🐝 WellyBuzz: Giant Squid, Sunset Dances & Boxing Day Buzz

Merry Christmas Wellington! 🎄

Before we dive into the weekend, we just want to pause and say a heartfelt thank you to all our wonderful subscribers (now over 15,000 of you!). We started WellyBuzz just over a year ago with a simple idea: to share the very best of what’s happening around the Wellington region. Thanks to your support, it’s grown into something we’re incredibly proud of. We’ve loved bringing you the events, places and moments that make Wellington such a great place to live, and we can’t wait to keep doing it in the year ahead. A very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

- Kirstie & Steve 🐝

Whether you’re easing into Christmas morning with a coffee in hand, planning a Boxing Day escape, or quietly mapping out your post-lunch adventures, Wellington is lining up a very good long weekend. From Boxing Day racing in Ōtaki and sunset dancing on the waterfront to giant squid sightings in Greytown, lavender fields at peak bloom and afternoon jazz in the city, there’s plenty to look forward to over the next few days.

And if you’re keen for a festive wander after dark, Whitby has absolutely gone all in on Christmas lights this year - well worth a short evening drive. We’ve shared it in a quick Reel below if you’re keen to see what all the fuss is about. 🎄✨
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSg16tmgZ1U/

As always at this time of year, event details can change, so we recommend double-checking listings or confirming with organisers before heading out. However you spend it, we hope the next few days bring good company, small adventures, and a little bit of Wellington magic. 💛

🔥 8 Quick Picks This Weekend

🦑 Colossal Squid: Freaky Features – Real specimens, models, and deep-sea science in Greytown
🌿 Lavender Magic Flower Farm – Peak lavender season with Tararua views and pick-your-own blooms
🏇 OMRC Boxing Day Races – A classic Kiwi Boxing Day at Ōtaki Racecourse
💃 West Coast Swing at Sunset – Free waterfront dancing as the sun goes down
🏹 Robin Hood – A Pantomime Adventure – Big laughs, swordfights and Circa Theatre chaos
🪨 Stonehenge Aotearoa – A uniquely Kiwi take on an ancient mystery
🎧 Sunny Saturdays with JacksHouse DJ – Golden-hour house beats at a local brewery
🎷 Sunday Jazz – Smooth end-of-weekend vibes with drinks included

🔥 In This Week’s Buzz

🕰️ Welly’s Time Machine – A glimpse of Wellington, 100 years ago
🌟 Local Legends – A waterfront business built on stories and salt air
🍽️ Food & Drink – A Te Aro eatery worth a CBD detour
🎉 Events – Your weekend guide sorted across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
🌧 Welly Weather Watch – It’s looking like a pretty wet weekend.
💝 Extra Sprinkles – Supporting Wellington kids and families through life’s toughest moments

🕰️ Welly’s Time Machine – Thorndon Quay, circa 1925.

This snap captures a very different Wellington - electric trams gliding past timber buildings, overhead wires criss-crossing the sky, and early motor trucks sharing the road. On the right sits the Railway Hotel, a popular watering hole for rail workers and locals, which would later be destroyed by a major fire in May 1929.

🌟 Local Legends – Shipwreck Trading (Boatshed 8, Frank Kitts Park)

A one-of-a-kind waterfront treasure trove dealing in genuine ship salvage, nautical antiques and maritime curios - from portholes and sextants to anchors, bells and shipwreck artefacts. Run by Robert, who literally lives on the harbour, the store recently relocated to Frank Kitts Park and even includes an in-store VR dive experience. Every item has a story, and browsing feels like stepping aboard a floating museum.

🍽️ Food & Drink – Dilly Dally (126 Vivian St, Te Aro)

Dilly Dally is a compact new spot on Vivian Street quietly winning over the CBD with fresh, thoughtful food and a calm, unhurried vibe. The menu centres on beautifully built salad bowls with house-pickled and homemade elements, alongside creative smoothies featuring ingredients like turmeric, black sesame and blue spirulina. It’s an ideal stop if your lunch cravings lean healthy, seasonal and considered rather than rushed or heavy.

🚢 Cruise Ship Arrivals at the Waterfront

No cruise ships are due until Tuesday 30 December.

🎉 Events: What's On This Weekend

Friday 26 December:

🌿💜 Lavender Magic Flower Farm – Pick Your Own Lavender
Escape the city and wander through fragrant lavender rows with stunning Tararua Range views - pick your own blooms or simply soak up peak summer vibes.
📍 Lavender Magic, 61 Blakes Rd, Mt Holdsworth (Carterton) | 🕗 10:00am–3:00pm | 💰 $5 entry (13+), kids free | 🎟 All ages

🏇🎄 OMRC Boxing Day Races
Make it a classic Kiwi Boxing Day with live racing, summer vibes and a relaxed day out for the whole whānau at Ōtaki Racecourse.
📍 Ōtaki Racecourse, 47 Te Roto Rd, Ōtaki | 🕚 11:00am–5:00pm (first race 12:20pm) | 💰 $10 adults | 🎟 All ages

🎨⛪ Michelangelo – A Different View
Step inside the Sistine Chapel like never before with breathtaking, full-scale reproductions of Michelangelo’s masterpieces - seen up close, at your own pace, right here in Wellington.
📍 Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre | 🕙 10:00am–5:00pm (last entry 4:00 pm) | 💰 From $45 (kids 12 & under free with adult) | 🎟 All ages

🦑🔬 Colossal Squid: Freaky Features
Discover the weird and wonderful world of the colossal squid in this interactive Te Papa–developed exhibition, featuring real colossal squid parts, hands-on models and deep-sea stories.
📍 Cobblestones Museum, 169 Main St, Greytown | 🕙 10:00am–3:00pm | 💰 Included with museum entry | 🎟 All ages

💃🕺 West Coast Swing at Sunset
Kick off your Friday with a laid-back West Coast Swing social on the waterfront - dance, watch, or just soak up the summer vibes as the sun goes down.
📍 Frank Kitts Park, Wellington | 🕖 7:00pm–10:00pm | 💰 Free | 🎟 All ages

🐦🌿 The Early Bird Catches the Worm…
Start your day early at Staglands and score a free return visit when you buy your entry before 10am - nature rewards the early risers.
📍 Staglands Wildlife Reserve, 2362 Akatarawa Rd, Upper Hutt |💰 Adults $29, kids $12 | 🎟 All ages

🧹🤝 Community Clean-Up & Pack-Down
Lend a hand at this family-friendly clean-up and pack-away session as the community comes together to wrap up another year.
📍 Aro Valley Community Centre, 48 Aro St, Aro Valley | 🕛 12:00pm–2:00pm | 💰 Free | 🎟 All ages

🎬💙 Advanced Screening: Song Song Blue
Treat yourself to a feel-good Boxing Day cinema escape with an early preview of this uplifting, heartfelt film before its official release.
📍 Penthouse Cinema, 205 Ohiro Rd, Brooklyn | 🕒 3:00pm & 🕠 5:40pm | 💰 Standard cinema pricing | 🎟 All ages

🏹🎭 Robin Hood – A Pantomime Adventure
Cheer, boo and laugh along as Robin Hood takes on the Sheriff in this high-energy panto packed with swordfights, archery, big dance numbers and classic Circa flair.
📍 Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki St, Wellington | 🕡 6:30pm–8:30pm | 💰 $25-$60 | 🎟 All ages

🎲🖌️ Warhammer School Holiday Hobby Day
Drop in for a hands-on intro to the Warhammer hobby - learn to build, paint and play, whether you’re brand new or levelling up your tabletop skills.
📍 Warhammer Wellington, 64 Manners St, Te Aro | 🕙 10:00am–5:00pm | 🎟 All ages

🎶🍻 Sue and Andy – Live Music
Sing along to a feel-good mix of favourite hits from yesteryear through to today at this relaxed post-Christmas live set.
📍 Petone Working Men’s Club, 47 Udy St, Petone | 🕖 7:00pm | 🎟 All ages

🎄✨ Kāpiti Coast Christmas Lights Trail
Cosy up and cruise the coast to discover twinkling homes, festive shopfronts and community displays across Kāpiti - perfect for a relaxed post-Christmas lights adventure.
📍 Across the Kāpiti Coast | 🕖 Evenings (self-guided) | 💰 Free | 🎟 All ages

Saturday 27 December

🪨✨ Self-Guided Tour of Stonehenge Aotearoa
Explore this unique modern henge at your own pace with a short AV intro, a map, and hands-on acoustic fun among the stones.
📍 Stonehenge Aotearoa, 51 Ahiaruhe Rd, Carterton | 🕙 10:00am–4:00pm | 💰 Adults $20, kids from $5 | 🎟 All ages

🎸🔥 Black Knight – Deep Purple Homage
Crank it to eleven for a night of thunderous Deep Purple classics - from Smoke on the Water to Highway Star - performed loud and proud.
📍 Abandoned Taproom Petone, 38 Fitzherbert St, Petone | 🕖 7:00pm–11:30pm | 💰 $23.25 | 🎟 R18

💜🌾 Martinborough Lavender Picking
Wander fragrant lavender (and sunflower) fields, pick your own blooms, and make a relaxed summer day of it in the heart of Martinborough.
📍 Ranui Essentials, 284c Dry River Rd, Martinborough | 🕙 10:00am–3:00pm | 💰 $10 adults, kids free | 🎟 All ages

🧺🌿 Wairarapa Farmers’ Market
Stock up on fresh produce, artisan treats and local goodies, then linger with a coffee and live music under the redwoods.
📍 Solway Showgrounds, Judds Rd, Masterton | 🕘 9:00am–1:00pm | 💰 Free | 🎟 All ages

🏝️🤿 Matiu / Somes Island Overnight Eco Adventure
Explore, dive, dine and discover wildlife on this special overnight island trip - from underwater and beach clean-ups to penguin spotting, BBQ dinner and island walks.
📍 Matiu / Somes Island | 🕙 Sat 10:00am – Sun morning | 💰 $100 pp + ferry | 🎟 All ages

🃏⚡ Pokémon Trading Day
Trade, buy, sell and show off your Pokémon cards at this friendly monthly meetup - vendors welcome and browsing encouraged.
📍 Regency Apartments, 49 Manners St, Te Aro | 🕚 11:00am–4:00pm | 💰 Free | 🎟 All ages

🥕☕ Thorndon Farmers’ Market
Start your Saturday with top-notch local produce, artisan food and sustainable goodies at this much-loved community market, rain or shine.
📍 Hill St carpark, Cathedral of St Paul, Thorndon | 🕣 8:30am–12:30pm | 💰 Free Entry | 🎟 All ages

🧘‍♀️🌊 Beach Yoga with Bridget
Stretch, breathe and unwind by the sea with this all-levels beach yoga session - followed by a swim or relaxed picnic if you’re keen.
📍 Freyberg Beach, Oriental Bay | 🕙 10:00am–11:30am | 💰 Koha ($10–$20 recommended) | 🎟 All ages

🌈🏛️ Rainbow History Tour at Wellington Museum
Celebrate Wellington’s LGBTQ+ history with powerful stories of iconic queer figures, including the legacy of the Evergreen Cafe and the ‘Queen of Wellington’.
📍 Wellington Museum, 3 Jervois Quay | 🕒 Tour times vary | 💰 $5-$19 | 🎟 Ages 12+ (adult supervision required)

📸🌃 Wellington Night Photography Walk
Capture the glow of the CBD after dark on this guided night walk, with hands-on tips for low-light landscapes and portraits - ideal for beginners and improvers.
📍 Te Aro, Wellington | 🕤 9:30pm–11:30pm | 💰 $49 | 🎟 All ages

🧱🎨 Cardboard Creations at Te Papa
Let tamariki get creative building imaginative cardboard structures inspired by Yona Lee’s Kit-set In-Transit in this hands-on, gallery-based drop-in session.
📍 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 55 Cable St | 🕙 10:00am–12:00pm | 💰 Free | 🎟 Tamariki (caregiver supervision required)

🌞🎧 Sunny Saturdays with JacksHouse DJ
Ease into Saturday night with smooth house beats and sunny vibes as JacksHouse DJ takes over your favourite local brewery.
📍 Waitoa Bar – Hātaitai, 32 Waitoa Rd, Hātaitai | 🕕 6:00pm–9:00pm

Sunday 28 December

🌱🧤 December Walk & Weed – Onepoto Park
Pitch in for a feel-good Sunday morning helping restore the local awa - weeding, rubbish pick-up, and protecting new plantings by the harbour.
📍 Onepoto Park (meet at Dimmock St side), Titahi Bay | 🕘 9:00am | 💰 Free | 🎟 All ages

🎷🍷 Sunday Jazz
Wind down your weekend with smooth, swinging jazz classics in The Undercurrent’s cosy, book-lined bar - complimentary drinks and snacks included.
📍 The Undercurrent, 118 Tory St, Wellington | 🕞 3:30pm | 💰 $16.20 | 🎟 All ages

🎤✨ Paula Story – Live Music
Enjoy a classy Sunday session as Paula Story delivers smooth, crowd-pleasing tunes in a relaxed club setting.
📍 Petone Working Men’s Club, 47 Udy St, Petone | 🕓 4:00pm

🌧 Welly Weather Watch

🌧 Friday: A few showers turning to rain in the morning. High 19°C, low 13°C
🌧 Saturday: Showers. Northwesterlies. High 19°C, low 13°C
🌧 Sunday: Showers. Southwesterlies. High 18°C, low 12°C

💝 Extra Sprinkles – Charity of the Week: Skylight Trust

Skylight is a Wellington-based charity supporting tamariki, rangatahi and whānau through grief, trauma and major life change. They provide counselling, group programmes and practical resources to help young people navigate some of life’s toughest moments - work that continues quietly but critically over the holiday period. If you’d like to support local kids’ mental wellbeing this Christmas, learn more or donate at skylight.org.nz.

That’s your Wellington weekend sorted - whether you’re chasing lavender sunsets, live music, giant squid, or just a really good excuse to leave the house.

Have a brilliant one, look after each other, and if you spot someone who hasn’t yet discovered the world of the colossal squid… you know what to do. 😉

Ngā mihi nui,
Kirstie & Steve 🐝