June brings a kaleidoscope of calendar-worthy events to brighten the first month of winter— carnivals, circus evenings, film festivals, light shows, and more!
Pacific Dance Festival
Across Multiple Auckland Locations, 1 – 16 June
After three years of absence from Auckland’s theatre scene, this festival is back to celebrate the diversity and richness that the Pasifika community brings to our dance and arts landscape. The curated programme will consist of workshops, seminars, screenings, and fashion shows throughout the heart of the city.
NZ Art Show
Wellington, 2 – 4 June
Hundreds of artists and thousands of unique works await you at the NZ Art Show— a great opportunity to discover and purchase original art with an average sale price of $1,250. The three day show is hosted at the TSB Arena on Wellington’s waterfront, and marks 20 years of celebrating NZ creatives.
Kia Mau
Multiple Locations across Wellington, 2 – 17 June
One of the world’s most highly regarded contemporary Indigenous art festivals, Kia Mau is back for its 7th iteration. The festival highlights Māori, Pasifika, and various Indigenous performing arts— including comedy, music, dance, and theatre.
Readers and Writers Akaroa
Akaroa, 10 – 11 June
The inaugural RAWA Festival hosted in the Gaiety Hall brings together some of our most celebrated writers; Gavin Bishop, Vanda Symon, Victor Rodger, Fiona Farrell, and more. Make a winter weekend of it all and spend two days sharpening your creative writing skills. Registration required.
Doc Edge International Documentary Film Festival 2023
Auckland and Wellington, 24 May – 18 June
An exciting line-up of deeply moving films awaits you at the Doc Edge Film Fest, including 20 Days in Mariupol, which follows a team of journalists trapped in Ukraine, and Deep Rising, a look into the fate of the last untouched wilderness, the deep ocean. Check out the festival in Auckland from 24 May to 5 June, and then Wellington from 7-18 June.
Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL – Enter our giveaway at the bottom of the page for a chance to win 2 x double pass tickets!
Christchurch and Auckland, June – July
Crowd favourite Cirque acts— trapeze, aerial, juggling, and balancing, but performed on ice! CRYSTAL is incorporating figure skating and extreme skating with traditional circus disciplines, designed to create an exhilarating and innovative production unlike anything ever seen from Cirque du Soleil.
Dunedin Midwinter Carnival
Dunedin, 23 – 24 June
Intended to make the most of the cold season, this annual event is a celebration of Dunedin seasons on the grounds of the historic First Church. Enjoy giant lanterns, live music, stilt walkers, aerial performance, and more.
Michael Bublé
Auckland, 25 June
The Christmas crooner is on his way back to NZ for a one-off show at Spark Arena, so don’t hesitate to grab a ticket for the rare occasion. Bublé will perform his album Higher alongside fan-favourites from past records.
Te Ramaroa
Nelson, 30 June – 4 July
This free outdoor celebration features light installations of every scale, from micro presentations to multi-storeyed projections augmented by local artists, schools, and designers. Te Ramaroa aims to provide a bit of magic for our cold, winter nights.
Gin-ger Kiss Cocktail
The Brit Pub & Eatery, On now until June 30
The Brit is introducing the Gin-ger Kiss cocktail in time for World Gin Day on June 10th. This adults-only take on the delicious Ginger Kiss biscuit is a sweet and spicy beverage that will keep you warm this month.
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