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- π Tawa Street Party, Phoenix Opener & ABBA Night
π Tawa Street Party, Phoenix Opener & ABBA Night
Plus 100+ jazz gigs, medieval combat in Upper Hutt, KaΜpiti's Botanist Market, Queens hoops in Porirua + Circa's new show. Rug up! π
Kirstie and Steve
October 15, 2026
WellyBuzz π
Your Wellington Weekend Sorted
Tawa Street Party, Phoenix Opener & ABBA Night
Plus 100+ jazz gigs, medieval combat in Upper Hutt, KΔpiti's Botanist Market, Queens hoops in Porirua + Circa's new show. Rug up! π
π Welcome
Kia ora Wellington! πΈ
β½ LAST CHANCE! We've teamed up with the Wellington Phoenix to give away 10 double passes to Sunday's season-opening double header. Entries close 5pm today (Thursday) - just reply to this email with the word PHOENIX!
Spring's throwing a southerly at us, but the weekend's line-up more than makes up for it! The Wellington Jazz Festival fills bars, churches and theatres right through to Sunday, the Phoenix open their 20th season with a double header at Hnry Stadium, BjΓΆrn Again bring the ABBA glitter to the Opera House, and Tawa throws its big spring street party on Saturday. Grab a coat and let's get buzzing! π
π₯ Quick Picks
π» NZSO Elegance (Fri) - Isata Kanneh-Mason makes her NZSO debut with Mozart's final piano concerto.
π Tokomanawa Queens v Tauranga Whai (Fri) - Tauihi hoops in Porirua, tip-off 7:30pm.
π· Wellington Jazz Festival (Fri-Sun) - More than 100 gigs before Sunday night, and heaps of them are free.
π Mexted Motors Spring into Tawa (Sat) - Markets, food and three stages of entertainment along Main Road. Free entry!
β‘ Electrify the Capital (Sat) - Free expo at TSB Arena on solar, batteries, EVs and heat pumps.
βοΈ Trans-Tasman Buhurt Cup (Sat) - NZ v Australia in full-contact armoured combat at Brewtown. Yes, really.
πΏ KΔpiti Botanist Market (Sat) - Plants, botanical art and ceramics in Paraparaumu. Nearly 600 people are keen on Facebook!
π» Kiwi Steel Rodeo (Sat) - Car-crushing monster trucks, motocross backflips and pyro at Te Marua Speedway.
β½ Wellington Phoenix Double Header (Sun) - Season 20 kicks off - women at 12:15pm, men at 3pm, plus Drax Project.
π BjΓΆrn Again (Sun) - The ABBA party lands at the Opera House on Sunday night.
π Sponsor - KΔpiti Womenβs Expo
See the full list of exhibitors
π Celebrate 10 Years of the KΔpiti Womenβs Expo π
Sunday 1 November 2026 | 10amβ3pm
Southward Car Museum
Gold Coin Entry
Proceeds proudly supporting KΔpiti Womenβs Refuge
Come along and help us celebrate the 10th Birthday of the KΔpiti Womenβs Expo under the direction of Julie and Emily.
With over 100 sites under one roof, there really is something for everyone. Discover a fantastic mix of art, beauty, fashion, food and drink, health and fitness, homeware, pet care, services, travel and tourism, and so much more.
Itβs the perfect opportunity to get a head start on your Christmas shopping while supporting New Zealand-based businesses, all in one convenient location. Bring the whole family, enjoy a fun day out, discover something new and support a great local cause.
With so much to see and do, this is a 10th Birthday celebration not to be missed!
For a full list of exhibitors, visit www.KapitiWomensExpo.co.nz
And while you're there, why not make a day of it and enjoy a visit to the Southward Car Museum too.
We look forward to celebrating 10 amazing years with you
With thanks to the Expo's main sponsors
π½οΈ Food & Drink
Sports & Rec - Wellington's newest sports bar has taken over the old Shed 22 on the waterfront, and we popped in on Saturday to watch the All Blacks win. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was so much fun! π
We shared crispy fried cauliflower with ranch, a prawn cocktail pot and burgers, and loved the lot! There's rotisserie chook for the table too, plus eight supersized screens, an F1 simulator, darts and a kids' play area. Every cocktail comes in a 0% version too. π
Find them at 4 Taranaki Street, Wellington Central, open 12pm till late every day. Thanks to the team for having us! Sports & Rec Wellington
π Events - What's On This Weekend
π
Friday 16 October
π» NZSO Elegance
British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason makes her NZSO debut with Mozart's final piano concerto, plus Brahms and Elfrida AndrΓ©e. Tianyi Lu conducts.
π Michael Fowler Centre, 111 Wakefield Street, Te Aro | π‘ Fri 6:30pm | π° From $35.68 + handling fee
100+ gigs to go before it wraps up Sunday. Free picks: The Zimmermans play Bob Dylan at Gibbons Hotel (Fri 7:30pm), Hupstein Eng Trio at the Thistle Inn (Sat 12:30pm) and Wellington Heads at Gibbons (Sun 3pm).
π Venues across Wellington | π Fri-Sun | π° Free, koha and ticketed gigs
Help Conservation Volunteers NZ clear weeds smothering the native bush, with 15 minutes of mindful relaxation in the ngahere. Tools and morning tea provided. Only six spots were left when we looked!
π Montgomery Reserve, Karori | π€ Fri 9:30am-1:30pm | π° Free (register online)
Grab a cuppa and ease into the weekend with friendly jazz standards from two guitars and a double bass.
π Home Cafe at the National Library, 70 Molesworth Street, Thorndon | π Fri 12pm-1pm | π° Free
βοΈ The King's Gambit
FORM Theatre presents a courtroom drama about a 'blind trial' with no names, ages, genders or ethnicities. Contains strong language. Friday's 1pm show is nearly sold out!
π BATS Theatre (The Dome), 1 Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria | π Fri 1pm & 6:30pm, Sat 6:30pm | π° Waged $30, Unwaged $20, Extra Aroha $40
πΊ Les Tripes
Toe-tapping Hot Club swing in the style of Django Reinhardt, from clarinet, two guitars and double bass.
π The Thistle Inn, 3 Mulgrave Street, Thorndon | π Fri 4:45pm | π° Free
Hannah Griffin sings the poems of e. e. cummings, Bill Manhire and Hinemoana Baker, set to music by pianist Norman Meehan, with Blair Latham on sax.
π St Michael's Anglican Church, 81 Upland Road, Kelburn | π Fri 6pm-7pm | π° Adult $34.05, Concession $10.25 (incl. fees)
Comics try out new jokes, some brilliant and some still a work in progress. Hoani Hotene MCs Friday and Jamaine Ross takes Saturday.
π The Fringe Bar, 26 Allen Street, Te Aro | π‘ Fri & Sat 6:30pm | π° $16.58, Concession $10.25 (incl. fees) | π R18
The Queens host Tauranga Whai in Tauihi! Doors open at 6pm, with a quick-fire Rapid League game at 6:30pm before the main event.
π Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana Street, Porirua | π’ Fri 7:30pm | π° Adult $25.30, Student $17.20, Child $10.20 (incl. service fee)
π· Jazz at Park Kitchen
Miramar gets three days of free live jazz: Jessie and Robert on Friday, Four-Dollar Fifty Jazz on Saturday and Noir on Sunday.
π Park Kitchen, 6 Park Road, Miramar | π Fri 7pm, Sat 7pm, Sun 1:30pm | π° Free | π R18
The former Blam Blam Blam bassist tours his new album The Great Kerfuffle with a four-piece band, including Teina Benioni (Bamboo, Ardijah) on guitar.
π Meow, 9 Edward Street, Te Aro | π£ Fri 8:30pm | π° $20
Joe Daymond headlines with Jamaine Ross and Lily Catastrophe. You can pay a bit extra to support WELLfed's mahi.
π The Fringe Bar, 26 Allen Street, Te Aro | π Fri & Sat 8pm | π° $34.04 (incl. fees) | π R18
Myrtle Montgomery and an all-star drag cast pay tribute to American Horror Story, The X-Files and Twin Peaks.
π Ivy Bar & Cabaret, 63 Cuba Street, Te Aro | π Fri doors 9pm, show 10pm | π° $25.30 (incl. fees) | π R18
π
Saturday 17 October
Tawa's annual spring festival is back with stalls, food trucks, three stages of entertainment and free kids' activities. Bring the whΔnau!
π Main Road, Tawa (between Surrey Street and Oxford Street) | π Sat 10am-3pm | π° Free entry
Go behind the scenes with rare access to the winding room, a guided Cable Car Museum tour, a return ride and a hot drink. Max 10 per tour, so book ahead! Steep stairs, so wear closed-toe shoes.
π Wellington Cable Car, 280 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central | π Sat 10am-11:30am | π° Adult $45, Concession $35
NZ and Australia's national teams clash in full-contact medieval combat, with steel weapons and real armour, plus medieval-themed vendors and food trucks. Two-day grandstand seats have sold out.
π Brewtown, 27 Blenheim Street, Upper Hutt | π Sat 10am to Sun 4pm | π° Online: GA $10 a day or $15 for both, grandstand from $25
Volunteers help with mending, household and electrical items, instruments and knife sharpening. Clean items only, last ones accepted at 12.30pm.
π Ngaio Union Church, 3 Kenya Street (corner Crofton Road), Ngaio | π Sat 10am-1pm | π° Free
π² Ride Block Party
Bring your bike for a free service from Free Ride, plus health checks, free kai, music and activities for the tamariki. You can enrol to vote too.
π Walter Mildenhall Park, Treadwell Street, Naenae, Lower Hutt | π Sat 10am-1pm | π° Free
Plant lovers, this one's for you! Expect indoor and outdoor plants, seedlings, botanical art, ceramics, natural skincare and garden dΓ©cor.
π Paraparaumu Memorial Hall, Tutanekai Street, Paraparaumu | π Sat 10am-3pm
It's an on-farm open day for knitters, spinners and crocheters. Bring your project and your lunch - coffee, tea and snacks are provided.
π Rewa Rewa Station, 166 Rewa Rewa Road, Tinui, Masterton | π Sat 10am-3pm | π° Free
Wellington's home electrification expo lets you quiz local experts on solar, batteries, EVs and heat pumps. No prior knowledge needed, and there's a family zone for kids.
π TSB Arena, 4 Queens Wharf, Wellington Central | π Sat 9am-4pm | π° Free entry - register for a free ticket
Hear the National War Memorial Carillon's bells ring out in a free 30-minute recital from a visiting carillonist.
π Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Buckle Street, Mount Cook | π Sat 2pm-2:30pm | π° Free
Car-crushing monster trucks, freestyle motocross backflips, stunts and pyrotechnics. Bring a picnic and chairs!
π Te Marua Speedway, 1039A State Highway 2, Te Marua, Upper Hutt | π‘ Sat 6:30pm (gates 4:30pm) | π° Adult $42.90, Child 3-17 $27.90, Family pass $110, under 3s free
π Theatresports
Two improv teams go head to head with no scripts, scored by judges and inspired by the audience.
π BATS Theatre (The Stage), 1 Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria | π Sat 7pm | π° Waged $25
π After God
Michael Hurst stars in the NZ premiere of a verbatim play built from real conversations with theologians, philosophers, taxi drivers and a famous singing nun.
π Circa Theatre (Circa One), 1 Taranaki Street, Te Aro | π Sat 7pm, Sun 4pm | π° $25-$60
Tango Vivo play a 60-minute seated concert of tangos, milongas and valses, the first in a new series from Latin Events Welly. It's selling fast.
π Karori Baptist Church, 161-163 Karori Road, Karori | π Sat 7pm-8:30pm | π° $27, Supporter ticket $37.58 (incl. fees), under 5s free
Cam and Sam play the hits live, from Piano Man and Rocket Man to Uptown Girl and Crocodile Rock. Doors open 7pm.
π Te Raukura ki KΔpiti, Coastlands Theatre, 34a Raumati Road, Paraparaumu | π’ Sat 7:30pm | π° Adult $56.88-$62, Under 18 $41.50 (incl. fees)
The country's best short films made in just 48 hours hit the big screen. Bar opens 6pm, doors 7pm. Rated M.
π Embassy Theatre, 10 Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria | π’ Sat 7:30pm | π° $23.25, Student/Unwaged/Senior $16.58 (incl. fees)
The Lebanese-New Zealander flamenco guitarist launches an album shaped by sixteen years in Spain.
π Hannah Playhouse, 12 Cambridge Terrace, Te Aro | π’ Sat 7:30pm | π° $100.68 (incl. fees)
The Mercury Prize winner makes his first-ever Aotearoa appearance at the Jazz Festival, with just one piano and one voice. Only a handful of seats were left when we looked!
π Opera House, 111-113 Manners Street, Te Aro | π’ Sat 7:30pm | π° From $93.05 + handling fee
Danny Byrd, Unglued and Hoax bring three decades of drum & bass to one big night, with ANSA in support.
π Meow Nui, 92 Vivian Street, Te Aro | π Sat doors 9pm | π° $66.60-$79.83 + Ticketek fees | π 18+ (under 18s with a guardian)
πΊ C-26 Salsa Band
Wellington's sizzling seven-piece salsa band hit the Jazz Festival. Bring your dancing shoes!
π Gibbons Hotel, 52 Taranaki Street, Te Aro | π€ Sat 9:30pm | π° Free
π
Sunday 18 October
The Nix open season 20 with Nix Day Out - two games on one ticket! The women face Melbourne City in a Grand Final rematch, Drax Project play pitchside, then the men take on Melbourne Victory. Gates open 11:45am.
π Hnry Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea | π Sun 12:15pm (women) & 3pm (men) | π° From $25, juniors from $5 (+ Ticketek fees) - prices go up on matchday
π₯¬ Harbourside Market
Your weekly dose of fresh produce, food trucks and waterfront buskers.
π Corner Cable Street & Barnett Street, Te Aro | π’ Sun 7:30am-2pm | π° Free entry
Homewares, art, vintage and upcycled treasure, artisan produce, garden plants, coffee and a sausage sizzle. A proper country market!
π Stella Bull Park, Main Street, Greytown | π Sun 10am-2pm | π° Free entry
Last chance! It's the final Sunday of the Cable Car's spring deal, with cheap rides from 3pm until close.
π Wellington Cable Car, 280 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central | π Sun from 3pm | π° $3 one-way, $6 return
Expect big vocal harmonies and Wellington hits from the 60s and 70s, plus John Prine and Neil Young covers.
π The Tasting Room, 2 Courtenay Place, Te Aro | π Sun 3pm-5pm | π° Free
This band's led by a 9-year-old drummer! TomTom Woodson and the Groove-Daddies play singalong hits from the Beatles, CCR and the Killers.
π Lynott's Irish Pub, 21 Blair Street, Te Aro | π Sun 3:30pm-4:30pm | π° $20, Capital Blues members and students $10
A fundraising quiz for not-for-profit poetry publisher Landing Press and its upcoming anthology on water. Email to register a team of up to six, or just yourself.
π All Saints Church, 90 Hamilton Road, Hataitai | π Sun 4pm-6pm | π° $15
The ABBA show that's played more than 120 countries brings the glitter, the costumes and every hit you know by heart.
π Opera House, 111-113 Manners Street, Te Aro | π’ Sun 7:30pm | π° From $67.77 + handling fee
Local pros and NZ Comedy School graduates tell true tales, some funny and some fearsome. One for fans of The Moth!
π The Cavern Club, 22 Allen Street, Te Aro | π Sun 8pm-9:30pm | π° $16.58 online (incl. fees), $20 on the door | π R18
π Heads Up - Coming Up
ππΊ Hungary 1956-2026: 70 Years OnFREE film and panel at the Penthouse Cinema! Mark 70 years since Hungary's 1956 Revolution with Children of Glory (Hungarian with English subtitles), a drama set against the uprising and the Melbourne Olympics. Before the screening, hear Chris Finlayson, Alan Duff, Zoya KΕszegi and IstvΓ‘n TΓ³th discuss freedom, resistance and starting anew. Thursday 22 October: panel 6:45pm, film 7:30pm. A few paid places remain for Hungarian wine and nibbles. Registration essential via Humanitix.
π» Wellington Folk Festival 2026Labour Weekend, Fri 23 - Mon 26 October - It's WellyFest's 61st year! Head into the bush at Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre, 562 Moores Valley Road, Wainuiomata, for a long weekend of folk music, workshops, jam sessions, singing, ceilidhs and craft stalls. Gates open 3pm Friday, with music through to Sunday night. Weekend passes with camping: adult $230, youth 6-17 $105. Day passes: adult $130, youth $55 (+ booking fee). Under 6s free! Online sales close Wed 21 October!
π§οΈ Welly Weather Watch
π§οΈ Fri: Rain before dawn, then a few showers. Strong southerlies at times. High 10Β°C, low 6Β°C
π¦οΈ Sat: Occasional rain clearing to fine in the afternoon. Southerlies. High 12Β°C, low 9Β°C
β
Sun: Cloud clearing to fine in the afternoon, southerlies dying out. High 14Β°C, low 8Β°C
A chilly southerly hangs around, but it clears to fine on Saturday afternoon and Sunday's looking lovely for the Nix. Pack a coat just in case!
π Extra Sprinkles
Re-Read For Life Pop-Up Bookshop - Book lovers, get to Johnsonville! This second-hand bookshop pops up at Johnsonville Shopping Centre again this Saturday 17 October. It's run by volunteers Anne and Rachel, and all the money goes to the Cancer Society. π
Spotted something in the shelf photos on their Facebook page? Message them and they'll pop it aside for you. Two more pop-ups are planned, on Sunday 8 November and Saturday 28 November, while stocks last.
Spotted something in the shelf photos on their Facebook page? Message them and they'll pop it aside for you. Two more pop-ups are planned, on Sunday 8 November and Saturday 28 November, while stocks last.
Rug up, find yourself a jazz gig and keep an ear out for ABBA drifting down Manners Street. Have a great weekend, Wellington!
NgΔ mihi nui,
Kirstie & Steve π
NgΔ mihi nui,
Kirstie & Steve π
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