The Spinoff’s top pick of events from around the motu for the week 7-14 August.
Welcome to The Spinoff event guide, formerly known as the event noticeboard. If you’re new to the guide then welcome to your weekly, curated selection of gigs, events and exhibitions from across Aotearoa. If you want to pitch your event for future guides then please use this handy form.
Whangārei
Auction: North Haven Hospice Art Auction
North Haven Hospice Charity Shop, Whangārei
5.30pm Thursday, August 14
An incredible collection of art gathered over many years is to be auctioned off to raise money. Go get a treasure.
Leigh
Music: Tiki Taane
Sawmill Cafe, 142 Pakiri Rd, Leigh, Auckland
8pm Friday, August 8
$40
A live looping, one-man-band experience.
Tāmaki Makaurau
Film: The Shrouds
The Academy, 44 Lorne St
1.30pm Friday, August 8
$19
Body horror aficionado David Cronenberg’s 2024 film is screening as part of this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival.
Literature: We Read Auckland: 1985, a novel – Dominic Hoey
Studio One Toi Tū, 1 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby
2pm Saturday, August 9
Free but registration available
We Read Auckland is a local lit fest created by Auckland City Libraries. Hoey’s event is part of a whole suite of them (read a conversation about 1985 on The Spinoff, here).
Rotorua
Circus-Theatre: Te Tangi a te Tūī
Sir Howard Morrison Centre
7.30pm Sunday, August 10
$15–$49
Te Pou Theatre and Dust Palace’s beautiful work about the impact of colonisation on the natural world.
Tauranga
Comedy: Mount Comedy Club
The Incubator Creative Hub, The Historic Village, 17th Avenue, Tauranga
7.30pm Thursday, August 7
$38.50
Featuring host Ben Hurley and guests Hayley Sproull and Paul Douglas.
Palmerston North
Dance: Avenoir
The Globe Theatre, 312 Main Street, Palmerston North
6.30pm Sunday, August 10
$25
A 50-minute dance performance exploring what it might feel like to live life backwards.
Wellington
Music: Vagina Dry: Vagtastic Voyage
Valhalla, 154 Vivian St, Te Aro, Wellington
8pm Friday, August 8
$15
Ōtepoti-based feminist punk band bring three new singles to the capital: WHITE FEMINISM, Liar and Privileged Man.
Literature: Writers on Mondays: High Tide – Jennifer Trevelyan and Jenny Pattrick
Rongomaraeroa, Te Papa
12.15pm Monday, August 11
Free
A series of free, lunchtime events with writers who’ve recently published a book. Read a review of Trevelyan’s novel on The Spinoff, here.
Blenheim
Kapa haka: Te Ara o Hine Rēhia
Marlborough Art Gallery Te Kahu o Waipuna, 15 High St
10am–4pm Thursday – Friday; 1pm–4pm Saturday – Sunday, until August 10
Free
An homage to kapa haka in Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui, following four different kapa haka from Te Tauihu over six years.
Ōtautahi
Music: Bloc Party
Christchurch Town Hall
10am Sunday, August 10
$129.90
UK indie band are celebrating 20 years of their album Silent Alarm. With special guest Young The Giant.
Lyttelton
Music: Fazerdaze
The Loons
8pm Thursday, August 14
$49
Winner of Best Solo Artist and Album of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards 2025.
Ōtepoti
Music: Violinist Nathaniel Otley
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
1pm Saturday, August 9
Free
New York-based violinist giving a free concert.
Queenstown
Literature: An evening with the poet laureate
The Sherwood
7.30pm Friday, August 8
$23.25–$28.92
Get Chris Tse while you can! His stint as Aotearoa’s poet laureate ends on August 20.
Greymouth
Magic: Illusionist Anthony Street
Regent Theatre, Greymouth
7pm Friday, August 8
$49.90–$59.90
Breathtaking illusions and mind-bending magic.
