Ultra Music Festival Coming to the Capital in 2026

A new era for the nation’s music events scene has begun. Arguably the most recognisable brand in electronic dance music, Ultra Worldwide Music Festival is set to come to New Zealand for the first time ever in 2026 and will be hosted exclusively in Wellington. 

Boasting events in all six continents across more than 30 countries, Ultra Worldwide Music Festival could be considered the most international music festival brand of the 21st century. Known for delivering an epic combination of electronic music talent and impressive stage productions, the brand is eager to extend its reach to New Zealand dance music fans. 

The first-ever Ultra New Zealand will take place along the capital city’s picturesque waterfront on Friday 10 April 2026. New Zealand promoter Audiology Touring has partnered with Ultra Worldwide and WellingtonNZ to bring the major festival to Wellington. 

Mitch Lowe, Founder of Audiology Touring, says bringing a festival of this calibre to New Zealand’s shores is a huge milestone for the nation’s music industry. “Securing the rights to Ultra Music Festival for such an iconic venue in Wellington is a dream come true. After 17 years of delivering hundreds of shows across Aotearoa, Audiology Touring sees this partnership as the pinnacle of our journey. 

“In April, the city will be transformed into an international celebration that puts our capital on the world festival map. People travel far and wide to attend Ultra and we’re excited to show international visitors what the country has to offer, all whilst giving our prized locals something to be proud of.” 

The multi-year agreement reflects the potential for growth and long-term commitment from Ultra Worldwide, Audiology Touring and WellingtonNZ. The inaugural festival is also supported by the government’s new Events Attraction Fund, aimed at securing large-scale international events in New Zealand. 

Wellington mayor, Andrew Little, says this is great news for the city. “Having an event on the scale and renown as the Ultra Festival in Wellington will be a huge boost for the local economy, injecting new energy into the CBD and drawing thousands of people from around New Zealand and abroad. It’s time to remind people of Wellington’s place as the live entertainment capital of Aotearoa, so it’s exciting to see an event of this size here in Wellington for the next few years.” 

WellingtonNZ Events & Experiences GM, Heidi Morton, says this festival will bring increased visitor spend to the city. “WellingtonNZ has been working closely with Audiology Touring to secure this event, which we expect to be a new flagship festival for the city. The success of previous EDM events across the country shows there’s an appetite for more, and we certainly believe that Ultra New Zealand will deliver. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Wellington to join locals for what'll no doubt be a fantastic experience.” 

The one-day festival will be spread across three world-class stages and a fourth local stage, and is expected to attract around 20,000 attendees from all over the country, as well as Australia and Asia-Pacific. Previous headline performers at Ultra events include David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix, Deadmau5, and Charlotte de Witte. 

Date published: 3 December 2025