A community guide to creative events in the Waikato region
12 EVENTS
8 EVENTS
1 EVENT
9 EVENTS
4 EVENTS
19 EVENTS
3 OPPORTUNITIES
WHIRIA is a monthly gathering hosted by tiAki raranga at Whare Hau Tutū, held on the first Wednesday evening of each month.
4 NovHamilton
The HaHaHamilton Comedy Lounge’s last gig at Nivara Lounge, before Nivara Lounge closes for good at the end of November.
On Friday 5 November we will hear from Ann Shelton as part of our Kirikiriroa public art forum series.
5 NovHamilton
An evening celebrating poetry, a book launch Motion Sickness readings by poets: Tracey Slaughter , Aimee-Jane Anderson O’Connor, Dadon Rowell, Hayden
5 Nov
Spring is a magical time, bursting with energy and colour. Join Mila and capture Spring in watercolour.
7 NovTauwhare
📣 Street Squad presents… BECOMING… A hip hop dance theatre show exploring the different identities we create to belong, succeed and be seen.
7 NovHamilton
A festival for independent, NZ-made films
Nov 6 – 8Te Awamutu
Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra performs the exhilarating Sibelius Symphony no 2, plus dazzling violin and clarinet solos.
8 NovHamilton
Bringing the laughs to the heart of Rose Town, Te Awamutu!
12 NovTe Awamutu
Triggar Happy performing live with his band at Otorohanga Club on Friday 13th November 2026. Top NZ Country Rock artist with two number one albums.
13 NovŌtorohanga
Floral artists come together to create visual displays captivating audiences of all ages
Nov 11 – 14Matamata
Create a pair of silver earrings using silver metal clay! Workshop hosted by the talented Marcia Colquhoun.
14 NovHamilton
Join us for a fun, fabulous evening of burlesque with a country-inspired twist
Fresh talent from Media Arts share their mahi for their peers, whānau and the public. Come celebrate this next wave of creatives!
Nov 10 – 21
Courtney Barnett at the BNZ Theatre in November.
18 NovHamilton
A mesmerising one hour concert of Piano and Taonga Pūoro music
Sex, Marriage and Other Disasters is a mix of Stand Up Comedy, Cabaret and Musical Theatre
24 NovHamilton
Aldous Harding at the BNZ Theatre in November.
25 NovHamilton
Experience Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery after hours and see the Museum in a whole new light.
A wānanga where participants learn and practice earth-based pigment making and deepen their relationship with natural materials.
28 NovHamilton
Join Pip Steel as she guides a creative session inspired by the historical Japanese stitching technique of Boro.
28 NovTauwhare
Cantando Choir sets sail on a swashbuckling musical adventure, the Pirates of Penzance
Join the National Band of New Zealand in Cambridge for a day of FREE Masterclasses and Workshops at St. Peter’s School.
28 NovCambridge
One of the world’s finest brass bands, the National Band of New Zealand unites leading brass and percussion musicians from across Aotearoa.
The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2026 Season is a year of drama, beauty and imagination – where timeless stories and bold new visions collide.
Nov 27 – 29Hamilton
Celebrate the vibrant brass band community of Waikato and the Bay of Plenty as local ensembles take to the stage alongside the world-renowned National
29 NovCambridge
Public Art Forum: 12-1pm: Wednesday 14 October Exhibition Preview: New Wall Paintings and New Works on Paper 4.00pm: Thursday 15 October
14 Oct – 6 NovHamilton
Two well known Raglan artists open their exhibition of abstract paintings as a part of the Raglan Arts Weekend
23 Oct – 15 NovRaglan
Folding Selves is a photography exhibition by Lei Gao.
29 Oct – 20 NovHamilton
The Arts for Health Annual New Zealand Art Competition and Exhibition is open to artists from across New Zealand.
29 Oct – 21 NovHamilton
Gaen takes his expressive abstract artistic inspiration from the post second world war colour field movement.
1 Nov – 1 Dec
Create a handmade book that is completely your own in this six-week creative journaling and bookbinding workshop in Hamilton
15 Oct – 19 NovHamilton
Disaster strikes on Christmas Eve when Santa’s sack, falls from his sleigh over the African jungle!
21 Nov – 5 DecCambridge
And they lived happily ever after! Well…not exactly.
27 Nov – 12 DecHamilton
Come along and build your watercolour skills in a relaxed, supportive class with step-by-step guidance along the way.
13 Oct – 1 DecHamilton
Looking for a fun and creative space for your child after school?
14 Oct – 2 DecHamilton
Develop your own artistic style through texture, printmaking, collage and expressive mixed media.
15 Oct – 3 DecHamilton
Start with the basics and build your skills over 8 weeks in our Learning Drawing course!
16 Oct – 4 DecHamilton
A hands-on class where you’ll explore 2D and 3D art, experiment with different materials, and build your creative skills in a relaxed, supportive
Take inspiration from the world around you in our 8-week Art Inspired by Nature course
12 Oct – 7 DecHamilton
Looking for a fun, creative activity to add to your homeschool week?
Come along to Journey Through Art, a welcoming mixed-media class where you’ll be supported step by step as you explore something different each week.
🎨 NEVER SEEM TO FIND TIME FOR YOUR ART?
13 Oct – 15 DecHamilton
A sumptuous programme of music by the late-Baroque Italian genius Giovanni Pergolesi and French-Baroque master Jean-Philippe Rameau.
11 DecHamilton
Join in the fun and enter a tree and visit our festive forest in December. Free Workshops to make trees will be run, check the details below.
Dec 1 – 21Morrinsville
A night of majesty. A celebration of Christmas. Let soaring voices, magnificent organ and glorious sounds of the season fill the Cathedral.
12 DecHamilton
The Jokers are going to go wild in the poker room at Hamilton Workingmen’s Club for our curated stand-up comedy event!
Trees is back for 2026! One of Kirikiriroa’s favourite crafty traditions is returning to The Meteor this Christmas.
Dec 9 – 18Hamilton
GLOtron! is a magical maze of glow-in-the-dark storyscapes that creates an utterly original world for families to explore.
1 Sep – 30 NovHamilton
Life drawing of human figure every Friday afternoon at the Cathedral
12 Sep – 18 DecHamilton
Youth Filmmakers Workshops in Hamilton and Cambridge
6 Jul – 8 Nov
In this exhibition, Kiwi Life, there are images of people at home, at work and enjoying leisure time. The artworks featured depict life in New Zealand
6 Nov, 2026 – 8 Jan, 2027Hamilton
This Zine Workshop is about your dreams, your vision, and setting your 2027 intentions.
10 Jan, 2027Hamilton
Join us for the annual 10-day arts festival celebrating beautiful Cambridge in Autumn!
Mar 12 – 21, 2027
Australia/NZ’s first Poetry Therapy certification: Harness poetry’s healing power for community workshops and personal transformation.
1 Sep, 2025 – 1 Sep, 2027
The free weekly directory for 100+ creative grants, residencies, prizes, and commissions across NZ, Australia, and internationally.
1 Apr, 2026 – 1 Apr, 2028
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