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Music in Parks
and Dancing in the Street |
1
January - 31 March
The city authorities organise this popular summer
series of outdoor events and entertainment. The
concerts cover a wide spectrum of tastes from jazz
and classical through blues, soul, contemporary rock
and pop, Latin and world music.
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Auckland
Anniversary Day Regatta & Harbour Festival |
28 January
Auckland celebrates its birthday with a grand
regatta as it has since 1840. It is considered by
some as the biggest one-day regatta in the world and
it is certainly a great occasion and a distinctively
Auckland event.
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HERO Festival |
1 - 24 February
HERO party is the biggest and perhaps most
notorious. Billed as a polysexual celebration, the
HERO festival ruffles a few society feathers with
such events as the Big Gay Out, the Drag King
Workshop and the Lesbian Tea Dance. Debates, films,
music concerts among the agenda.
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Mission Bay Jazz
and Blues Streetfest |
16 February
This outdoor music event, the only one of its kind
in New Zealand, supports local artists and the New
Zealand music industry. Budding jazz, blues and
other musicians perform to large summer audiences.
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Asian Lantern
Festival |
22 - 24 February
Hundreds of brightly coloured lanterns, commissioned
and imported from China and Singapore, embellish the
Albert Park throughout The Asian Lantern Festival. A
succession of cultural events unfolds, including
traditional music and theatrical performances.
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Teddy Bear's
Picnic |
2
March
A
family favourite in the Auckland calendar of events,
the Pumpkin Patch Teddy Bear's Picnic offers loads
of fun in a parkland setting, not far from the city
centre. There is a lot of free entertainment to
choose from, including bouncy castles, face painting
and strolling costumed characters.
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Waiheke Island
Jazz Festival |
22 - 23 March
Featuring about 30 international artists performing
at about 10 themed concerts, this is a great
festival that covers modern and classic jazz, blues
and swing.
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Auckland Wine &
Food Festival |
5
- 6 April
This outdoor food and wine event takes the form of
canopied stalls, set out in the fine surroundings of
Auckland's waterfront. An entry ticket includes a
tasting glass, free tastings from selected
exhibitors and a full day's entertainment. Live
music plays through the day and there are
demonstrations of food preparation and talks with
tips about wines and cheeses.
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New Zealand Boat
Show |
1 - 30 June
Over 200 exhibitors come from all parts of New
Zealand and from all sections of the marine industry
to go on display here. The yachting fraternity,
aspiring cruiser owners, boating professionals and
entire families enjoy great days out at the Boat
Show.
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Auckland Marathon |
1 - 30 October
This has been Auckland's premier road racing event
since the 1980s. Besides the excitement and
spectacle of the races themselves, which take place
against the backdrop of the city and the Bay, there
is a big free concert in Victoria Park near the
finishing line.
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Ellerslie
International Flower Show |
1
- 30 November
Witness lush floral displays and plant sculptures,
and to shop at fruit stalls, vegetable markets and
plant stalls. On the final Sunday of the event, the
plants and building materials of the show ground are
sold off so is a great place to get discounted goods.
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