Hurray, it’s almost here!
Aotearoa’s longest running Pride Festival is back for another year of celebration, joy and solidarity.
Running from 7-23 March this year, the festival has been happening ever since it was first organised as part of campaigning for Homosexual Law Reform in 1986. Society may look somewhat different now, but Pride remains a political protest as well as a party.
There are still those looking to erode the rights we have won and members of the Rainbow community are still attacked on many fronts. But we have always existed, we will always exist, and we’re ready to have a kani kani!
More than sixty events are happening over the course of the festival, ranging rainbow story times, historical walking tours, dance parties, live performances and theological discussions. It’s been an absolute delight seeing the creativity and range offered by our community. Our website - www.wellingtonpride.com - organises events by category and by access need, so everyone can find something to suit.
The Wellington Pride Festival kicks off on 7 March with one of our signature events - a massive show Kuru Pounamu at the Wellington Opera House.
We’re celebrating queer excellence and takatāpuitanga with a killer lineup you won’t want to miss. Included in the lineup are
Tīwhanawhana
King Chloe Tamekehu
Maria Richman
Foxy Cleopatra
The House of Marama
It’s going to be a vibrant showcase of Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s best and queerest performers, and we encourage people to buy tickets to this (and other ticketed events) as soon as possible.
Our other signature events include:
Hau Tapua, a dawn ceremony up Mount Victoria, led by mana whenua
The Pride Youth Ball, taking place in Lower Hutt, for people age 13-18. Once you have tickets to that, you’ll receive more information about pre ball events including sessions to pick outfits from Yes for Success, get ready together sessions and bus access. We are also encouraging those who are too old for the ball to buy a community ticket, to help fund the event for those who need it the most.
Out in the City, our all-day family friendly fair event with over 80 stalls, stage performances, delicious food and drink and a jam-packed day of LGBTQIA+ celebration and vibes.
The Pride Hīkoi where we honour Pride’s protest origins. It’s a solidarity march with our trans* and gender minority whānau for rights to gender-affirming healthcare. The energy of our Hīkoi focuses on the Government’s recent push to restrict access to puberty blockers.
The Pride Picnic, where Orchestra Wellington and King Markiss will entertain us in the Botanic Gardens Sound Shell as we unwind from the hīkoi and close out the festival.
Speaking of chilling out, we recognise the fear that the hate group that targeted Auckland and Christchurch Pride might try to bring the same nonsense to our city. To make sure everyone has a safe, fun experience at Pride, we are working in collaboration with various local organisations, including security services, the Police, Māori Wardens, and the City Councils to limit risk of disruption
Most importantly, we have worked with mana whenua, who want to emphasise the importance of peace in Te Whanganui a-Tara. If there happen to be aggressors and haka against the tikanga of the region, then we encourage anyone present to respond with waiata. This is a great chance to break out ‘Te Aroha’ or ‘Tūtira mai ngā iwi’, and maybe even some poi. Our friends at Wellington City Council are even leading a poi-making workshop - details of that will be posted shortly.
Our beautiful diverse vibrant community deserves a special time to celebrate and replenish our souls, and Wellington Pride Festival - in partnership with you - is going to make sure that happens.
