This year’s
Auckland Pride Festival is guided by Ngā Uri E — a call to honour lineage, resistance, and the generations who come after us.
Ngā Uri E speaks to whakapapa and chosen family. To the shoulders we stand on, the paths carved by queer ancestors, and the responsibility we hold to protect, nurture, and imagine futures where our communities continue to thrive.
It is about remembrance and momentum.
About pride as inheritance.
About rising together.
This kaupapa runs through the entire festival — in art, performance, protest, joy, and connection — grounding Pride 2026 in both history and possibility...
KARANGAHAPE ROAD, HOME OF PRIDE.
A street shaped by queer history — and still writing it every day.
Karangahape Road has long been a sanctuary, a battleground, and a celebration space for Aotearoa’s LGBTQIA+ communities.
It’s where chosen families formed, where activism took root, and where queer artists, and communities reshaped culture on their own terms.
This Pride, the street comes alive with exhibitions, nightlife, drag, art, and community gatherings — culminating in the festival’s closing celebration at Beresford Square, where Pride comes together one last time to close the month in the place it belongs.
OUT OF THE GUTTER
Pride Festival Closing Event
Saturday 28 February
4PM - 9:30PM
As the sun sets on Pride, Karangahape Road gathers for Out Of The Gutter — a sunset showcase, market, and street celebration where generations meet and queer culture takes centre stage.
Held at Beresford Square, this all-ages event draws on the spirit of HERO and the legendary Coming Out Days of years gone by, while looking firmly toward the future. Expect glamour and grit. Legacy and emergence. A queer extravaganza rooted in community artistry and excellence.
From the main stage to side activations across the square, Out Of The Gutter is a space to connect, celebrate, and close Pride together — because Pride isn’t only about where we’ve been, it’s also about where we’re heading.
Headliner
Ramon Te Wake
A powerful link between generations — honouring the past while shaping the future of queer visibility in Aotearoa.
Hugo Grrrl
Buckwheat
Taiaroa Royal
Janaye Henry
Lijah Mavaega
Community Pop-ups & Stalls
Alongside performances, explore pop-ups and community spaces from:
- Celestial Markets
- Body Positive
- Outline
- Rainbow Youth
And more to be announced!
AND MANY MORE ACROSS TĀMAKI MAKAURAU...
