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Amber's Hard to Find Gallery - Exhibition
FREE (All ages) | Tue-Fri, 9.30am-3:00pm A tiny gallery is hidden in the nooks of Ambers Kitchen, call in for coffee and appreciate the miniature works of our local artists. AMBERS KITCHEN - 21 Selwyn Ave , Whangārei |
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Cosmic Circus Cabaret - Circus Cabaret
$40 (R - 18+) | Fri 9 Oct, 5:30pm (1.5hrs) | Fri 9 Oct, 8:00pm (1.5hrs) Ascend to the stars and witness a show that’s never been seen before on this planet. Circus Kumarani presents interstellar acts from around the galaxy, amazing aliens, cosmic circus skills and burlesque thrills. ONEONESIX - 116A Bank Street, Whangārei |
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Dancing Diamonds Fire Show - Circus
$10/$15 (G - for families and children) | Fri 2 Oct, 5:30pm-9:30pm A spectacular fire show showcasing the amazing fire dancers of Whangarei! Finishing with a small fire jam after the show, where anyone can have a go safely dancing with fire. Make sure your wearing natural fibres if you want to play with fire (cotton, denim, wool) QUARRY ARTS CENTRE - 21 Selwyn Ave, Whangārei |
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Dr Print - Performance Art
FREE (All ages) | Wed 7 Oct, 10:00am-3:00pm Live Print Woodcut Print Demo- Carving a human sized block. LLAF HUB - 41 Cameron Street, Whangārei |
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Free Art Friday - Guerrilla Art installation
FREE (All ages) | Fri 2 Oct (all day) | Fri 9 Oct (all day) Free Art Friday is a global, grassroots art movement where artists leave original pieces of artwork—like paintings, sketches and prints — in public spaces for anyone to find and keep for free. Like an urban treasure hunt in your city. HOW IT WORKS: Each Friday of the festival local artists will hide artwork in public spaces for anyone to find and keep. Location clues will be posted on: www.facebook.com/FreeArtFridayWhangarei, and then the art treasure hunt begins If you are one of the lucky finder keepers please post your find and tag #FreeArtFridayWhangarei and the artist. EVERYWHERE & ANYWHERE |
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Fly My Pretties - Exhibition
FREE (All ages) | Sept - 10 Oct Exploring the strange and enchanting world of things with wings. From delicate flutterings to dark omens, these creatures drift through folklore, memory and imagination—watching from above, lingering at the edges, arriving unannounced. Across painting, mixed media, textiles, printmaking, ceramics, uku, wood and jewellery, this gathering of works celebrates flight, transformation and mystery. QUARRY ARTS CENTRE - 21 Selywn Ave |
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Hidden Pūpūrangi - Workshops
FREE (All ages) Hidden Pūpūrangi is a celebration of our local pūpūrangi (kauri snails)! The Hidden Pūpūrangi hide and seek event will take place over the second weekend of the Little Lost Art Festival at Cafler Park, the weekend of October 10-11. Join us in creating the pūpūrangi for this hide and seek event at any of the preceding workshops, where you will learn to weave the snails as well as grow your understanding about tikanga associated with harvesting and using harakeke and about pūpūrangi as an endangered and protected taonga species. These workshops are free and open to anyone, drop in any time while they are running. Please arrive at least half an hour before the listed end time to allow time to complete your project. Workshop 1: Harakeke Pūpūrangi at Pride HQ, in partnership with the recurring Queer Creations event. Sunday, 4th October, 1:00-4:00pm Pride HQ 65 John Street Workshop 2: Harakeke Pūpūrangi at the Central Library. Monday, 5th October, 1:00-4:00pm Whangārei Central Library 5 Rust Avenue Workshop 3: Harakeke Pūpūrangi at Creative Northland Thursday, 8th October, 12:30-3:30pm Creative Northland on Railway Road Hidden Pūpūrangi is offered with support from BoNZA/Burners Without Borders. |
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Hidden Pūpūrangi - Guerrilla Art installation
FREE (All ages) | Sat 10 Oct - Sun 11 Oct (all day) The Hidden Pūpūrangi hide and seek event will take place over the second weekend of the Little Lost Art Festival at Cafler Park, the weekend of October 10-11. Come take a snoop through Cafler Park and seek out the pūpūrangi hiding there, woven from harakeke. You are welcome to adopt one for yourself or a friend, but if you find more than one please leave it for another to find or rehide it elsewhere within Cafler Park. CAFLER PARK |
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High Tea at the Theatre - Theatre
$40/$35 (G - for families and children) | Sat 10 Oct, 2:00pm (2hrs) A high tea with a variety of teas, scones, jams and savory delights in our little theatre. Small intimate performers will be intertwined throughout the evening and pouring of tea. OCTAGON THEATRE - 13 Aubrey Street, Whangārei |
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Hugo's Rainbow Show - Theatre
KOHA (G - for families and children) | Sat 10 Oct, 11:00am (45mins) | Sat 10 Oct, 2:00pm (45mins) | Sun 11 Oct, 11:00am (45mins) A drag show for kids about the science of rainbows! “Outstanding” ★★★★★ (Theatre Review). Join drag super star Hugo Grrrl (New Zealand) for a musical, magical adventure exploring the skies above. Can you help find Ray The Sun, Misty The Cloud, and Wayne The Rain? Maybe even the fabulous Archie The Rainbow?! Together we’ll make the mysteries of meteorology fun with original songs, colourful stories, and - of course - outrageous, glittery costumes. For all ages! Best for 2-10 year olds and our neurodiverse friends, but even big kids will love this wholesome, goofy, and glamorous experience. “An empowering, inclusive, heart-warming experience for the young and not-so-young.” ★★★★★ (Flat City Field Notes) “A subtle & magical family show, with breathtaking costumes.” ★★★★★ (Theatre Review) “Blends entertainment, education, and imagination … keeps children engaged from start to finish.” ★★★★★ (Perth Happenings) ONEONESIX - 116A Bank Street, Whangārei |
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Kids English Folk Dance - Workshop
FREE (G - for families and children) | Thu 1 Oct, 10:00am (2hrs) | Thu 8 Oct, 10:00am (2hrs) Join the Rowdy House group for a Molly dance workshop for kids. Molly dancing is a type of English folk dance which was traditionally a way for farm workers to earn money during the off season. We will learn a molly dance at Pride HQ then perform it across the road at the town basin. See you there! PRIDE HQ - 65 John st, Whangārei |
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Kitchen Chaos! - Children's/family
$15/$20 (G - for families and children) | Wed 7 Oct, 11:00am (45mins) | Wed 7 Oct, 1:30pm (45mins) Sensible Spray and excitable Wipe are messy magicians, and they’ve been invited to a surprise party. But after a terrible cake squishing accident, everything is turned topsy turvy, and they have to figure out how baking works before the party starts! Circus, slapstick and magic combine in this very special comedy theatre adventure for tamariki aged 3+ ONEONESIX - 116A Bank Street, Whangārei |
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Liam & Little Lost Art Pop-Up - Exhibition
FREE (G - for families and children) | Thu 8 Oct, 10:00am-3:30pm | Fri 9 Oct, 10:00am-3:30pm Step into a world of playful printmaking at the Liam & Little Lost Art Pop-Up Exhibition, hosted at the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery. Featuring a collection of vibrant, experimental works created through Gelli plate printing, the exhibition celebrates colour, texture, layering and the unexpected beauty that comes from creative play. Come along, explore the works, discover a different approach to printmaking, and experience a little bit of Lost Art. HUNDERTWASSER ACTIVITY CENTRE - 81 Dent Street, Whangārei |
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Liam & Little Lost Art Pop-Up Gelli Plate Printing Session - Workshop
$5 (G - for families and children) | Fri 2 Oct, 10:00am (4hrs) Join us for a fun and creative Liam & Little Lost Art Prep Session at the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery. This hands-on session is all about exploring Gelli plate printing — experimenting with colour, texture, layers and different printmaking techniques while creating and preparing artwork for the upcoming Liam & Little Lost Art Pop-Up Exhibition coming up later on in the week. HUNDERTWASSER ACTIVITY CENTRE - 81 Dent Street, Whangārei |
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Liam & Little Lost Art Prep - Workshop
$45 (G - for families and children) | Wed 7 Oct, 5:30pm (3.5hrs) Join us for a fun and creative Liam & Little Lost Art Prep session with pizza This hands-on session is all about getting creative with Gelli plate printing, experimenting with colours, textures, layers and different printmaking techniques while preparing artwork and materials for the upcoming Lost Art event. A relaxed and playful space to explore Gelli plates, test new ideas, create unique prints and get everything ready for the big day. REYBURN ART STUDIO - 17 Reyburn House Lane, Whangārei |
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Little Lost Flash Day - Body Art
Free Event/Cost In-store (R - 18+) | Fri 9 Oct, 9:00am-5:00am Walk on in on the 9th of October and pick some flash of the flash sheets that are available for the event. Many designs to choose from and a variety of different prices ranging from $120 - $320 AOTEAROA ELECTRIC TATTOO - 10-12 Rust Avenue, Whangārei |
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Little Lost Night Gallery - Exhibition
FREE (All ages) | Mon 5 Oct - Fri 9 Oct, 5:00pm-9:00pm A pop-up gallery for miniature art work and tiny treasures to discover. Bring a $2 coin, for the Art-o-Matic mystery art vending machine, or make your own mini artwork. LLAF HUB - 41 Cameron Street, Whangārei |
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Little Top Circus - Puppet Show
$10 (All ages) | Sat 10 Oct, 12:30pm (45mins) | Sun 11 Oct, 12:30pm (45mins) Little Top Circus is a tabletop circus, reminiscent of classic P. T. Barnham revelry, and captures the spectacle of traditional circus on an unfolding and transforming box/table. Featuring daring acrobatics! Mysterious magic! And animal feats of amazement! LLAF HUB - 41 Cameron Street, Whangārei |
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Mermaid Bait's Q-Street Parade - Music
FREE (All ages) | Sun 11 Oct, 3:00pm (60mins) Get ready to parade! Mermaid Bait are taking to the streets for a free, family-friendly roving parade through the heart of Whangārei. Starting outside on Quality St (outside Amici), the parade will wind its way through town before finishing at Cameron Street Mall. Bring your whānau, bring your friends and bring your best parading self. Dress up, get colourful and come along for an afternoon of merriment with your mates: Mermaid Bait. Everyone is welcome — come join the parade! QUALITY ST - CAMERON ST MALL - Starting outside Amici. |
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Making Drawing Machines/Machines Making Drawings - Workshop
KOHA (12yrs+) | Thu 1 Oct, 10:00am - 12:30pm | Tue 13 Oct, 10:00am - 12:30pm Design and make (and be) drawing machines! Play around with sketching, constructing and testing out your own and other people's drawing machines and tools. Unplugged and low-tech but high imagination. Suitable for 12yrs+, younger people can attend but must be accompanied by an adult. HUNDERTWASSER ACTIVITY CENTRE - 81 Dent Street, Whangārei |
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MicroRave - Guerrilla Music Installation
FREE (All ages) | Sat 3 Oct-Sat 10 Oct, 7:00am-6:00pm Get ready to heat up the dance floor in the MicroRave! Choose how long you want to cook for, then press start and jump inside our giant pretend microwave to dance by yourself, with friends or with whānau. The MicroRave will serve up a few minutes of rave lights and music while the timer counts down. Not quite warmed up to the right temperature? Add another 30 seconds and keep on spinning. Inspired by Mike Bowman's original concept, the MicroRave is an immersive art installation designed to foster joy and community connection - so have fun! THE STRAND - 34 Bank St, Whangārei |
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Mini Wing & Wild Wondrous show - Puppet show
FREE (G - all ages) Times/Dates TBC Wing and Wild puppet shows enchant audiences with their magical storylines and whimsical characters. Puppets come to life as they interact with the audience captivating the imagination of both child and adult alike. Come and witness the magic unfold at the Quarry Arts Centre! QUARRY ARTS CENTRE, 21 Selwyn Ave, Whangārei |
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Mini Monster Quarry Choir - Guerrilla Art installation
FREE (G - for families and children) | Thu 1 Oct-Tue 13 Oct (all day) Hidden in Quarry Arts Centre is a small choir monsters, looks for clues and discover where they are hiding. QUARRY ARTS CENTRE - 21 Selwyn Ave, Whangārei |
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Night Cafē at Botanica - Community Activation
FREE (G - all ages) | Sat 10 Oct, 4:30pm-8:00pm Experience the magic of Botanica at night - where ferns whisper and stories come alive. A cozy night event for social introverts. Enjoy a stroll through the mystical fairy ferns, listen to live poetry and music, or just find a good book and find your favourite reading nook to relax. We'll have activity stations and creative things to do, allowing you to unwind and unplug from devices. Write short stories, try typewriter art, or join one of the collaborative art projects - all while sipping on a fresh hot coffee! BOTANICA WHANGĀREI - 2 First Ave, Whangārei |
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Nightshade Cabaret - Cabaret
$30 (R - 18+) | Sat 3 Oct, Doors 5:00pm | Show 5:30pm (90mins) | Sat 3 Oct, Doors 7:30pm | Show 8:00pm (90mins) Do you love a good scare and all things macabre and weird? Nightshade Cabaret brings you characters from every corner of the dark side. It’s time to get a little spooky! Featuring circus acts, live singing, and dancing, there’s something for everyone (who's a little bit older). OCTAGON THEATRE - 13 Aubrey Street, Whangārei |
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Not all who wander are lost - Fashion
FREE (All ages) | Sun 11 Oct, 2.30pm (30mins) A short street theatre-style activation led by the costumes. Rachael Pedersen has created functional, androgynous experimental garments designed to provoke conversation about our sense of place, belonging and the state of the world today. Witness them worn by spoken-word poets, singers, and dancers, transforming the garments from design objects into a wero - a coded challenge to social conventions. CAMERON ST MALL - Starting on the Stage |
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Plants and pencils - Workshop/experience
KOHA (M - 15yrs+) |Mon 5 Oct, 5:30pm (1.5hrs) | Thu 8 Oct, 5:30pm (1.5hrs) Supported drawing event, basic materials supplied. Device-free after hours drawing, with company, in the light and warmth of the Botanica Conservatory. Prompts, feedback and critique all optional. Enjoy drawing surrounded by line, colour, shadows and endlessly varied form. BOTANICA WHANGĀREI - 2 First Ave, Whangārei |
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Poemtions - Literature
FREE (All ages) | Sat 10 Oct, 4:30pm-8:00pm Cast a spell with a poem. Come visit the poetry witches who will brew up a special poemtion for you. Hexes, curses, potions, brews, tonics, elixirs, we’ve got them all! Take a draught of your desire and witness the magic of poetry in potion. - Part of the Night Cafe. BOTANICA WHANGĀREI - 2 First Ave, Whangārei |
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The Dreamatorium - Children's Variety show
$20/$60 (group) G - for families and children | Tue 6 Oct, Doors 10:30am | Show 11:00am (45mins) | Tue 6 Oct, Doors 12:30 | Show 1:00pm (45mins) | Tue 6 Oct, Doors 2.30 | Show 3:00pm (45mins) Join magical characters and creatures on a wonderful adventure where pirates roam, princesses sing, and unicorns are real! Enjoy interactive activities and a variety show featuring beloved favorites alongside exciting new faces, all coming together to create the Dreamatorium. OCTAGON THEATRE - 13 Aubrey Street, Whangārei |
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The Little Lost Libraries - Community Activation
FREE (All ages) | Thu 1 Oct-Tue 13 Oct (all day) Welcome to Little Lost Libraries! 📚✨We’re calling on all the adventurers, dreamers, and curious souls in Whangārei! Scattered across town, eight unique Little Lost Libraries await your discovery. Each one holds its own treasures – from tiny stories and mystical tarot to shiny trinkets, nature's wonders, and everything in between. Trade a treasure, leave a creation, or simply enjoy. You don’t have to stop at that, though – pick up your official Adventure Librarian Passport and begin your quest. Visit each library, explore what's inside, and collect a stamp as proof of your journey. You might even discover the secret of the ninth hidden library! Once you've gathered all 8 stamps, the clues will come together, and the path to the secret library will reveal itself. Only the most dedicated adventurers will puzzle it out. So grab your passport, pack your curiosity, and step into a world where little things spark big adventures. Happy exploring! |
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The Little Peep Show - Exhibition
FREE (All ages) | Thu 1 Oct-Tue 13 Oct (all day) Make a diorama of your favourite fairytale or story (or a interpretation of the story i.e. modern, scary, humorous versions or one made in a particular Genre or time period. You can make one scene or several scenes, each component can be viewed as a complete scene (in part) or as a whole. Dioramas will be displayed in a shop front window, the frontage will be blacked out, with little peep holes for people to look through revealing the works. If you would like to make a fairytale inspired diorama, you can drop it off before the festival - to the Quarry Arts Centre between 28-30 September (10am-4pm) and it will be added to the Little Peep Show display. LLAF HUB , 41 Cameron Street, Whangārei |
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The Pilot and the Bird - Circus
$12/$8 (G - for families and children) | Fri 2 Oct, 11:00am (45mins) | Sun 4 Oct, 4:00pm (45mins) The Pilot and the Bird is a family-friendly circus show blending playful storytelling with impressive physical skill. It follows two quirky characters as they navigate relationships, self-discovery, and personal goals, expressed through a dynamic mix of circus performance and dialogue. 45min indoor show including juggling, Cyr Wheel, Hula Hoop and more ONEONESIX - 116A Bank St, Whangārei |
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The Sun Catcher - Circus
$15/$20 (G - for families and children) | Thu 8 Oct, 2:00pm (80mins) | Thu 8 Oct 5:00pm (80mins) When a wizard steals the sun, and the world goes dark, our heroes’ journey begins. Join them on their adventure through the magical lands of circus, and be amazed by the talents of the many creatures they meet on the way. This show has been created by youth (aged 5-23) from Circus Kumarani’s classes across Whangārei and Kaipara and is supported by Whangārei Creative Communities Scheme. ONEONESIX - 116A Bank St, Whangārei |
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Traditional Tales Troupe - Dance
FREE (All ages) | Sun 11 Oct, 1.30pm (40mins) Traditional Tales Troupe is a community group in Whangārei where we learn and share art, music and dance forms from different cultures. At present, our members represent Indian, Nepalese, Scottish and Māori cultures — and we’re always looking for more cultures, stories and people to join us! 💃🏽🎶🌿 Our motto is वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam) — “The world is one family.” 🌏❤️ Come and see us in Cameron St Mall on 11 October 2026! Our flash mobs are easy to follow, and everyone is welcome to join in — no experience needed! 🕺🏽💃🏽 Then follow us and join Mermaid Bait's Q-Street Parade! CAMERON STREET MALL |
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You Wake Up - Theatre
$15 / pay what you can (M - 15yrs+) | Sat 3 Oct, 5:00pm (90mins) An original mystery-drama that can’t be rehearsed or repeated. Come and see the only possible staging of this ambitious, genre-bending new creation from Craig Neilson starring local creatives Pearl Cullen, Lutz Hamm, Cas Crayford and Hamish Oakley-Brown. ONEONESIX - 116A Bank Street, Whangārei |
