Events
Matariki is a special time to come together and celebrate with the people around us. There are lots of fun things happening near you - talks, light shows, music, markets and more.
Check out our listings below, visit your local council’s website or Eventfinda. If you’re in Wellington, you can also see what Te Papa have on.
If you’re running a Matariki event, please add it below using the online form and share with everyone.
Check out our listings below, visit your local council’s website or Eventfinda. If you’re in Wellington, you can also see what Te Papa have on.
If you’re running a Matariki event, please add it below using the online form and share with everyone.
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National broadcast of Matariki hautapu - Matariki Herenga Waka
Rā | Date
10/07/2026
Āhea | When
6am - 11am
Ki hea| Where
Online | Broadcast
Te utu | Cost
Free
Matariki Mauri Tau - Guided Meditation
Rā | Date
12/7/2026
-
19/7/2026
Āhea | When
Sunday 12 + 19 July, 9.30am + 11am
Ki hea | Where
Te Whatu Stardome Observatory & Planetarium
Te utu | Cost
$15 / $9.50 for annual pass holders
Led by Mindfulness Educator Kristina Cavit MNZM - founder of The Kindness Institute and co-founder of TAIORA - this immersive Matariki meditation experience brings together mindfulness, hauora, and kaupapa Māori approaches to wellbeing beneath the stars.
Through breathtaking cosmic visuals, guided reflection and sound, this journey weaves together hauora, whakapapa, stillness, and wonder - inviting people to slow down, reconnect, and remember their place within the universe.
The final sessions on 19 July will be guided by rangatahi facilitator and Māori meditation teacher Te Aorangi Morini.
Auckland - Tāmaki Makaurau
Explore Matariki at the Planetarium
Rā | Date
14/7/2026
-
15/7/2026
Āhea | When
10.00am - 5.00pm
Ki hea | Where
Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō
Te utu | Cost
Free - registrations required
Explore Matariki at the Planetarium. Join Spaceward Bound for a unique opportunity to celebrate and learn about Matariki and space inside their portable planetarium. Step beneath the stars and discover the connections between the Matariki cluster, the night sky, and our place within the universe. This immersive experience is a great way for tamariki and whānau to learn together through storytelling and exploration. Registrations are required as spaces are limited - be sure to secure your spot early.
Manawatū - Whanganui
Matariki exhibition at Tairawhiti Museum
Rā | Date
14/7/2026
-
16/7/2026
Āhea | When
10.30am - 11.15am, 11.45am - 12.30pm, 1.30pm - 2.15pm
Ki hea | Where
Tairawhiti Museum
Te utu | Cost
Free, spaces are limited.
Step inside our Stardome these school holidays and discover the magic of Matariki! ✨
Join us for an immersive journey beneath the stars as we explore the meaning of Matariki, its importance in te ao Māori, and learn how to find the Matariki cluster in the pre-dawn winter sky.
Spaces are limited, so be sure to arrive early to secure your place!
We look forward to welcoming you these school holidays
East Coast - Te Tairāwhiti
Go Eco Kai Resilience
Rā | Date
17/7/2026
-
17/7/2026
Āhea | When
12pm - 9pm
Ki hea | Where
Purerora Forest Lodge, Mangakino, Waikato Region 3874
Te utu | Cost
Pre-registration required max 50 people
This waananga will bring together whaanau, growers, gatherers, hunters, kai practitioners, and community voices to reconnect with the whetuu
This waananga will bring together whaanau, growers, gatherers, hunters, kai practitioners, and community voices to reconnect with the whetuu of Matariki connected to kai and our relationship with the taiao.
Waikato
MAHUTA!
Rā | Date
18/7/2026
-
18/7/2026
Āhea | When
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Ki hea | Where
Te Pae Pae Theatre | NZICC
Te utu | Cost
$39.18
Come and celebrate the Matariki season with us at MAHUTA! ✨
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is proud to present an unforgettable night of music, bringing together some of the best kaiwaiata of Te Ao Māori. Curated by Majic Pāora, MAHUTA is a celebration of our voices, our stories and our people.
With performances by:
ROB RUHA
BETTY-ANNE
TAWAZ
JORDYN WITH A WHY
MAJIC
SHELBY TEUA
ALESSIA MAIHI FIFITA
VYBE2B
Bring your whānau, bring your friends - this is a night for all of Tāmaki Makaurau!
Auckland - Tāmaki Makaurau
Matariki @ Kaicycle
Rā | Date
18/7/2026
-
18/7/2026
Āhea | When
11am
Ki hea | Where
Kaicycle Farm, 5 Hospital Road, Newtown
Te utu | Cost
Free
Join us for Matariki activities to reflect on the year, farewell those we have lost since last Matariki, and look forward to what we want to bring into the new year. This year we'll be doing our activities before lunch, including:
- Weaving whetū (stars) from harakeke
- Composting what you want to let go of
- Prompts for personal reflection
- Harvesting and preparing kai for lunch
- Hanging out around the brazier
At 1pm we’ll have a shared lunch with soup cooked by the wonderful Seeds to Feeds and more time to hang out and kōrero around the brazier until closing at 2pm.
Wellington - Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Tikanga Talks: Celebrate Puanga - Five leading voices in te ao Māori
Rā | Date
22/7/2026
-
Āhea | When
5pm
Ki hea | Where
Theatre Royal - TSB Showplace, 92 - 100 Devon St West, New Plymouth
Te utu | Cost
See website
Hosted in Ngāmotu / New Plymouth to mark the season of Puanga, you can be with us in the room or join from anywhere in the world via our livestream.
Join us for Tikanga Talks: Grow business understanding and confidence in Te Ao Maori - an intensive, thought-provoking evening with some of the most respected Māori leaders, thinkers, and changemakers in Aotearoa.
Taranaki
Matariki Kite Day
Rā | Date
26/7/2026
-
26/7/2026
Āhea | When
10.30am - 2pm
Ki hea | Where
Hamilton Gardens, Hungerford Crescent Hamilton, Waikato Region 3216
Te utu | Cost
Free
Bring your whaanau to Turtle Lake Hill for a morning of kites, creativity, and connection.
Come up to Turtle Lake Hill at Hamilton Gardens and fly a kite with your whaanau.
Kite Day is one of those easy, feel-good days out. Make and decorate your own manu tukutuku, then send it up into the Matariki sky.
Waikato
