WellingtonEvents
A trumpet player performs in a jazz ensemble.

Groove with the best at one of the coolest capital music festivals.

Spring is not the only thing that’s fresh in Wellington this October. The annual Wellington Jazz Festival is celebrating 30 years in the city and the programme looks crisp. Over a hundred gigs spanning soul, funk, jazz, fusion, and R&B are packed into five days across city venues. Highlights from the global jazz community include American R&B royalty and Grammy winner Macy Gray playing at St James Theatre. Two acclaimed acts make their New Zealand debut including pianist, bandleader and composer Joey Alexander (USA), with the Joey Alexander Trio, and Grammy Award-winning New Orleans icons Rebirth Brass Band.

From Britain, Mercury Prize-winning Benjamin Clementine makes his first-ever Aotearoa appearance. With only voice and a piano his live concerts are marked by emotional intensity, spontaneity, and poetic lyricism. There are rich pickings from the Aotearoa component at the festival. Hawaiian-born and Kiwi-bred Zoe Moon performs a tribute to the soul icon Roberta Flack while this year’s Wellington Jazz Festival’s commissioned artist, Hikurangi Schaverien-kaa, presents a new work. There are over a hundred gigs planned around bars, restaurants, and other city venues. Listen out for the sound of a plaintive saxophone or smooth voice as you walk the city streets — it’ll lead you to something groovy. 

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Singer Macy Gray in an ornate metallic costume, is seated on a white chair.

Macy Gray Live

15 October 2026St James Theatre

A group of three sit at a table inside Ombra near a window. One reaches across the others to grab a plate and they all laugh.

Where to eat, drink, and be merry on Cuba Street

For many, Cuba Street captures the spirit of Wellington. It’s quirky, bustling, and full of creative life.

Pianist, band leader and composer Joey Alexander.

Joey Alexander Trio

14 October 2026The Opera House

Three friends have coffee outside Pour & Twist, a café in Te Aro, Wellington.

Your guide to spring in Wellington

Spring in Wellington is a bit like the city itself — lively, unpredictable, and full of surprises.

British singer, pianist, composer and actor Benjamin Clementine.

Benjamin Clementine — Back To Basics Tour

17 October 2026The Opera House

A bartender at Ascot pours a sangio. Large mirrors on the wall behind them reflect outside, and the sign hangs above their head.

Hidden bars of Wellington (and how to find them)

Up a flight of winding stairs, down a laneway, or tucked into the back of a hotel, here’s how to find Wellington’s hidden bars.

A vinyl record player with a pair of headphones laying on top at Xreeps Record Parlour, a record store in Petone, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

For the record: Where to buy vinyl in Wellington

Help keep independent music alive with this list of where to get your wax or find your favourite artists.

Couple standing at the top of the Mount Victoria Lookout, with Wellington harbour and city in the background on a sunny day.

Top 10 Wellington must-dos

There’s much to see and do in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. These are a few of the special experiences that shouldn’t be missed.

The exterior of Roxy Cinema.

Wellington’s boutique cinemas

Wellington is a film lover’s dream destination and home to many independent movie theatres. You can sit back and enjoy a movie in style at one of these cinemas.

A variety of Asian fusion dishes at Chow in Wellington.

Get a taste of Courtenay Place

A hotspot for all things fun and entertainment, there’s plenty to tempt your tastebuds on one of Wellington’s buzziest streets — Courtenay Place.

Two customers clink their wine glasses and enjoy their food at Graze Wine bar.

Wine not? A full-bodied list of Wellington wine bars

Part of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, Wellington is the perfect place to sample a local drop (or two).

Two shoppers look through a clothing rack while a staff member stands behind the counter in a bright cozy secondhand shop.

Shop sustainably — secondhand fashion in Wellington

Find your next favourite piece at these curated op shops, consignment stores, and all-around treasure troves.

Two people browse through books outside Pegasus Books in Left Bank off Cuba Street. Pegasus Books is an older wooden building with shelves of eclectic books outside.

Wellington’s independent bookstores

Welcome to bookworm heaven. From secondhand treasures to the newest releases, there’s a book for everyone at these boutique bookshops in Wellington.