Festival Information

Experience contemporary and traditional Indian performances across three stages, sample sweet and savoury delicacies that will tantalise tastebuds, shop traditional and modern clothing, jewellery and craft, or try your hand at rangoli art or yoga.

The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival is free, family-friendly, smoke-free, alcohol-free, and vegetarian.

Festival Map

Transport & Parking

Festival Activities

Festival Map

Informative summary about where stages, vendors, & activities will be across the weekend on Aotea Square & Queen St.

Click Map To View PDF

GETTING HERE

We encourage the use of public transport or alternatives like e-scooter, ride shares (taxi), cycling and walking, where possible.

Festival Address:  Aotea Square, 291 Queen Street, Auckland CBD

BUS & Train

There are regular train services to Britomart Train Station, located at the bottom of Queen Street, a 15 to 20 minute walk to Aotea Square. 


Dreading the walk up Queen Street? Catch a complimentary rickshaw from the Britomart transport hub. Just look for the BNZ Rickshaw pick-up point and hop on for a free ride.


Regular bus services are also available to and from the city from locations across Auckland. Final services are generally between 11pm and 12am (midnight).   

 

PARK AND RIDE

Parking restrictions and road closures will be in place and with thousands expected to attend, the surrounding area will be busy with both vehicle traffic and pedestrians.


If you are driving to the festival, please consider there may be queues on arrival and departure at nearby parking buildings during peak times of the festival. We recommend the use of park & ride facilities around Auckland.


For accessible parking & drop-off areas,  see the festival map.

 

Festival Hours:Midday - 9PM4 & 5 November

Read FAQs View Festival Highlights

Festival Activities

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💃 MUSIC & PERFORMANCES


Come along and enjoy two days of amazing dance & musical performances across a range of styles on three different stages, and hear incredible music showcasing Indian culture and Auckland's diverse Indian communities.

 
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🍴🎨 Food & Craft Stalls


Set your sights on mouth-watering vegetarian food, vibrant arts and various craft stalls that will bring Queen St alive.

 
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🧘 Free Yoga Workshops


Learn the history behind the ancient Indian practice, be guided through yoga flows, meditation and breath work. Renowned yoga guru, Reha Kumar, will be offering 10 free practical and theory-based yoga workshops throughout the weekend. No yoga experience is necessary.

 
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🚲 GUIDED BIKE TOURS


Work up an appetite and then work off the calories by joining a guided bike tour with Nextbike. There are two guided bike rides to and from the festival each day. The 9km loop, starting and finishing in Kingsland, will take about two hours and is open to anyone over 16-years-old. Bring your bike and helmet or borrow them from the organiser. Registration is essential. 


  • Saturday, 4 November 1-3pm - register here  
  • Saturday, 4 November 4-6pm – register here   
  • Sunday, 5 November 1-3pm  - register here  
  • Sunday, 5 November 4-6pm  - register here  
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🖼️ CHALK IT UP!


View rangoli chalk designs in Aotea Square made by local artists, or participate in the Chalk It Up rangoli competition at 1pm on Sunday, 5 November for  your chance to win a supermarket voucher. No experience needed!


Location can be found on the Festival Map.

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✨ GET FESTIVE WITH BNZ


Get in the festival mode and catch a complimentary rickshaw up Queen Street from the Britomart transport hub. Just look for the BNZ Rickshaw pick-up point and hop on for a free ride straight to the heart of the festivities.   


For those looking to capture the moment, the BNZ 360 photo booth in Aotea Square offers an immersive experience; visit the BNZ marquee lounge and take a unique 360-degree photo to remember the day.  


BNZ has collaborated with Indian muralist Neethi to create stunning artwork that will be showcased throughout the festival. 

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🎆 Fireworks on Sunday Night


On Sunday, 5th November, the festival will close with a spectacular fireworks display from the Aotea Centre rooftop. 


(approximate time: 8:50pm)

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The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival is a free event. No ticket is required to enter.

The naming rights partnership with BNZ is a first for the festival and a great example of how Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is working with the private sector to reduce the reliance on ratepayer funding, while still delivering world-class cultural experiences that inevitably make Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland a great place to live, work, and visit.

The festival comprises three action-packed performance zones: The Aotea Stage, The Street Zone, and The Queen Street Stage, all of which will offer an incredible line-up of vibrant and diverse performances throughout the day.

Please email [email protected]

There are regular bus services to and from the city from locations across Auckland. Final services are generally between 11pm and 12am (midnight). If you are driving to the festival, please consider there may be queues on arrival and departure at nearby parking buildings during peak times of the festival. We recommend the use of park & ride facilities around Auckland.

The festival menu will be serving traditional and contemporary Auckland Diwali food and beverages. Diwali food is all vegetarian, and there's an incredible spread of sweet and savoury options.

The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival closes with a spectacular fireworks display on Sunday 5 November. Traditionally, fireworks are part of the festival.

The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival is delivered by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, on behalf of Auckland Council.

Members of the media should contact Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Media Manager Chris Gregory | +64 27 292 3601 | [email protected]

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