The Auckland Lantern Festival officially opened at the Manukau Sports Bowl on Thursday night. Around 8000 people attended the first evening of the four-day event to view hundreds of handcrafted lanterns and sample Asian street food. The festival is the largest of its kind in New Zealand and marks the culmination of Lunar New Year celebrations. This year’s event features a new centrepiece that blends Chinese craftsmanship with New Zealand natural history. A three-and-a-half metre tall moa lantern was unveiled on opening night. The large-scale installation is part of an effort by organisers to incorporate local elements into the traditional festival format. Jaz Caitcheon attended the event with his family and said he noticed the moa immediately. He previously attended the festival when it was held at the Auckland Domain and said the scale of the event has grown significantly.
A mix of traditions and local flair
Organisers said the inclusion of the moa lantern acknowledges the deep history of Chinese people in New Zealand. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited expects more than 150,000 visitors to pass through the gates by Sunday evening. The event has become a staple of the city’s cultural calendar alongside other major gatherings like Polyfest 2026. Xin Sun is attending the festival for the third time and said she appreciated the detailed work on the giant bird. While most lanterns focus on traditional Chinese zodiac animals and folklore figures, she said the moa added a unique local touch. "Being able to include local animals and lanterns like this is really nice," she said. The festival provides a space for those unfamiliar with Asian traditions to learn more about the diverse cultures in the city. Resident Aidan Eccles said he attended to further his interest in Chinese culture after studying Mandarin for a year. He described the atmosphere as lively and a good place to explore the traditions he had been reading about.
Street food and family recipes
Food remains a primary draw for the crowds at the Manukau Sports Bowl. Dozens of stalls line the festival grounds, offering everything from traditional skewers to modern fusion dishes. This year includes a wide range of Pan-Asian flavours representing the broader Lunar New Year traditions found across the region. Vendor Shane Liu introduced a special edition dumpling specifically for the 2026 festival. He named the dish "The Emperor" as a tribute to his mother. He said the filling is based on a family recipe for braised pork belly which they decided to share with the public for the first time. The move to Manukau has allowed the festival more space for these large-scale food operations and performance stages. It follows a trend of major cultural events finding success in South Auckland, such as the Diversity Festival which returns to the area later this year.
Planning for large crowds
Jep Savali from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited said the event reflects the changing demographics of the city. He said the festival aims to be inclusive of the wider Pan-Asian community while keeping Chinese whakapapa in Aotearoa as its core value. The logistical effort involves months of planning to coordinate the transport and installation of the lanterns. The festival is one of several large-scale public events making a return to the region this season. It joins the World of Cultures festival in providing free access to international arts and food. While the lantern displays are the main attraction after dark, daytime visitors can watch martial arts demonstrations and live music. Public transport is encouraged for those heading to the Sports Bowl over the weekend. Auckland Transport has scheduled additional bus services to manage the expected influx of visitors on Saturday and Sunday. Information on road closures and parking is available on the Auckland Council website. The festival continues until Sunday night. Admission is free, though some activities may require booking. Fireworks are scheduled for the final evening to close out the event.
