🐝 WellyBuzz: Tami, Tributes & Tulips 🌷 - Your Weekend Guide

👋 Kia ora Wellington!
This weekend dive into craft markets, live music, stargazing, improv, and family fun. From the Fleetwood Mac Experience to bottle rockets and beach adventures, there’s something for everyone!

✨ Just a reminder: WellyBuzz will be short and sweet with events only for the next few weeks as we’re on a short break - the full edition returns Thursday, 23 October.

🔥 Quick Picks This Weekend

🎤 Tami Neilson lights up The Opera House with her Neon Cowgirl Tour.
🎸 Elvis An American Trilogy hits NZ with three world-class tribute artists.
🎸 Relive Fleetwood Mac’s magic at The Opera House - all the hits in one night.
🛍️ Queensgate Night Market - street food, shopping, and Lower Hutt vibes.
🏴‍☠️ Tartan Up The Green brings pipes, drums, and Highland dancing to Brewtown.
👗 Sustainable Fashion Market – preloved, vintage, upcycled, and handmade treasures await.
⚡ Electrify the Hutt Expo 2025 – explore green living, home tech, and sustainability tips.

🎉 Events: Your Weekend Lineup

Friday 3 October:

🎤 Tami Neilson – Neon Cowgirl Tour
Catch NZ’s powerhouse country star live with her red-hot band and signature voice.
📍 The Opera House | 🕗 8:00pm | 🎟️ Tickets available | All ages

🎨 WOW Show: RISE
Jaw‑dropping wearable art, theatre, and fashion come alive onstage - Aotearoa’s finest performers in full creative flight!
📍 TSB Arena | 🕢 7:30pm–10:00pm | 🎟️ Check website | All ages

👻 2:22 A Ghost Story at Circa Theatre
A tense, chilling thriller of a haunted home in London - suspense hits at 2:22 every night!
📍 Circa Theatre | 🕗 8:00pm–10:00pm | 🎟️ $25–$60 | All ages

🏴‍☠️🧜 Pirate & Mermaid Magical Holiday Fun
Swashbuckling pirate antics and rainbow mermaids with giant bubbles - free school holiday fun!
📍 Johnsonville Shopping Centre | 🕚 11:00am–12:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🦸‍♂️🦹 Heroes & Villains Sculpting Workshop
Get hands-on making your own mini heroes & villains with plasticine, inspired by The Bad Guys 2.
📍 Wētā Workshop | 🕦 11:30am–12:30pm & 1:50pm–2:50pm | 🎟️ $29 | Ages 6–14

🌿 Staglands Wildlife Reserve & Cafe
Celebrate the new entrance and café with family-friendly fun! Kids enjoy half-price entry during these school holidays.
📍 2362 Akatarawa Rd, Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt | 🕤 9:30am–5:00pm | 🎟️ Half-price for kids | 👤 All ages

🦜 Kiwi’s Big Hararei
Follow Kiwi on his first big holiday from Aotearoa to Brisbane with adventure, waiata, and lots of fun.
📍 Circa Theatre | 🕙 10:00am–10:45am & 11:30am–12:15pm | 🎟️ $20 / Family $70 | All ages

🌷 10 Days of Tulips at Longbush Cottage
Wander through thousands of tulips, snap pics, and enjoy cakes for a good cause.
📍 Longbush Cottage | 🕙 10:00am–4:00pm | 🎟️ $15 / Kids free | All ages

🎭 Carnival of Chaos at Studio 77
Six twisted, theatrical tales of myth, murder & magic brought to life by student creators.
📍 Studio 77 | 🕕 6:00pm–7:00pm | 🎟️ $23–$49 | Ages M

🎀 Legally Blonde The Musical at Southward Theatre
Follow Elle Woods’ pink-powered journey from sorority queen to Harvard Law in this uplifting musical.
📍 Southward Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm–10:00pm | 🎟️ $35 | All ages

💃 Burlesque The Movie: The Burlesque Show at Whisky & Wood
Glamour, draglesque, and jaw-dropping performances inspired by the cult movie-dress up and sip cocktails!
📍 Whisky & Wood | 🕗 8:00pm–10:30pm | 🎟️ $34 | R18

🍫 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Te Ra Waldorf School
A magical, inclusive reimagining of Willy Wonka with songs, dance & humour - 11am matinee or 6pm evening show.
📍 Te Ra Waldorf School | 🕚 11:00am / 🕕 6:00pm | 🎟️ $5–$23 | All ages

😂 Roman Empire: A Comedy Panel Show at The Fringe Bar
Four top Kiwi comedians battle over their lifelong obsessions in this high-energy panel show.
📍 The Fringe Bar | 🕗 8:00pm–10:00pm | 🎟️ $10–$16 | R18

🎨 Sip the Sky: Paint, Sip & Stargaze in Martinborough
Create a night-sky painting, sip boutique wines, taste chocolates, and stargaze under Wairarapa skies.
📍 Martinborough Square | 🕔 5:00pm–8:30pm | 🎟️ $137 | R18

🤘 Reaper (AUS) Feat. Pervertor, DAHTM & Dole Bludger
Filthy Aussie speed metal punks bring fury, riffs, and full-on chaos to Valhalla.
📍 Valhalla | 🕗 8:00pm | 🎟️ $20 | R18

🧪 It’s Alive!
Two young scientists’ experiment goes haywire in this hilarious, family-friendly improvised theatre show.
📍 BATS Theatre | 🕒 3:00pm | 🎟️ $16–$25 | Ages 5–12

👠 The Pantoloons: Cinderella
Magic, music, and mayhem collide in this hilariously twisted Cinderella for all ages.
📍 Wairarapa Events Centre | 🕐 1:00pm | 🎟️ $16–$17 | All ages

🌳 Aotea Lagoon Play Launch
Celebrate the launch of the new play trailer with a big day of fun for the whole whānau. Pack a picnic, enjoy the outdoors, and explore the new play spaces at Porirua’s Aotea Lagoon.
📍 Aotea Lagoon, Porirua | 🕒 11:00am-2:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

📚 Karori Community Book Fair
The ever-popular annual Karori Book Fair is back! Dive into bargain books across all genres while supporting local community projects.
📍 Karori Baptist Church, Karori | 🕙 10:00am start | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🎸 Israel Starr – 10 Year Album Anniversary
Celebrate a decade of “Through the Ages & Forever”! The full 12-piece Newtown Rocksteady band performs the album live, plus extra tracks.
📍 MOON 1, Newtown | 🕗 8:00pm | 🎟️ Tickets required | All ages

Saturday 4 October

🎸 Elvis An American Trilogy at The Opera House
Three world-class Elvis tribute artists take you through the King’s iconic eras – rockabilly, movie years, and Aloha From Hawaii. A must-see for all Elvis fans!
📍 The Opera House | 🕢 7:30pm–9:30pm | 🎟️ $99–$139 | All ages

🌿 Wairarapa Farmers' Market
Fresh local produce, artisan goodies, and live music under the majestic Redwood Tree – a perfect Saturday morning outing!
📍 Solway Showgrounds, Masterton | 🕘 9:00am–1:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🛍️ Queensgate Night Market
Street food, shopping, and good vibes – Lower Hutt’s newest evening hotspot is back for another Saturday night!
📍 Queensgate Shopping Centre, Lower Hutt | 🕠 5:30pm–11:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🎶 South Auckland Reggae Night – Papakura Crew
Get ready to feel the rhythm! An uplifting FREE reggae night with live music and inspiring stories of hope from South Auckland’s Papakura Crew.
📍 The Potter's House Christian Church, Level 1, 28 Warspite Avenue, Cannons Creek, Porirua | 🕕 6:00pm–7:30pm | 🎟️ Free | 👤 All ages

🚀 Blast Off! Make a Bottle Rocket at Space Place
Whānau fun this school holidays! Build, decorate, and launch your own water bottle rockets outside Space Place. Science, creativity, and soaring rockets await!
📍 Space Place, Carter Observatory | 🕙 10:00am–4:00pm | 🎟️ Free

🏉 Wellington Lions vs Bay of Plenty – NPC Rugby Match
Don’t miss this epic rematch! Gates open at 1pm with giveaways, pre-game activations, and a fun halftime show for all ages.
📍 Porirua Park, 79 Gear Terrace, Ranui, Porirua | 🕑 2:05pm–4:00pm | 🎟️ $25 adults, $14 students, kids 15 & under free

🎮 GGWP25 – Great Games With Pals
Wellington’s ultimate gaming weekend is back! Two full days of games, fun, and artist alley delights. Perfect for gamers, creatives, and anyone who loves a good challenge.
📍 15 Buckle Street, Mount Cook | 🕙 All day | 🎟️ Tickets via website | All ages

📚 Wellington Zinefest 2025
Celebrate the thriving zine scene with 60+ stalls of self-made zines, comics, prints, and trinkets, plus a special accessibility hour each day.
📍 Te Aro Campus, Victoria University of Wellington, 139 Vivian St, Te Aro | 🕛 Sat 12:00pm–Sun 4:00pm | 🎟️ Free entry | 👤 All ages

✨ Festival of Lights – Upper Hutt
Celebrate culture, community, and light with an evening of dance, music, delicious food, and fun! Gold coin or canned food donation entry, supporting Ōrongomai Food Bank.
📍 Maidstone Intermediate School Hall, Redwood St, Elderslea | 🕔 5:00pm–7:00pm | 🎟️ Gold coin / canned food

🏴‍☠️ Tartan Up The Green at Brewtown
Bagpipes, Highland drums, and traditional Scottish dancing light up Upper Hutt in this free, family-friendly celebration of all things Highlands.
📍 Brewtown | 🕚 11:00am–4:00pm | 🎟️ Free Entry | All ages

⚡ Electrify the Hutt Expo 2025
Learn how to electrify your home & lifestyle! Explore exhibitors, attend seminars, and discover ways to save money, boost sustainability, and help the planet.
📍 Lower Hutt Town Hall | 🕗 8:00am–4:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🧘‍♀️ Mind Body Spirit Fair
Readings, healings, crystals, candles, and a range of unique stalls at the Mind Body Spirit Fair. A day full of wellness, magic, and community energy in Lower Hutt.
📍 Walter Nash Centre, 22-26 Taine St, Lower Hutt | 🕙 10:00am–4:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🎉 Happy Birthday Porirua!
Porirua turns 60 and you’re invited to the party! Expect games, face painting, giant colouring-in, and free sweet treats – fun for the whole whānau.
📍 Kai Tahi, 20 Parumoana St | 🕙 Sat & Sun 10am–4pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

📖 The Dictionary of Moments at BATS Theatre
Words come alive in this inventive live storytelling show, blending podcast tales with improvised theatre for a unique, unscripted adventure.
📍 BATS Theatre | 🕡 6:30pm | 🎟️ $16–$25 | All ages

🛠️ Meccano & LEGO Creative Playground
Watch tamariki marvel at moving models and get hands-on building their own LEGO and Meccano creations in this two-day creative playground.
📍 Oceania, Level 3, Te Papa, Cable St, Te Aro, Wellington | 🕙 Sat 10:00am–Sun 5:00pm | 🎟️ Check Te Papa for pricing | 👤 All ages

🎭 The Made-Up Smackdown: Favourites Box at BATS Theatre
Audience favourites return for one final night of hilariously unpredictable improv, competing for the ultimate chocolate prize.
📍 BATS Theatre | 🕖 7:00pm | 🎟️ $16–$25 | All ages

🌊 Windy City Downwind Ocean Ski Race
Wellington’s premier ocean ski race! Courses across Evans Bay are designed for all abilities, featuring oceanski and waka-ama categories.
📍 397 Evans Bay Parade, Hataitai | 🕚 11:30am start | 🎟️ Entries via Webscorer | All ages

🃏 Capital City Comics & Collectibles Fair
All things comics, trading cards, vintage toys, retro and collectibles! Swing by for a morning of nerdy nostalgia and epic finds. Proceeds support Kitten Inn 🐾.
📍 Johnsonville Community Centre, 3 Frankmoore Ave | 🕙 10am–2pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🎺 Crash Bandihoot 5th Birthday Bash
Wellington’s favourite party brass band turns five! Expect soaring horns, raucous New Orleans-style grooves, guest appearances, merch giveaways, and a full-on carnival vibe. Bonus points for rocking purple/yellow!
📍 MOON 1, 167 Riddiford St, Newtown | 🕡 6:30pm | 🎟️ Check website | All ages

📸 Wellington Photographic Society Annual Exhibition
Celebrate the art of photography with stunning shots from Wellington and around the world. Landscapes, portraits, street scenes, wildlife, and more.
📍 Thistle Hall Community Venue, 293 Cuba St | 🕙 10am–6pm (extended to 8pm Fri/Sat) | All ages | Finishes Sun 5 Oct

🌿 GARDEN RAVE
Underground beats meet glowing garden vibes! Dance into the night with DJs Andretg, DJ By Accident, Malware & Vness at Wellington’s Garden Hotel. Dark techno, lights, and energy await.
📍 The Garden Hotel, Courtenay Place | 🕘 9:00pm–3:00am | 🎟️ $18–25 | R18

😂 Cantina Comedy
Get ready to LOL! 12 comedians, scripts, improv, puns, and audience challenges light up Sunday Cantina. Grab a table, enjoy a meal, and see who brings the comedy gold (or chaos!).
📍 Sunday Cantina, Raumati South | 🕖 7:00pm–9:00pm | 🎟️ $10 | All ages

👗 Sustainable Fashion Market
NZ’s biggest preloved clothing market is back! Vintage, upcycled, handmade clothes, shoes, jewellery & more – grab bargains, support makers, and refresh your wardrobe sustainably.
📍 Wesley Church, Te Aro | 🕙 10:00am–2:00pm | 🎟️ Gold Coin entry | All ages

🛍️ Paekākāriki Market Day
Monthly market fun in Paekākāriki! Browse crafts, skincare, food, plants, books & second-hand treasures, plus enjoy great coffee and eats.
📍 St Peters Village Hall, Paekākāriki | 🕙 10:00am–2:00pm | 🎟️ Free Entry | All ages

🔭 Free Night Sky Viewing
Join the Wellington Astronomical Society at Considine Park for a free evening of stargazing. Spot the moon, Saturn, and more through their telescopes!
📍 Considine Park, Martinborough | 🕗 8:00pm–10:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

Sunday 5 October:

🎸 The Fleetwood Mac Experience
Relive the magic of Fleetwood Mac with haunting melodies, soulful rhythms, and all the iconic hits. Nostalgia, drama, and legendary tunes in one unforgettable night.
📍 The Opera House | 🕢 7:30pm–10:30pm | 🎟️ $55–$75 | All ages

🎷 Sunday Jazz at The Undercurrent
Relax in the bohemian charm of the Undercurrent while The Undercurrent All-Stars swing through classic 1940s–50s jazz. Complimentary snacks, wine, beer, soft drinks, tea, and coffee included – plus books for sale!
📍 The Undercurrent | 🕡 3:30pm–4:30pm | 🎟️ $16.20 | All ages

🛍️ Ōtaki Craft Market
Nau Mai Haere Mai! Explore stalls with art, crafts, pre-loved clothing, native plants, homegrown produce, and more.
📍 Otaki Market | 🕙 10:00am–2:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

👽 Sci‑Fi Sundays: Nope
A chilling journey from Jordan Peele lands in Wellington! Watch the uncanny unfold in this eerie gulch, enjoy complimentary popcorn, and stick around for an optional live star talk after the screening.
📍 Space Place | 🕕 6:00pm–8:00pm | 🎟️ $25 | R17

🏍️ Wellington Motorcycle Club Led Ride - Kinnoull Station
An adrenaline-fuelled adventure through Makara! Expect river crossings, rocky tracks, sandy beaches, paddocks, and a hill climb with stunning South Island views.
📍 South Makara Rd, Makara | 🕙 10:00am briefing | 🎟️ $40

🎶 Orchestra Wellington Big Bash 2025
Join hundreds of local instrumentalists for a glorious mass play-in event! Rehearse Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture and 1812 Overture, then enjoy the free concert at 3:30pm. Bring your instrument, music stand, and any accessories.
📍 Lower Hutt Event Centre | 🕐 1:00pm–3:30pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🌷 Tulip Open Day
Stroll through themed suburban garden rooms as thousands of tulips and early flowering plants create a vibrant spring display.
📍 34 St Johns Terrace, Tawa, Wellington | 🕥 10:30am–3:30pm | 🎟️ Donation suggested $5 | 👤 All ages

🎨 Not Your Nana's Craft Market – R18 Art and Craft Market
Creepy‑cute, witchy, kinky, sexy, and LGBTQIA+ friendly! Explore alternative art, mystical crafts, and provocative curiosities at this R18 Upper Hutt market.
📍 Brewtown | 🕙 10:00am–4:30pm | 🎟️ $5 | R18

🎨 Otaki Kids Market
Rangatahi and tamariki, get ready to unleash your creativity! Outdoor market fun with crafts, young artists, and community stallholders.
📍 Otaki Market | 🕙 10:00am–2:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

🎷 Sunday Jazz – Louisa Williamson
Funky, soulful jazz to round off your weekend. Enjoy classics and originals from local saxophonist Louisa Williamson and band, with a beer in hand and chill vibes all around.
📍 The Rogue and Vagabond | 🕔 5:00pm–7:00pm | 🎟️ Free | All ages

Wednesday 8 October

🏃‍♂️ Foundation Gym Cardio Charity Challenge
Get your heart racing for a good cause! Join busy professionals for a 45-minute team cardio challenge during Mental Health Awareness Week, aiming to travel 1,600km across Aotearoa. Switch between bikes, rowers, and ski machines while raising funds for Garden to Table, Reps for Remi, and the Madoc Benfell Memorial Trust. 100% of proceeds support wellness-focused causes.
📍 Foundation Gym, 159 The Terrace, Wellington | 🎟️ Team $500 (to sign-up click here) or Donate via their Give a Little page | 👤 All ages

So grab your crew, your whānau, or just your curious self - from crafts and markets to music, improv, and stargazing, there’s plenty to see, do, and enjoy. Get out there and make the most of Wellington this weekend!

Ngā mihi nui,
Kirstie & Steve 🐝