Pride season kicks off in Auckland February 3rd, here are the key events in the festival:
WEDNESDAY – 3RD FEBRUARY 2021
6:00am TUWHERATANGA – A Call of Opening
Location: Maungawhau (Summit of Mt Eden) Puhi Huia Road, Mount Eden.
FREE
The Auckland Pride Festival 2021 opens with the dawn blessing, acknowledging mana whenua and our takatāpui whānau. As the very first event of a month-long programme, Tuwheratanga offers a chance to open the space for the Festival, to take stock and reflect back on our shared history, those who have carved a path for our community, and to pay tribute to the pioneers of the queer liberation movement in Aotearoa. MORE INFORMATION
THURSDAY – 4TH FEBRUARY 2021
8:00pm PRIDE GALA – A Call for Expression
Location: Q Theatre – Rangatira, 305 Queen Street, Auckland CBD
$25 – $50
Following a sell out show in 2020, the Pride Gala returns for more queer splendour; returning to Q’s Rangatira to bring you an incredible lineup of Tāmaki’s queer talent hosted by Queer Icons Chlöe Swarbrick and Ms Lady B!
With direction from award-winning theatre artist Freya Finch, the Auckland Pride Gala will bring our community together for a much needed night of queer excellence. MORE INFORMATION.
SUNDAY – 14TH FEBRUARY 2021
12:00pm – 7:00pm ENDING HIV BIG GAY OUT
(Put on by the New Zealand AIDS Foundation)
Location: Coyle Park, Point Chevalier Road, Pt Chevalier.
FREE (registration essential)
The Ending HIV Big Gay Out is New Zealand’s largest and most fabulous family-friendly Rainbow Community event and part of the Auckland Pride Festival. Each year it attracts more than 10,000 gorgeous LGBTIQ+ people, their whānau and friends, for a day in the sun full of music, food, dance and rainbows.
The event kicks off from midday Sunday 14 February 2021 and the extreme weather date for the Ending HIV Big Gay Out is Sunday 28 February (12-7pm).
Be sure to follow the event for updates on the Main Stage performer line-ups, key activities and competitions!
To support COVID-19 contact tracing requirements, all event attendees will be required to register for a FREE ticket for the Ending HIV Big Gay Out 2021. Your ticket will be required for entry.
SATURDAY – 20TH FEBRUARY 2021
5:30pm – RAINBOW PARADE (put on by Rainbow Pride Auckland)
Location: Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby
The Auckland Rainbow Parade is an uplifting event bringing a carnival-style atmosphere to Ponsonby Road with impressive, large-scale un-motorized floats. Participants and onlookers can expect a fun day of rainbow families, dancing, performance, plenty of music, and key messaging from the community. MORE INFORMATION
SATURDAY – 27TH FEBRUARY 2021
4:00pm – 6:00pm – PRIDE MARCH – A Call for Change
Start: Albert Park, Princes Street, Auckland Central
FREE
Auckland Pride invite the rainbow communities to join them as we march through the streets of Central Auckland once more joining our voices together and sending them to the heavens with a collective call for continued change, continued progress and in celebration of the progress already achieved. For the purposes of contact tracing and health & safety, registration is essential. MORE INFORMATION
SATURDAY – 27TH FEBRUARY 2021
6:00pm – 11:00pm – PRIDE PARTY
Location: Aotea Square, Queen Street, Auckland Central
FREE
As the Auckland Pride March comes to an end, join us in Aotea Square from 6pm for a gag-worthy lineup. The night’s performances will sprawl across two stages, with food trucks a-plenty and the Box Bars.
Recline in the shade, grab some kai, enjoy some great music and relax after the March. Then grab a drink, let the sun go down, and party the night away at our main stage with an unbelievable lineup of DJs, Drag performances and musicians.
This year’s headliners are queer icons, the phenomenal DJ HalfQueen and rap legend Randa. Joining them in the line up are the hot queer acts: BrownBoy Magik, DJ Jordan Eskra, Lady Shaka, and Kate Barnes!
As well as these incredible djs we have some of the best drag acts in town such as MurderHaus, Bionica, Vanessa La Roux and Medulla in our ‘Drag Hour of Power!’ AND the incredible Caribbean Southern Stars Steelband! MORE INFORMATION
NOTE – copy provided by Auckland Pride, Rainbow Auckland Pride, New Zealand AIDS Foundation.
For a full listing of all events click here.
