What's on
There will be food stalls, corporate, craft, and sponsor stalls, a Kids’ Zone, and Pacific Media Network 531pi FM and Āti Awa Toa radio activations. You can also take part in a festival wide activation based on the card game ‘Lalaga’, designed by Torisse Lalau, which uses Pasifika wisdom (talanoa) to foster empathy and connection through sharing stories.
The popular Pasifika Cuisine Cook-Off competition is back for another year, with food stalls submitting their best dish for judging by a celebrity panel. Some Hurricanes team members will join us at 2.20pm, followed by a stage activation and an opportunity to meet them.
Join our Pacific communities in the following workshops:
- Haihai Vaka Tufi, 1pm – 1.30pm. Learn about Niuean culture and traditional weapons and travel.
- Talofa Samoa, 2pm – 2.30pm and 3pm – 3.30pm. Learn how to make island baskets from flax, jewellery, headpieces, seis and broches.
- Ofaga ha, Keriso Craft and Woodwork display, 2pm. See the beautiful display of women’s craft work and men’s woodwork and enjoy a workshop on making Niuean embroidery, weaving, Foufou (head pieces), woodworks pendants and more.
Festival themes
In 2024 we introduced a theme ’Homeland’, the start of a three-year festival journey from our homes in the Pacific to our home here in New Zealand:
2024 – Homeland. The Homeland Concept was represented with our commissioned Pasifika artwork, a stone sculpture, that is being transformed and developed across three festivals. Last year, the artwork was a blank canvas. Festival attendees could see the stone and meet artist Leo Semau.
2025 – Journey. Join us this year as we explore migration stories across the sea with performances, food, art installations and more. This year, stone sculpture artist, Leo, will be back with a carving half finished. Come and talk to him about the artwork and try your hand at stone carving! We can’t wait to see you there.
2026 – Our theme next year will be ‘Arrival’.
The Shooting Star programme
In 2025, a new summer youth performance incubator 'Étū rere pā‘ata - The Shooting Star Programme' is an exciting new addition to the Pasifika Festival, delivered by Karl Kite Rangi.
The programme will be run at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre prior to the event and is an opportunity for young Pasifika performers to develop their performance skills. They will bring to life a series of small skits written by Kite-Rangi. The skits explore the festival’s 2025 theme, Journey, which is about migration stories, journeys of growing up as a Pasifika person, journeys to mental wellbeing, journeys to connect with your culture, and the journey of life.
The Wellington Pasifika Festival is presented by Wellington City Council, with a big thank you to the Pasifika Patrol who are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, and will be helping out on the day.
Highlights from previous event
Check out images from Wellington Pasifika Festival 2024.