh, SYNTHONY No.6 is primed to turn classical musicians into rockstars yet again with its global premiere. Plus, two stages, a food village and VIP & VVIP gardens for those wanting to rinse it in style—it's a no-brainer. Tickets here.
ON HAND X COURTNEY PETLEY
30 March | 1A Kelly St, Mt Eden
Image credit: By Hand | supplied
Get hands-on with master woodworker Courtney Petley in this intimate sphere-carving workshop. Part of the ‘By Hand’ series of workshops hosted by On Hand, transform charmingly rough swamp kauri into a smooth, palm-sized wooden sphere under Courtney’s expert guidance. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artisan, this workshop is all about slowing down, connecting with the craft, and creating something beautiful. With classes capped at just eight people, you’ll get plenty of one-on-one time to perfect your piece. With ticks for only the final date left available, you better be quick before spaces are all snapped up.
DARKLIGHT: A Descent Into Colour
Tickets Live/Event 2-4 May | Brad’s Warehouse
Image credit: DARKLIGHT | supplied
Prepare your senses for a mind-bending journey through light and shadow. DARKLIGHT, a first-of-its-kind exhibition in New Zealand, is transforming Brad's Warehouse into an audio-visual playground where you'll be completely enveloped by interactive installations. The brainchild of Angus Muir and Dan Move (LUMA legends), with collaborations from creative heavyweights Lakshman Anandanayagam and Simon Holden, this immersive light show rivals international sensations like teamLab. Slots are strictly one hour—though you'll wish you could stay forever in this technicolor dreamscape. Tickets already live.
What's On In Auckland In March 2025
Rhys Derby: The Legend Returns
3&4 April | Bruce Mason Centre
Image credit: Cobb's Comedy Club | Rhys Derby Facebook
Ready to see a legend return? Everyone’s fave funnyman is back with a brand-spankin’ new stand-up show for 2025. After almost a decade without the man himself picking up the mic, Derby is scheduled for two nights out in Takapuna, packing out Bruce Mason Centre. Derby will be giving his take on a changed world, answering the question, ‘In a world full of AI and Robot tech, can a simple dad with slightly tight jeans stay relevant?’ with a resounding YES and reminding us all that a touch of very human silliness is important, now more than ever. He’s both the comic we need and the one we deserve.
Poppa Jax, Hyan, and The Katayanagi Twins—Jameson Distilled Sounds Tour
5 April | East Street Hall
The Jameson Distilled Sounds Tour continues on 5 April at East Street Hall with Poppa Jax, Hyan, and The Katayanagi Twins. It’s free—just RSVP.
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express (Auckland Theatre Company)
22 Apr–10 May | ASB Waterfront Theatre
The second tantalising instalment of Auckland Theatre Company’s ‘25 run is a ride as thrilling as it is infamous. Agatha Christie’s iconic whodunnit Murder on the Orient Express hits the stage later in April adapted by Tony-nominated Ken Ludwig, whilst Cameron Rhodes steps into the shoes of the brilliant Hercule Poirot. Joined by a stellar cast including Rima Te Wiata and Sophie Henderson, with eight suspects, one murder, and a plot that’s anything but straightforward, this classic mystery is a masterclass in suspense. Directed by Shane Bosher, it’s a must-see for fans of intrigue, drama, and a killer twist.
Bluey's Big Play
26 & 27 April | Spark Arena
Image credit: Bluey | PhotoCo
BAFTA & Emmy award-winning children's TV series Bluey has been adapted into a stage show, Bluey's Big Play, and it's coming to Aotearoa. The show, set to tour Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland, will feature Bluey, her younger sister Bingo and Mum and Dad with music by Bluey composer Josh Bush. Tickets go on sale at 12pm on 23 October, with presales available to One NZ customers, Mastercard cardholders, My Live Nation members, and Westfield members.
Bloodsuckers: Legends to Leeches
'Til 27 April | Auckland War Memorial Museum
Image credit: Auckland Museum | Instagram
Sink your teeth into Auckland Museum's latest international special exhibition: Bloodsuckers: Legends to Leeches. This fascinatingly spooky showcase explores the biology of blood and the creatures that crave it. From taxidermy birds, fossilised insects, mosquitos and ticks to bloodsucking vampires and other legends of myth and pop culture, “come face to face with the fearsome creatures that have played friend—or foe—to mankind for millennia.” With larger-than-life sculptures, interactive displays, and even a few games, this exhibition is a bloody good time for the whole whānau.
Other Worlds
‘Til 2 August | Auckland Central Library
Sci-fi enthusiasts, it’s time to celebrate—Auckland Central Library has commenced ‘Other Worlds,’ a six-month exhibition exploring the gargantuan genre's evolution. From Frankenstein to Neuromancer, deep-dive into the worlds of fandom, robots, monsters, utopias, dystopias and much, much more. Stacked with rare books, comics and art from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, you can also tune your frequency to Spotify playlists, curator talks, a Zest Quartet performance, and the ‘Other Worlds podcast’. A must-see for anyone who's ever dreamed of other worlds, and especially for those yet to. Open Monday to Saturday, and it won’t cost you a penny.
Mana: A Protest In Print
On Now | Auckland War Memorial Museum
Image credit: Auckland Museum | Instagram
You're already there for the arvo, so why not take in another fresh exhibit? Explore the powerful legacy of Mana newspaper in a new exhibition at Auckland Museum. Mana: Protest in Print champions one of Aotearoa's first multilingual newspapers, amplifying Māori and Pacific voices during a time of intense social and political change. This free exhibition features original copies of the newspaper, photographs, and personal stories from those involved in the newspaper’s creation, offering a glimpse into a pivotal moment in Aotearoa's history.
Coming Soon To Auckland In 2025
NZTrio He Taonga Wairere 2025 Programme—Groove Café
17 March | Bruce Mason Centre (+ Various Dates and Locations)
NZTrio's 2025 season of live contemporary classical music blends French Romanticism with bold new sounds in a three-part concert series: Magnifique (with Matthias Balzat), Fantastique (with Callum Hall), and Hypnotique (guest cellist TBA), where you can experience composers like Schubert, Saint-Saëns, and John Psathas. Beyond the series, they're hitting WOMAD and collaborating with Black Grace, Finn Andrews, and the Manukau Symphony Orchestra, and you can catch founding cellist Ashley Brown's final performances in the Groove Café series. Next up in Auckland is Magnifique, going down at the town hall on 11 May.
Dracula's
26-28 June | The Civic
Image credit: Dracula's | supplied
There comes a time when you realise your soul is yearning for a vampire pulling off gravity-defying contortions in silks. And fortunately, this June, the universe is delivering. Yep, cult-favourite cabaret, Dracula's, is coming to Tāmaki. With two shows already sold out, they're releasing a third on Friday 28 February. Ninja skills at the ready.
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. Join the waitlist here; General tickets available from 24 February at 12pm.
Not in Auckland? Check out what's on in Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown this year.
Main image credit: SYNTHONY | Supplied.
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