Auckland is loaded with big events today and Sunday, from Pasifika at Western Springs and the free Wooden Boat Festival on the Viaduct to the 103rd Kumeu Show on the city’s fringe. Here’s a practical guide to what’s on, when to go and how to plan your day. If you’re also eyeing the arts calendar, the Auckland Arts Festival continues across the city. Our earlier coverage of key shows and the Boat Show is here for context: Auckland Arts Festival weekend.
When is pasifika at western springs?
Pasifika returns to Western Springs Lakeside Park over two days, with gates open during the day and entry free. Organisers say the festival spans eight cultural villages with food, music and performances from across the Pacific. Crowds are large and parking is limited around Western Springs. Festival organisers encourage using shuttle buses and park-and-ride options, or planning extra time if you’re on the roads near the venue. Allow time to explore. Each village tends to run its own programme and food stalls, so pacing matters if you want to sample both performances and the plates on offer.
What’s on at the auckland wooden boat festival?
The Auckland Wooden Boat Festival fills the Viaduct and Jellicoe Harbour with heritage vessels, hands-on demos and free family activities across both days. Organisers say visitors can step aboard selected craft and see traditional skills in action. The Percy Vos Boat Yard is running live boatbuilding through the weekend. A kauri dinghy is being built alongside waka, with expert crews explaining the tools and timber as they go. Expect working classics on the water. Among the vessels typically involved are steam launch SS Puke, 1940s-era yachts and heritage workboats, while the New Zealand Maritime Museum programmes model ship displays and ropework demos nearby. The festival doubles as a sign-off for the Moana Auckland programme on the waterfront. The Z Manu World Champs grand final is also in town, drawing top bombers to the harbour. For background on that event, see Manu World Champs. If you’re heading in with kids, bring hats, water and patience for queues to board the most popular boats. The site is flat and pram-friendly, but the piers can bottleneck during peak hours.
Kumeu show dates and ticket prices
West of the city, the Kumeu Show marks its 103rd edition across two days at the Kumeu Showgrounds. Organisers list gates opening from early morning, with livestock judging, equestrian classes, shearing, woodchopping and sideshows running through the afternoon. General admission is advertised at $16 plus booking fees, with children under 15 free. Families should budget for food, rides and parking, and expect heavier traffic on State Highway 16 during arrivals and exits. The programme changes by ring and hour, so it pays to scan the board on entry. If you only catch one thing, the tree climbing and lawnmower racing usually draw a crowd. The show sits in a belt of lifestyle blocks and vineyards that turn busy on event weekends. If you’re coming from the North Shore or central suburbs, consider a longer route through the Northwestern, and give yourself a buffer for finding a park.
Cornwall park farm week details
Closer to town, Cornwall Park’s Farm Week runs across nine days, starting today and rolling through to March 22. The trust behind the park says the family-friendly programme includes Moo-sic in the Park, farm quizzes, Farm to Fibre demos and guided tours. Cornwall Park is a working farm that dates to 1844, and the paths cross paddocks. Keep dogs on leads where required and be mindful around stock and machinery. Some Farm Week activities need bookings and can sell out. If you’re chasing the tractor rides or kids’ workshops, aim for earlier sessions in the day to dodge the crush.
Tattoo convention and other weekend picks
On the waterfront, The Cloud hosts The Roots Auckland Tattoo Convention across the weekend. Organisers bill more than 180 artists from New Zealand and overseas, live tattooing, seminars and an on-site museum tracing local studio history. Tickets for the tattoo convention are advertised at $25 plus fees, with under-14s free alongside a paying adult. Walk-ups are welcome, though the afternoon session tends to be the busiest. For something on two wheels, Bike Curious runs in Henderson this afternoon into the evening. The event is free and lines up BMX stunt shows, live music, a pump track and a glow ride along Cranwell Park and the Henderson Creek Path. Mairangi Bay’s Food and Wine Festival takes over the beachfront reserve today from midday to evening. Entry is free, and if you plan to drink on-site you’ll need to buy the event’s branded glass for $25 to cover licensing. Indoors, Auckland War Memorial Museum is running a shark double-header. The exhibition, Sharks, is on now through 1 June with large-scale models and digital displays, and a separate live theatre show, Swimming With Sharks, runs on selected dates through April on a pay-what-you-can basis. If you prefer wings to fins, Ardmore’s Warbirds on Parade is set for tomorrow. Expect a flightline of historic aircraft and ground displays, with organisers advising to arrive early for parking and to check weather updates on the morning.
Getting around and planning your day
For central-city events like Pasifika, the Wooden Boat Festival and the tattoo convention, public transport is your friend. If you’re driving, build in extra time and a fallback plan for parking further out. Pack the basics. Hat, water, snacks and a light layer for late finishes at the Viaduct or Mairangi Bay go a long way, and card payments are standard at most stalls, though a little cash can speed up small purchases. Check the event pages or social posts on the morning you go. Programmes can shift with weather or availability, and some activities have capacity limits that fill quickly. If you’re mixing events, pair the Viaduct and The Cloud in one trip, or do Western Springs and the museum in one sweep of the isthmus. Kumeu is a separate mission and deserves a half-day on its own. Finally, if you still want more after dark, the arts calendar is ripe for late shows and gigs. The best bet is to scan the Auckland Arts Festival listings and pick something close to where you’ll already be. Most of these events wrap by Sunday evening, but a few keep going. Farm Week runs through 22 March, and the Sharks exhibition remains on show at the museum until 1 June.
