Summer is synonymous with long days at the beach and time spent out of the city, switched off and swimming. You go fishing, walk along the sand and, at most, take a daily trip to the dairy for supplies. It is not, usually, a time spent focused on enrichment.

There are some bragging rights to be had, though, for those who commit their summer to the occasional loftier ambition. Those who return to work with stories not just centred on sand-strewn shores. And luckily for us, summer is also a time for experience. A season when our city’s establishments throw open their doors for everything from thoughtfully curated exhibitions to concerts from global names.

For those looking to do a little more with their summer, we’ve rounded up our pick of the not-to-be-missed events taking place in and around Auckland this summer, so you can return to real life come spring armed with evidence of your cultural relevance.

Sanderson Summer Exhibition

Where: Sanderson Contemporary
When: 10th December 2025 — 1st February 2026

Featuring key pieces from the gallery’s represented artists, Sanderson’s summer exhibition is an annual celebration and retrospective of the year that’s passed. It’s the perfect opportunity to see some of the gallery’s key works in one place, featuring pieces from Simon Kaan, Karyn Taylor and more.

Ed Sheeran

Where: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
When: 16 Jan — 17 Jan 2026

Ed Sheeran’s 2023 Mathematics Tour was a sellout series of two shows that brought the English singer-songwriter’s lyrical mastery to Auckland. Now, he’s returning with his Loop tour, celebrating his new album Play. Singing both new music and global hits, Sheeran is joined by opening acts Vance Joy, Mia Wray and Biird. 

Hidden Valley

Where: Matakana Country Park
When: 27th December 2025

Get yourself officially warmed up for your New Year’s celebrations with Hidden Valley at Matakana Country Park. One of the best days in the Auckland musical calendar each year, this year’s lineup is headed up by Wilkinson, who is returning to NZ for the first time since 2023.

ASB Classic

Where: ASB Tennis Centre
When: 5th — 17th January 2026

Without a doubt one of the best sporting events in the Auckland calendar, the ASB Classic sees some of the world’s top talents battle it out on the courts at Parnell’s ASB Tennis Centre. This year’s players include a number of highly-ranking competitors like Elina Svitolina and Casper Rudd alongside previous winners Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens.

Danny Bhoy

Where: SkyCity Theatre
When: 9th — 10th February 2026

A follow-up to his sell-out 2015 show ‘Dear Epson…’ Danny Bhoy is bringing his new show ‘Dear World…’ to the SkyCity Theatre in February. A mixture of stand-up and theatre — a balance Bhoy deftly strikes thanks to his quick humour and stage presence — the show is a humorous commentary on the state of the world right now, centred around letters he has written to companies with complaints around their actions.

Lorde

Where: Spark Arena
When: 11th February 2026

It’s safe to say that whenever New Zealand’s prodigal daughter does anything — release an album, drop a new single, announce tour dates — we Kiwis are first in the door to support. Unsurprising, then, that fans were on the edge of their seats waiting for the announcement that Lorde was bringing her Ultrasound World Tour to the country. Kicking off at Spark Arena on 11th February, expect some of her most iconic tunes alongside songs from her recently released fourth studio album, Virgin.

Laneway Festival

Where: Western Springs Stadium
When: 5th February 2026

Laneway is always a leading light in Auckland’s cultural calendar, bringing some of the biggest names in music to the city for a late summer day. This year is no different, with a number of big international names featured, including Chappell Roan, The Dare, Pink Pantheress, Role Model, Wet Leg, Mt. Joy and Wolf Alice alongside leading local stars Benee, 9lives and Lontalius.

Pop to Present

Where: Auckland Art Gallery
When: 8th November 2025 — 15th March 2026

A must-see exhibition for all admirers of art featuring styles that have shaped American art since 1945. From Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism and Photorealism along with Pattern and Decoration artists, Pop to Present features a phenomenal back catalogue of American Art, on loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. This unparalleled exhibition will feature 52 compelling works that have shaped American art and culture, offering and up-close and personal view of works by Andy Warhol, Benny Andrews, Rosalyn Drexler, Elaine de Kooning, Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Roy Lichtenstein, Mark Rothko, Kiki Smith, Clyfford Still, and Cy Twombly, among others.

Ludovico Einaudi

Where: Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland
When: 31st January 2026

Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi has soundtracked Oscar and Golden Globe-winning films, sold multi-millions of albums and, somehow, become a modern TikTok phenomenon. He is returning to New Zealand for one night only to perform his new album, The Summer Portraits, featuring music inspired by sun, summer and family holidays, including Rose Bay, a single composed in homage to the Sydney beach.

Auckland Sail GP

Where: Wynyard Point Race Stadium
When: 14th — 15th February 2026

A key event in Auckland’s annual sporting calendar, Sail GP has come a long way since its first race in 2019. Watch the boats live in action in Auckland, either from the race stadium in Wynyard Quarter or on board a vessel in the harbour, for a day that combines sun and sea with the adrenaline hit of high-speed racing. The record-setting stadium at Wynyard Point is set to be even bigger this year, with a 30% increase in capacity.

An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi

Where: Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre
When: 21st February 2026

Yotam Ottolenghi fundamentally changed the way we cook and eat around the world. Before Ottolenghi, spice cupboards in the western world were devoid of sumac and za’atar, fridges had never seen pomegrante molasses or harissa before. Then, in 2008, the ground shifted with his first cookbook, Ottolenghi, which started a culinary revolution — these days, if you eat an aubergine salad, a shakshuka, or something groundbreaking with a vegetable, you likely have Ottolenghi to thank. An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi promises to be a delicious affair, combining live demonstrations, storytelling and conversations with the audience as Ottolenghi cooks some of his key dishes while sharing key tidbits from his storied career.

Prima Facie

Where: ASB Waterfront Theatre
When: 27th February 2026

Returning for one night only, Suzie Miller’s Olivier and Tony award-winning one-woman performance Prima Facie will come to the ABS Waterfront Theatre on 27th February. Cassandra Woodhouse is dazzling in the role of Tessa Ensler, an impressive criminal defense lawyer who comes face to face with the other side of her work after being sexually assaulted by a coworker. Interrogating patriarchal power and class dynamics, Prima Facie is a bold, powerful show.

Fisher

Where: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
When: 31st January 2026

If there’s one gig worth getting out of town for this year, it’s Fisher at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The much-loved, Grammy-nominated DJ is the first musical act to headline the venue, and is bringing a huge stage show for the ultimate late summer celebration. If his summer residency at UNVRS in Ibiza this year is anything to go off, this will be one of the hottest shows of the summer.

Auckland Shakespeare in the Park

Where: The PumpHouse Theatre, Auckland
When: 16th January — 14th February 2026

Taking place in the outdoor ampthitheare at The PumpHouse in Takapuna, Auckland’s Shakespeare in the Park has been bringing The Bard’s literary performances to Auckland for thirty years now. This year, two of the auteur’s most famed works, Romeo & Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing, will be brought to the stage by a dynamic local cast. Watching the drama fold out as the sun dips below Lake Pupuke is a true theatrical moment not to be missed.