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- ๐ Light the Night, Fat Freddy's, and 100,000 books!
๐ Light the Night, Fat Freddy's, and 100,000 books!
Plus vintage planes in Masterton, NZ's biggest sustainable fashion market, cult Korean fried chicken, last-day Autumn Valley illuminations + Brazilian choro
Kirstie and Steve
April 30, 2026
WellyBuzz ๐
Your Wellington Weekend Sorted
Hurricanes v Crusaders, Fat Freddy's x3 & 100,000 Books!
Plus vintage planes in Masterton, NZ's biggest sustainable fashion market, cult Korean fried chicken, last-day Autumn Valley illuminations + Brazilian choro ๐
๐ Welcome
Kia ora Wellington! ๐
May kicks off with an absolute banger! ๐คฉ Hurricanes v Crusaders + Light the Night 2.0, three Fat Freddy's nights at MFC, Hood Aerodrome Open Day in Masterton and 100,000+ books at Bookfest. Sweet as autumn weather forecast too. Let's get buzzing! ๐
๐ฅ Quick Picks
๐ท Fat Freddy's Drop - Based On A True Story (Fri/Sat/Sun) - THREE nights at MFC playing the iconic debut album in full.
๐ Hurricanes v Crusaders + Light the Night 2.0 (Fri) - Round 12 at Hnry Stadium with lasers, pyro, DJ Captain Hurricane & rave cave.
โ๏ธ Hood Aerodrome Open Day (Sat) - Vintage planes, food trucks & family fun in Masterton. $10/U15 free.
๐ Sustainable Fashion Market (Sat) - NZ's biggest pre-loved & upcycled market at Kai Tahi Porirua. FREE entry.
๐ Bookfest 2026 (Sat-Sun) - 100,000+ books at Whirinaki, Upper Hutt - 31st year! Bring a big bag.
๐๏ธ Paekฤkฤriki Market Day (Sat) - Local crafts and community vibes at St Peter's Village Hall.
๐ฎ Geek Fest 2026 (Sun) - Cosplay, gaming, comics & market stalls at Brewtown Upper Hutt.
๐ Autumn Valley at Aston Norwood (Sun, last day!) - Day & after-dark illuminated garden walk in Upper Hutt. Wraps up Sunday!
๐ฐ๏ธ Welly's Time Machine
๐ท Wellington Botanic Garden c.1910 / Wellington City Libraries Recollect (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
Our beloved Botanic Garden was born from the Botanic Garden Act of 1869 - 157 years of tulips, kowhai and meandering paths! ๐ณ Bonus: the Garden runs the Plant Legends, Myths & Symbolism guided walk this Saturday (event listed below).
๐ฝ๏ธ Food & Drink
HAHA Chicken is the Korean fried chicken spot taking over Featherston Street lunch hour - and was in serious demand when we went there!
Crispy Korean fried chicken in three flavours - original, sweet & spicy or soy & honey - served with rice, salad or fries. Chicken burgers too, all around $19. Open weekdays 10:30am-3:30pm at 119 Featherston Street, Wellington Central. Follow on Instagram.
๐ Events - What's On This Weekend
๐ข Thursday 30 April - Heads Up
๐ต Music For Mutual Aid
Tahini Bikini + crew fundraiser. Proceeds via GoFundMe to Lana, mum of five in Gaza.
๐ Meow, 9 Edward Street, Te Aro | ๐ Thu 7pm | ๐ฐ $20 (or pay more if you can)
๐
Friday 1 May
Round 12 + Light the Night 2.0 - lasers, pyro, DJ Captain Hurricane, LED performers & Student Rave Cave. Vibes electric! Gates 5:30pm.
๐ Hnry Stadium (formerly Sky Stadium), 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea | ๐ Fri 7:05pm kick-off | ๐ฐ Ticketmaster | ๐ All ages
Our hometown future-funk legends play Based On A True Story in full across THREE nights - a tribute tour after the loss of MU Faiumu. Goosebumps.
๐ Michael Fowler Centre, 111 Wakefield Street, Te Aro | ๐ข Fri/Sat/Sun 7:30pm | ๐ฐ Ticketmaster | ๐ All ages
๐บ Symposium Brass
Chamber Music NZ brass virtuosos.
๐ St Andrews on The Terrace, 30 The Terrace, Wellington | ๐ข Fri 7:30pm-9:30pm | ๐ฐ $69 adult / $65 concession / $15 student | ๐ All ages
Two of NZ's most-loved jazz outfits sharing a stage.
๐ Old St Paul's, 34 Mulgrave Street, Pipitea | ๐ข Fri 7:30pm-10pm | ๐ฐ $40 | ๐ All ages
๐ญ Ride the Cyclone
Darkly funny musical about teens killed on a doomed rollercoaster - and the fortune teller offering a shot at coming back. Runs through to Sat 9 May.
๐ Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, Te Aro | ๐ Fri 7pm-8:30pm | ๐ฐ $68 adult / $55 senior / $45 concession | ๐ M
One-woman show by Anji about her late mum. Laughter, love, laments.
๐ BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria | ๐ก Fri & Sat 6:30pm-7:30pm | ๐ฐ $25 waged / $15 unwaged / $40 aroha | ๐ R16
Scavenger hunt the trails for hidden eggs - runs until 10 May.
๐ Zealandia Te Mฤra a Tฤne, 53 Waiapu Road, Karori | ๐ Fri 9am-5pm | ๐ฐ Included with sanctuary entry | ๐ All ages
๐ Welly Night Market
Small community night market - local street food, food trucks & creatives.
๐ 45A Abel Smith Street, Te Aro | ๐ Fri 5pm-11pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
WIT's elimination format - last performer standing wins. Belly-laugh territory.
๐ Thistle Hall, 293 Cuba Street, Te Aro | ๐ Fri 7pm | ๐ฐ $5 Pay What You Can | ๐ All ages
Wฤnaka rockers + NZ's loudest little band The Boondocks. Grunge, punk, hard rock - bring the earplugs!
๐ Valhalla, 154 Vivian Street, Te Aro | ๐ Fri 8pm | ๐ฐ From $20 | ๐ R18
Brooklyn lo-fi folk + Welly's own Mim Jensen. Cosy intimate San Fran show.
๐ San Fran, 171 Cuba Street, Te Aro | ๐ข Fri 7:30pm | ๐ฐ $55 GA | ๐ All ages
๐ง EFAN (UK)
Charting UK rave/garage/jungle producer (Dizzee Rascal collab) - one NZ show only. Local support from Mason & Ansa.
๐ Meow, 9 Edward Street, Te Aro | ๐ Fri 10pm | ๐ฐ $20 | ๐ R18
๐๏ธ Petone Rangatahi Market
Rangatahi-led market (ages 10-16) - goodies, busking, proceeds to their extracurricular activities.
๐ Petone Corps, 72 Cuba Street, Petone | ๐ Fri 4pm onwards | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
๐
Saturday 2 May
โ๏ธ Hood Aerodrome Open Day
Vintage planes, food trucks, games & family fun in Masterton. Funds going to community projects.
๐ Hood Aerodrome, Manaia Road, Masterton | ๐ Sat 9am-3pm | ๐ฐ $10 / U15 free (EFTPOS available) | ๐ All ages
40 years of Tudor Consort with TWO 40-part pieces - Tallis' Spem in alium + NZ premiere of Mรคntyjรคrvi's Tentatio.
๐ Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, 2 Hill Street, Thorndon | ๐ข Sat 7:30pm-9pm | ๐ฐ $35 / $25 unwaged / $10 students / U12 free | ๐ All ages
Melodownz launching Bron.
๐ Meow, 9 Edward Street, Te Aro | ๐ข Sat 7:30pm-12am | ๐ฐ Earlybird $29.90 | ๐ R18
Two works from Tokelauan-Uvean-Fijian storyteller Emele Ugavule - speculative Pasifika futurism on memory & ancestry.
๐ Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, Te Aro | ๐ข Sat 7:30pm-9:30pm | ๐ฐ $45 | ๐ All ages
NZ's most-loved jazz storytellers since 1989 - still pure magic in a village hall.
๐ St Peter's Village Hall, cnr Beach Rd & Ames St, Paekฤkฤriki | ๐ข Sat 7:30pm-10pm | ๐ฐ $40 GA | ๐ All ages
Kapiti Concert Orchestra: Russian Romantic-era giants - battlefield victories and yearning soul.
๐ Te Raukura ki Kapiti, Coastlands Theatre, 34a Raumati Road, Paraparaumu | ๐ Sat 2:30pm-4:30pm | ๐ฐ $35 adult | ๐ All ages
Aerials, trapeze, juggling.
๐ The Circus Hub, 11 Hutchison Road, Newtown | ๐ฆ Sat 11:30am-3:30pm | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All ages
100,000+ books across 40+ categories - plus mags, jigsaws, CDs & vinyl. 31st year!
๐ Whirinaki Whare Taonga, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt | ๐ Sat 9am-5pm + Sun 9am-3pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
๐๏ธ Paekฤkฤriki Market Day
~25 craft & local-goods stalls under the marquee.
๐ St Peter's Village Hall, cnr Beach Rd & Ames St, Paekฤkฤriki | ๐ Sat 10am-2pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
Guided walk through stories & symbolism of local plants - ties beautifully into our Time Machine! Meet at City Lookout.
๐ Wellington Botanic Garden (meet City Lookout, Upland Rd, Kelburn) | ๐ Sat 1:30pm-2:30pm | ๐ฐ $10 / Free for Friends of WBG | ๐ All ages
Bridget Douglas + Carolyn Mills.
๐ Featherston Anzac Hall, 62 Bell Street, Featherston | ๐ Sat 4pm-5:15pm | ๐ฐ $30 adult / $10 children U16 | ๐ All ages
The Relatives live at Le Gra Vineyard - wine, music, golden Wairarapa leaves. Goodbye-summer kind of afternoon.
๐ Le Gra Vineyard, 42 Loopline Rd, Masterton | ๐ Sat 12pm-6pm | ๐ฐ $39.50 adult / $20 child U16 | ๐ All ages
Crisp Wairarapa autumn morning, basket on arm, kids between the trees. Sat & Sun this weekend.
๐ Molewood Orchard, 17 Mole Street, Greytown | ๐ Sat & Sun 9am-4pm | ๐ฐ Free entry, $3/kg if you pick your own | ๐ All ages
Pop on orange & ride the Waikanae cycleway. Dutch biscuits + best-dressed bike prizes.
๐ Otaihanga Domain, 49 Makora Road, Otaihanga (gather 9:45am) | ๐ Sat 10am-11am | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All ages
10 acts across Vogelmorn Hall + Bowling Club - Drook (USA), Lunar Dirt (AUS), Alphabethead + more. Welly underground at its best.
๐ Vogelmorn Hall & Bowling Club, 93 Mornington Road, Brooklyn | ๐ Sat 4pm-10pm | ๐ฐ Ticketed | ๐ R18
Pole, burlesque, drag & circus crime showcase hosted by Violet Spice - mystery vibes, local talent, properly fun.
๐ The Fringe Bar, 26 Allen Street, Te Aro | ๐ข Sat 7:30pm-9:30pm | ๐ฐ $30 GA | ๐ R18
NZ's largest sustainable fashion market - preloved, vintage, upcycled. Treasure-hunt heaven.
๐ Kai Tahi, 20 Parumoana Street, Porirua | ๐ Sat 10am-2pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
NZ Muaythai Federation national trials - young talent fighting for a black-glove spot.
๐ Lower Hutt Town Hall, 30c Laings Road, Lower Hutt | ๐ Sat 12pm-6pm | ๐ฐ $35 adult / $20 youth | ๐ All ages
Superheroes, villains & comic characters with a fabulous twist by Olivia Dreams. Sequins, sass and plot twists.
๐ Ivy Bar & Cabaret, 63 Cuba Street, Te Aro | ๐ค Sat 9:30pm | ๐ฐ $15 earlybird / $20 GA / $25 supporter | ๐ R18
Drive-thru e-waste drop-off in the Hnry covered carpark - team unloads for you. Clear out that dead-charger drawer!
๐ Hnry Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea (covered carpark) | ๐ Sat 9am-3pm | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All
Live wood-fired pizza demos, free slices, talks & giveaways from Gozney - foodie field trip with a side of fire.
๐ Mitre 10 MEGA Petone, 25 Bouverie Street, Petone | ๐ Sat 11am-2pm | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All ages
48-hour non-competitive game jam.
๐ Old Museum Building, Massey University, Buckle Street, Mount Cook (Entrance D) | ๐ Fri 6pm-Sun 6pm (3-day jam) | ๐ฐ FREE registration | ๐ R18
๐
Sunday 3 May
Final day! Aston Norwood's first Autumn Valley - peak autumn colour by day, illuminated walk after dark.
๐ Aston Norwood Gardens, 1747 SH2, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt | ๐ Sun 8am-5pm (day) / 6-9pm (after dark) | ๐ฐ Day $10/Child $5/Family $25 - Night $12.50/Child $5/Family $30 - Combo $17.50 | ๐ All ages
๐ฎ Geek Fest 2026!
Geeky clothes, collectibles, music, cosplay, competitions, stalls.
๐ Brewtown, 27 Blenheim Street, Upper Hutt | ๐ Sun 11am-4pm | ๐ฐ Refer to event link | ๐ All ages
Glinka's Spanish Overture, Mozart's Violin Concerto No 4 with HVO Cup winner Ambrose Tarrant-Matthews, Ritchie's Albatross in Flight + Khachaturian.
๐ St James Church, 71 Woburn Road, Lower Hutt | ๐ Sun 3pm-4:30pm | ๐ฐ $20 adult / $15 senior / $10 student / Free child | ๐ All ages
Flute & harp magic from two of NZ's finest. Mulled Wine series, door sales only.
๐ St Peter's Village Hall, cnr Beach Rd & Ames St, Paekฤkฤriki | ๐ Sun 2:30pm-4:15pm | ๐ฐ $35 GA / $15 student U16 (door sales only) | ๐ All ages
Step inside John Scott's modernist masterpiece (one of Time Out's 21 most beautiful buildings) and see Jim Allen's Christ Figure. Open 11am-3pm self-guided (koha), then stay on for the 2pm Colours of Futuna: Choro Ao Vento concert - joyful Brazilian choro with guitar, flute, cavaquinho, clarinet & pandeiro.
๐ Futuna Chapel, 67 Friend Street, Karori (parking nearby) | ๐ Sun 11am-3pm Open Day + 2pm Concert | ๐ฐ Koha (Open Day) / $15 (Concert) | ๐ All ages
Pasifika futurism by Tokelauan-Uvean-Fijian storyteller Emele Ugavule - earlier matinee for the Sunday crowd.
๐ Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, Te Aro | ๐ Sun 4:30pm-6:30pm | ๐ฐ $45 | ๐ All ages
๐ท Sunday Jazz Club
Free fortnightly Sunday jazz at Parrotdog with Lockie Bennett & crew - perfect wind-down with a craft beer.
๐ Parrotdog Bar, 60-66 Kingsford Smith Street, Lyall Bay | ๐ Sun 2pm-6pm | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All ages
90-min volunteer-led walk through Wellington's LGBTI rainbow heritage.
๐ The Beehive & Parliament Buildings, 1 Molesworth St, Thorndon | ๐ Sun 1pm-2:30pm | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All ages
๐ ลtaki Market
Weekly outdoor market - craft, produce, plants, antiques, food trucks.
๐ ลtaki Market, 58 Main Highway (SH1), ลtaki | ๐ Sun 10am-2pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
๐ Harbourside Market
Welly's beloved waterfront market.
๐ Cnr Cable & Barnett Street, Te Aro | ๐ Sun 7:30am-2pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
๐ Tauherenikau Races
Eight gallop races over a glorious Wairarapa autumn afternoon - free entry!
๐ Tauherenikau Racecourse, Kahutara | ๐ Sun 12:15pm-4:30pm | ๐ฐ Free entry | ๐ All ages
Heritage steam train to Tลซฤซ Brewery + BBQ lunch.
๐ Plimmerton Railway Station | ๐ Sun 7am-7:30pm | ๐ฐ Ticketed (limited seats) | ๐ All ages
๐ถ Rounds in the Square
Community singing outside the reopened Te Matapihi Central Library.
๐ Civic Square, Wellington Central | ๐ Sun 1pm | ๐ฐ Free | ๐ All ages
Sunday matinee - season runs through to Sat 9 May.
๐ Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, Te Aro | ๐ Sun 4pm-5:30pm | ๐ฐ $68 / $55 / $45 | ๐ M
โ๏ธ Welly Weather Watch
โ๏ธ Friday 1 May: Fine. Easterlies, dying out in the morning. High 15ยฐC, low 9ยฐC
โ๏ธ Saturday 2 May: Fine. Northerlies, dying out in the afternoon. High 16ยฐC, low 8ยฐC
โ
Sunday 3 May: Partly cloudy. Northerlies developing in the afternoon. High 15ยฐC, low 10ยฐC
Cracking Fri-Sat with cloudier Sunday - get out and enjoy it Welly!
๐ Extra Sprinkles - Charity of the Week
Atareira has supported Wellington whanau through mental health and addictions challenges for 45 years - family support, youth services, housing & anxiety programmes across Wellington, Hutt, Porirua and Kapiti.
Mental health support matters more than ever. Phone 04 499 1049 or visit atareira.org.nz to donate or learn more.
Mental health support matters more than ever. Phone 04 499 1049 or visit atareira.org.nz to donate or learn more.
That's us! Hope to see you in the stands roaring on the Canes, swaying to a Fat Freddy's bassline, or knee-deep in 100,000 books. ๐
Nga mihi nui,
Kirstie & Steve ๐
Nga mihi nui,
Kirstie & Steve ๐
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