CITY ENCOUNTERS at AAF2025!
Welcome to CITY ENCOUNTERS – an all-new lineup of surprising, relaxing, joyous, playful encounters in and around the city centre. All throughout the Festival in March. All for the love and vibrancy of Tāmaki Makaurau.
Whether you're discovering the city for the first time or rekindling your love of its hidden gems, we've curated a festival within the Festival that you can enjoy spontaneously before, after or in between a show, or plan ahead and make a whole day and night out of.
Festival Garden & ROVA Sound Stage
The Festival Garden is the beating heart of CITY ENCOUNTERS. A FREE hang out space for art, music and relaxation, everyone is welcome. The ROVA Sound Stage features live music and DJ sets to liven up your long lunches, lazy afternoons and late summer nights, and will always be on during the Festival's 'golden hour' when evening shows and performances are getting underway.
For eats and drinks, we've set up a Festival Garden Café right next to the grass terrace, while overlooking the square, The Terrace Café in Aotea Centre is another prime spot for Festival atmosphere.
Explore the Rova Sound Stage lineup
Whānau Day (9th March)
CITY ENCOUNTERS celebrates a city for all ages. Our popular Whānau Day returns on Sunday 9 March with interactive art, movement and cultural activities. Featuring giant bubbles, silent disco, live storytelling, performances and more, families will find endless ways to dive into the arts together at this FREE all-day event.
Explore our Whānau Day activities
Visual Arts in the City
This year, we have a packed visual arts lineup with a range of exhibitions across various galleries. All exhibitions are FREE apart from ‘Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey’ at the Auckland Art Gallery which has a $24.50 entry. We highly recommend having a look at what’s on and find an exhibition that interests you!
Explore our visual art exhibitions
‘In your Neighbourhood’ with Auckland Philharmonia
Auckland Philharmonia’s FREE series brings the best of chamber and concert music into suburbs. . Hear passionate musicians perform in intimate settings in the likes of St Heliers, Devonport and Remuera. Led by Concertmaster Andrew Beer, the orchestra’s lead string players will perform two standout pieces from Beethoven’s string quartets, each reflecting a different era of his music.
Learn more about ‘In you Neighbourhood’
Indigenous Music on the Move Series
In celebration of the United Nations Decade of Indigenous Languages, Auckland Arts Festival is proud to present the first Indigenous Music on the Move Series for 2025. Featuring musicians and singer-songwriters from Creole, Hawaiian, and Diné Navajo heritage, we’re uniting Indigenous voices from around the world to complement local Aotearoa talent.
Get ready to groove to contemporary jazz, sway to Hawaiian melodies, and dance to R&B, funk, and soul. Our series highlights celebrated acts like Kulāiwi & Kaumakaiwa and Maya Piata, performing across regional venues in Auckland, including Artworks Theatre on Waiheke Island, Te Oro in Glen Innes, and Māngere Arts Centre.
Get tickets and learn more about our regional shows
FREE TukTuks on Queen St (8–9March)
Need a ride between Festival spots in the city? Thanks to our friends at Mercury, FREE TukTuk rides will be coasting up and down Queen St on Sat 8 and Sun 9 of March. Catch a ride to a Festival show, a gallery of choice, or the Festival Garden and Whānau Day in Aotea Square
