WHAT’S COMING UP IN THE CAPITAL?

Find your way to the best gigs, festivals, exhibitions, and more with your Activity Guide!

August 2026

Tomorrow’s Histories: Photographs by Neil Penman at Pātaka Gallery

Tomorrow's Histories: photographs by Neil Penman marks significant moments in Porirua's history and honours the legacy of local photographer Neil Penman, who dedicated himself to documenting moments of urban transformation.

Working in black and white documentary style, Penman saw photography as a form of social history, preserving the stories of people and places for posterity. Among his photographs are the people who were there throughout it all, including portraits of Ngāti Toa kaumatua.

Tomorrow's Histories will be on display from the 8th of August until the 8th of November at Pātaka Gallery.

...
08 Aug - 08 Nov
All Day
Pātaka Art + Museum
17 Parumoana Street, Porirua City Centre, Porirua 5022
September 2026

Everything Always x Wedem Records Present: Te Wiki o te Reo Māori ko Marama

Nau mai, haere mai, whakapiri mai, mo tetahi wiki whakahirahira ki te Whare Marama tēnei Mahuru!

Come celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with us at Moon Bar this September.

Rāapa (Wednesday) 16th - Kenzie From Welly & Nameless & Brainless (hip-hop/soul)

Rāpara (Thursday) 17th - Hine & Flowback (indigenous folk/jazz/soul/singer-songwriter)

Rāmere (Friday) 18th - E Tū - So&So Sophmore EP release w/ ONEROOF, Hone, Vallé, Noé, Casual Healing, Vati & Skulli (hip-hop/rnb/dubstep)

Rāhoroi (Saturday) 19th - Toroa, Te Manu & Awa, powered by Further Sound (hiko/electronic/dub/taonga puoro)

16-19 Mahuru/September. Moon Bar, Newtown. Tickets via www.newtownmoon.co.nz

...
16 Sep - 19 Sep
Moon
167 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington 6021

Behind the Seams: From Hobby to the Big Screen

Meet our costume artisans! At these exclusive events, step into our cinema in the heart of Wētā Workshop, as two of our costume technicians reveal how a hobby grew into a career and how the skills behind blockbuster films can begin at your own kitchen table.

10AM, Thursday 17, Saturday 19, Sunday 20, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September @ Wētā Workshop Experiences in Miramar.

A treat for World of Wearable Art fans and makers alike. Sessions available across WOW festival. Secure your booking from wetaworkshop.com

...
17 Sep - 27 Sep
The Wētā Cave
1 Weka St, Miramar, Wellington

Ali Whitton and the Lost Birds

Ali Whitton is a New Zealand-born, Yorkshire-raised singer-songwriter whose music is deeply influenced by the landscapes of both countries. In April he released his debut album, 'Between the Forest and the Stars'. The album is characterised by its warm, woody sound and introspective lyrics that explore themes of longing, resilience, and the emotional connection to the Aotearoa natural environment.

On Friday September 18th at Vogelmorn Upstairs Ali will be performing his first show with a talented new band, the Lost Birds, comprising of some of Wellington's finest musicians. Featuring Sean Barker, Penelope Esplin, Dave Carter, and Beans Marie - expect beautiful harmonies, atmospheric folk/country, and a hella' lot of fun.

Tickets available at undertheradar.co.nz

...
18 Sep
6:30 pm
Vogelmorn Bowling Club
93 Mornington Road Brooklyn Wellington 6021

Debt Club New Zealand Tour

Following the release of their recent singles, “I Do Mine” and "Brand New Lovers", Wellington indie/alt rock band Debt Club have announced their first Aotearoa nationwide tour.

The tour will celebrate the release of their debut album “Foothold” which is out now; available for Vinyl and CD now on Bandcamp.

Debt Club's Wellington show is on September 18th at San Fran with support from First Reserve & Dillon Jo - tickets are on sale now at moshtix.co.nz  ...
18 Sep
7:30 pm
San Fran
Wellington

Aotearoa Festival of Architecture

The Aotearoa Festival of Architecture is running from the 21st of September until Sunday the 4th of October right here in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington!

We are celebrating the joyful, energetic spirit of the city, with a nod to our famously windy climate. Uplift is about bringing people together, embracing Wellington’s creative energy, and contributing positively to the life of the city through architecture, design and community.

Everyone is welcome to attend the events for Aotearoa Festival of Architecture, as we are hosting a bunch of different events happening across the festival including:
Exhibitions
Industry Talks / Panel discussions
Building + Walking Tours – LGBTQ+ topics
Early morning yoga or sketching workshops
Movie screenings + Kōrero
Architecture firm open studios
Mixer, networking events
Music Gig
Quiz Nights


For more information head to www.nzia.co.nz ...
21 Sep - 04 Oct

Exploratory Music Evening: abey sparks, Chris Beernick, Dave Wilson, Aslan

Wellington's monthly residency of exploratory music is back at Cuba St Tavern's garden courtyard, with four musicians coming together to build something new in real time.

abey sparks (drums), Chris Beernink (bass), Dave Wilson (alto saxophone & bass clarinet) and Aslan (guitar) will spend the night uncovering grooves as they go - no setlist, just musicians listening and responding to each other live. Expect the unexpected: a set that shifts and shapes itself as it unfolds.

Grab a drink, settle into the courtyard, and let the night take you wherever it goes.

Thursday 24th September, 8pm - 10pm

$10 waged / $5 students / unwaged

Tickets available from humanitix.com

...
24 Sep
8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Cuba St Tavern
172 Cuba St Wellington 6011

Monster Makers

Warning: contains monsters (and the young makers who create them).

Fangs. Claws. Scales, and a few too many eyes. These school holidays, kids can sculpt them all from a single lump of clay.

In this new workshop, they'll become a monster maker for an hour. Working with the same modelling clay used by our Wētā Workshop crew, they'll shape and sculpt their very own creature, then take it home... if they dare.

Book on the Wētā website!

Price: $29, parents and caregivers go free.

Want to make a day of it? Add a tour with our Junior Combo for $49 per person: Monster Makers & Tour Combo | Wētā Workshop Experiences

...
26 Sep - 11 Oct
The Wētā Cave
1 Weka St, Miramar, Wellington

Single Malt Presents: Wetlands

Hailing from the Wetlands of Otautahi Christchurch, Single Malt are bringing their unique groove and undeniable swag to Pōneke, marking their first North Island show yet!

“Wetlands” is a gig where all can come and boogie, sing, connect, and get a taste of the unique vibe born from the East of Christchurch.

Single Malt have teamed up with incredible local talent:
Nameless and Brainless - a 5 piece soul/hiphop band bringing high-energy Kiwi raps and an insane rhythm section.
Z.F.C and HAZ - Welly local DJs bringing a mix of soulful house and groovy dance music guaranteed to make ya move.

Hosted at the iconic Moon Bar in Newtown, “Wetlands” will embody the good vibes of Spring, goodbyes of Winter, and the great nights of memories.

Tickets from undertheradar.co.nz ...
26 Sep
8:30 pm - 12:00 am
Moon
167 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington 6021

Music Without Subtitles LIVE from Octo & Herbs

After two decades Wellington has finally gifted us an appropriate venue from which Music Without Subtitles can host its first ever live-to-air radio show, It's all going down at Octo & Herbs this Saturday the 26th of September from 9-11pm!

Marking TV DiSKO's twenty-year stint with RadioActive.FM, the city's best little community radio station, Octo and Herb’s as the show’s sponsor have graciously allowed us to mark this auspicious anniversary with a live broadcast from their bar.

Join us in person and come on down to Octo & Herbs for this free event, and if you can't make it down you can tune in to 88.6FM to hear it all unfold over the airwaves! 

Octo & Herbs
26th September
Music Without Subtitles live
9-11pm
Free Entry ...
26 Sep
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Octo & Herbs
102 Aro St, Aro Valley, Wellington
October 2026

Upstairs Open Mic Night – Vogelmorn Upstairs

Vogelmorn Upstairs is calling out for songwriters, singers, and musicians of all genres to showcase their craft at our Upstairs Open Mic Night.

Welcome to the perfect environment for new and seasoned songwriters alike who want to test new material for an audience, practice the intricacies of a song, or simply have some fun on stage. All ages, voices, styles, and levels of experience are welcome.

Sign up between 5:30 and 6:30 with music kicking off at 6:30pm. Come early for a home-style meal from VBC Eats.

See you at the Upstairs Open Mic Night!

...
01 Oct
5:30 pm

Music & The City

Music & The City at Cuba Street Tavern in collaboration with RadioActive.FM

Hosted by NZIA, NZILA, and SEGD, Music & the City is an event series designed to dive into a hot topic with city shaping voices.

The next iteration: Music & the City will explore the spaces where music happens—town halls, old churches, basements, parks, beaches, street corners, recording studios, record stores, radio stations—and asks how people make those spaces special, what architects, landscape architects, and experiential designers can add for the future of music and the city.

We’ll be marking the final weekend of Aotearoa Festival of Architecture 2026 at Cuba Street Tavern, with a live broadcast of the Late Late Breakfast show, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A about how we best design spaces for music in our city, and kick-ons with RadioActive DJs to see you deep into the night. 

Cuba Street Tavern Saturday 3rd October

1pm-1am Free Entry ...
03 Oct - 04 Oct
1:00 pm - 1:00 am
Cuba St Tavern
172 Cuba St Wellington 6011
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The RadioActive.FM Activity Guide sports the best of upcoming events in Wellington, and around the motu!

Read out on-air everyday, at 8:30AM, 12:30PM, and 5:30PM – and online, all the time at: www.radioactive.fm/activityguide

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