National guide
Matariki in New Zealand: 2027 Dates and Celebrations in Our 20 Cities
Matariki, the Māori New Year, is celebrated in every one of our 20 cities, from Whangārei’s Puanga Matariki Festival to Puaka Matariki in Dunedin. Here’s when it is, what it means, and what each city usually does, with links to each city’s guide to Māori culture.
When is Matariki in 2027?
The Matariki public holiday is on Friday 25 June 2027. The date changes each year to follow the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, and it always falls on a Friday; in 2028 it’s Friday 14 July. Celebrations usually run for a few weeks either side of the holiday.
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the star cluster also known as the Pleiades. It rises in the north-east before dawn in midwinter, and its return marks the Māori New Year. It’s a time to remember those who have died, to celebrate the present with kai and whānau, and to plan for the year ahead. Many events begin with a hautapu, a dawn ceremony that offers food to the stars.
Not every iwi looks to Matariki. In Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatū and parts of the South Island, the new year is marked by Puanga (Rigel), a bright star that is easier to see there; Kāi Tahu call it Puaka. That’s why some of the city celebrations below carry both names.
At a glance
| City | Celebration | When | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whangārei | Puanga Matariki Festival | Puanga Matariki Festival | Mid June to July |
| Auckland | Matariki Festival | Matariki Festival | Early to mid July (2026) |
| Pukekohe | Matariki at the marae | Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki | July (2026) |
| Hamilton | Matariki ki Waikato | Matariki ki Waikato | Mid June to mid July |
| Tauranga | Matariki Te Tauranga o ngā Waka | Matariki Te Tauranga o ngā Waka | Mid June to mid July |
| Rotorua | Matariki in Rotorua | Matariki events and drone show | June and July |
| Taupō | Matariki around the lake | Community Matariki events | Around the public holiday |
| Gisborne | Te Ara i Whiti | Te Ara i Whiti light festival | Matariki season |
| Napier | Matariki Mahuika | Matariki Mahuika beach fires | Matariki weekend |
| Hastings | Matariki in Heretaunga | Council Matariki programme | June and July |
| New Plymouth | Puanga | Matariki | Puanga | Matariki at Puke Ariki | June and July |
| Whanganui | Puanga in Whanganui | Puanga dawn ceremonies | When Puanga rises |
| Palmerston North | Puanga in Papaioea | Puanga festival | Matariki public holiday |
| Wellington | Matariki Ahi Kā | Matariki Ahi Kā | Matariki holiday weekend |
| Nelson | Te Huihuinga-o-Matariki | Te Huihuinga-o-Matariki | Matariki public holiday |
| Blenheim | Rangitāne Matariki gathering | Dawn gathering at the Wairau Bar | Matariki public holiday |
| Christchurch | Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata | Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata | July (2026) |
| Timaru | Matariki in Te Tihi-o-Maru | Night market and dawn hautapu | Late June to July |
| Dunedin | Puaka Matariki | Puaka Matariki festival | July |
| Invercargill | Matariki in Murihiku | Matariki events across Southland | July (2026) |
North Island
Whangārei District, opening at Te Iwitahi
Puanga Matariki Festival
- Puanga and Matariki
- Dawn opening
- Hihiaua exhibition
The district's festival opens with an early-morning ceremony at Te Iwitahi, the civic centre, honouring the rising of Puanga; in 2026 that was on 15 June. Hihiaua Cultural Centre in the Town Basin usually runs a Puanga exhibition through the season.
Across Tāmaki Makaurau
Matariki Festival
- About two weeks
- Dawn karakia
- Many free events
Auckland's festival runs for about two weeks, from a dawn karakia on a maunga to concerts, family days and more than 100 free or low-cost events; in 2026 it ran from 4 to 19 July. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei hosted the national dawn hautapu ceremony at Takaparawhau/Bastion Point in 2026.
Ngā Hau e Whā Marae o Pukekohe
Matariki at the marae
- Kapa haka
- Markets
- Kite day
In 2026 Ngāti Tamaoho brought one of the Auckland festival's main events, Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki, to Ngā Hau e Whā Marae o Pukekohe and Nathan Homestead, with kai, kapa haka, markets and a kite day. That was the last year of their three-year term, so check what's planned for 2027.
Kirikiriroa and the wider Waikato
Matariki ki Waikato
- 50+ events
- Innes Common
- Museum events
A month of Matariki events across Hamilton and the Waikato; in 2025 there were more than 50. In 2026 the city's Maanawatia a Matariki celebration was held at Innes Common by Hamilton Lake, with Matariki events at Waikato Museum.
Tauranga Moana and the Western Bay
Matariki Te Tauranga o ngā Waka
- A month of events
- Kapa haka
- AR sculpture trail
A month-long series from Athenree to Maketū, with kapa haka, toi Māori exhibitions, workshops and whānau days; in 2026 it ran from 16 June to 16 July. The matARiki trail puts augmented-reality works by Māori artists around the city centre.
Rotorua and the lakes
Matariki in Rotorua
- Drone show
- Cultural evenings
- Winter season
Rotorua marks the Māori New Year with cultural events, community gatherings and an annual Matariki drone show over the city. Several cultural experiences run special winter Matariki seasons with kai and kapa haka.
Taupō and Tūrangi
Matariki around the lake
- Ngāti Tūwharetoa
- Lakefront morning
- Tūrangi events
Ngāti Tūwharetoa are mana whenua, and their kaumātua note that Matariki can be hard to see from the lake basin. The district council has held a Matariki morning at Te Ātea on the lakefront, and Tūrangi runs its own community celebration. Taupō Museum has staged exhibitions on the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.
The riverside, Tūranganui-a-Kiwa
Te Ara i Whiti
- Light festival
- Contemporary Māori art
- Free to wander
Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival lights up the Gisborne riverside with installations of contemporary Māori art and design, plus music and kai, during the Matariki season. Iwi, marae and galleries around the region add their own events.
Marine Parade and Hawke's Bay beaches
Matariki Mahuika
- Beach fires
- Storytelling
- Star compass
Ngāti Kahungunu light fires along Hawke's Bay beaches from Cape Kidnappers to Tangoio, with storytelling around the fires on Napier's Marine Parade; in 2026 it was on 11 July. Ātea a Rangi, the star compass at Waitangi Park near Awatoto, holds Matariki events too.
Hastings, Flaxmere and Havelock North
Matariki in Heretaunga
- Night market
- Whānau festival
- Library events
Hastings District Council runs a programme of Matariki events, from a city-centre night market to whānau festivals and children's activities at the libraries. Ngāti Kahungunu's wider Matariki events across Hawke's Bay are close by in Napier.
Puke Ariki and around Taranaki
Puanga | Matariki
- Puanga
- Museum events
- Taranaki iwi
Many Taranaki iwi mark the new year by the rising of Puanga (Rigel), which is easier to see here than Matariki. Puke Ariki marks the season as Puanga | Matariki; check its What's On for talks, exhibitions and family events.
The Whanganui River and Ruapehu
Puanga in Whanganui
- Puanga
- Dawn karakia
- Date follows the star
Whanganui iwi mark the Māori new year by the rising of Puanga, with dawn karakia beside the river and on Ruapehu. The date moves with the star rather than the public holiday, so check with local iwi and the city's What's On.
The Arena, Palmerston North
Puanga in Papaioea
- Puanga
- Free festival
- Rangitāne
Rangitāne o Manawatū give prominence to Puanga, a star near the Matariki cluster that's easier to see from here. The council's Puanga festival, with Ngāti Hineaute, was held on the 2026 public holiday at the Arena's Pit Lane.
Māori culture in Palmerston NorthWhat's On in Palmerston North
Wellington waterfront
Matariki Ahi Kā
- Free
- Fire and projections
- Nightly remembrance
The city council's free celebration of Matariki and Puanga on the waterfront, with fire, projections, performances and a nightly ceremony for those who have died. Te Āti Awa are acknowledged for Puanga and Ngāti Toa for Matariki. Te Papa holds its Taikura kaumātua kapa haka festival at the same time.
South Island
Trafalgar Centre, Whakatū
Te Huihuinga-o-Matariki
- Public holiday
- Koha entry
- Schools' kapa haka
Nelson City Council hosts its Matariki festival with Ngā Iwi e Waru o Te Tauihu, the eight iwi of the top of the south. In 2025 it ran on the public holiday at the Trafalgar Centre, with koha entry and the regional secondary schools' kapa haka.
Wairau Bar, near Blenheim
Rangitāne Matariki gathering
- Dawn gathering
- Night market
- Free
Rangitāne o Wairau host the Wairau's largest Matariki dawn gathering at the Wairau Bar, starting at 5.30am on the 2026 public holiday. A free Matariki Night Market at The Vines Village, and an evening at Te Kahu o Waipuna gallery, round out the season.
Central Christchurch
Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata
- Light event
- Puanga and Matariki
- Free
Christchurch City Council celebrates the rise of Puanga and Matariki with light and culture in the central city. In 2026 it lit up the Art Gallery forecourt and Worcester Boulevard from 8 to 11 July.
Timaru CBD and Te Aitarakihi Marae
Matariki in Te Tihi-o-Maru
- Night market
- Dawn hautapu
- Kapa haka
Timaru's Matariki Night Market fills the main street with food stalls, live music, kapa haka and fire dancers; 2025 was its fifth year. In 2026 a dawn hautapu ceremony was held at Te Aitarakihi Marae-ā-Iwi on Bridge Road.
Ōtepoti, from marae to museums
Puaka Matariki
- Since 2009
- Three weeks
- Puaka and Matariki
Dunedin's festival of the Māori new year, first held in 2009, celebrates the rising of Puaka (the Kāi Tahu name for Puanga) and Matariki with events from marae to museums. In 2026 it ran from 4 to 25 July.
Invercargill and Bluff
Matariki in Murihiku
- Rūnaka events
- Waihōpai Rūnaka
- Te Rūnaka o Awarua
Matariki events run across Murihiku Southland, with the city's two papatipu rūnaka, Waihōpai and Awarua, at the heart of them; in 2026 they ran from 8 to 11 July. Southland's museum is closed while it is rebuilt as Te Unua Museum of Southland.
How to see Matariki
- Look north-east, before dawn. From late June, Matariki sits low above the north-eastern horizon in the hour before sunrise. Find Tautoru, the three stars of Orion’s belt, follow their line to the left past a bright orange star, Taumata-kuku, and keep going until you reach a small, tight cluster.
- Get away from the lights. A clear view low to the horizon matters more than height. Beaches facing east, hilltops and the edges of town work well.
- Puanga is easier. If you can’t pick out the cluster, look for Puanga (Rigel), one of the brightest stars in that part of the sky, close to Tautoru.
Questions people ask
When is the Matariki public holiday?
Friday 25 June 2027, then Friday 14 July 2028. The dates for the next 30 years are set in law, in the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act 2022.
What are the stars of Matariki?
Nine stars are named: Matariki, Pōhutukawa, Tupuānuku, Tupuārangi, Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Ururangi and Hiwa-i-te-rangi. Each is linked to a part of life, such as those who have died, food from the soil, fresh water or wishes for the year. Te Papa explains each one.
How do people celebrate Matariki?
With dawn ceremonies, shared kai, kapa haka, light shows, night markets, star-gazing and remembering whānau who have passed. Many families plant trees or start the year’s garden plans. The city events above are the big public ones, and marae, schools and museums run plenty more.
Are the 2027 events confirmed?
Not yet. Most programmes come out in May or June. The details above are from 2026 and earlier, so check each city’s What’s On closer to the time.
Looking for more in one city? See all 20 Explore city guides. Also see Museums in New Zealand and What’s On around New Zealand.