Taste of Pasifika 2022 promises a winter warm-up like no other when it kicks off this Queen’s Birthday weekend in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Taking the best from the much-loved annual Pasifika Festival, from 3 – 19 June Taste of Pasifika will celebrate and share the vibrant cultures of 10 Pacific nations in a free programme packed with more than 200 performances, activites and events including Pasifika dance, music, art, fashion, food, sport and wellness, plus lots of soul.

Here’s a taste of what to expect!

The Cloud, Queens Wharf, from 3 – 6 June

• Taste of Pasifika Festival – performances across two stages by Pacific cultural dance groups, food stalls offering taste bud-tempting island favourites, craft stalls selling beautiful traditional treasures, fale activations, art exhibitions and more.
• Taste of Pasifika Showcase – a star-studded line-up of some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top Pacific talent on the main stage in a night of fashion, dance, and culture, under the guidance of musical director Vince Harder.
• Super Saturdays – a mega-mix of Pasifika-infused wellness classes, children’s activities, super sassy Poly Zumba, and the Taste of Pasifika Strongman Strongwoman competition.
• Performances by ASB Poly Fest winnners from Mt Albert Grammar, Manurewa High School and Avondale College, alongside MCs Luke Bird and Marcia Hoppa from Māori Television’s Lucky Dip.
• Open Mic – an opportunity for the next generation of Pasifika entertainers to step on stage and show the crowds what they’ve got!
• The Talanoa Bowl
• Moonwalkerz, an exhibition of recent works by Pasifika artists, curated by Nigel Borell.
• Leading Pasifika rangatahi including Arizona Ledger and Benji Timu take PechaKucha to the next level in fast and furious talanoa.

Vodafone Events Centre, 11 June

• Super Saturdays – enjoy a soul food breakast or brunch then get ready to move it alongside Dave (The Brown Buttabean) Letele in The Big Step UP – featuring Xtreme Hip-Hop, Poly Movement for kids, Poly Zumba, and the Taste of Pasifika Strongman Strong Woman competition.

The Domes, Auckland Zoo, 18 June

• Super Saturdays – Mind and body will be on the menu with one-of-a kind Poly Movement and dance classes including Siva Samoa and Hawai’ian Hula, Poly Zumba, and much more. Plus the kids will enjoy the free activites on offer in the Tamaiti Corner.
• All participants need to register in advance and book a free ticket here. Each ticket comes with automatic entry to the Zoo, to enjoy the rest of the day amongst the animals!

Lilyworld, Mt Smart Stadium 12 and 19 June

• Sunday Soul Sessions – kick back and let the soul soar to the sounds of live Poly funk, soul and RnB performed by some of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s finest including Ardijah, Brotherhood Musiq, and Ministry of Tone.
• Explore Lilyworld and all it has to offer including the cafe, mini golf and games for the kids, as well as free parking.

Go to aucklandnz.com/Pasifika for full programme details and schedules.

Coming soon! The Taste of Pasifika 2022 programme will also be online with a line-up of rich and satisfying content including up close and personal videos with Taste of Pasifika’s artists and fashion designers, favourite Pacific recipes, a curated photo gallery of highlights from Pasifika Festivals past, and a commemorative video celebrating 30 years of Pasifika Festival in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

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