The Wellington Pride Festival hits the capital this week with a fortnight of events, activities, and entertainment – and everyone’s invited.

The festival kicks-off its heels with a Hīkoi through town on Saturday 4 March, followed by a gala event that night.

During the festival you can get your skates on for a roller disco, dive into a pool party, come Out in the Square, and have a ball at a youth ball.

Mayor Tory Whanau says Pride is all about celebrating diversity, inclusion and compassion – and lots of fun!

“While this is an important time for the rainbow community, it’s also important for everyone from every lifestyle and background to participate as we encourage tolerance and understanding, and address the unfortunately real issues of discrimination still present in some areas of our society.”

Key events:

Pride Hīkoi

Date: 4 March

Time: 11am - 2.30pm

Wellington Pride Festival welcomes you to take part in the Pride Hīkoi and show your support of the LGBTQIA+ community here in Te Whanganui-a-tara.

Tē Karanga – Pride Opening Gala

Date: 4 March

Time: 7pm – 9pm

Venue: Opera House

Wellington Pride Festival presents Tē Karanga — The Voice of Calling, the opening gala of the 2023 festival.

Rainbow Youth Night (Johnsonville)

Date: 4 March

Time: 5pm-8pm

Venue: Johnsonville Library at Waitohi Hub, 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville

Cost: Free

Join us at the library for an only-slightly-more-than-usual rainbow-themed Youth Night! We’ll be open after-hours for rainbow and takatāpui youth (and friends!) to socialise, have fun, and chat to a librarian about your favourite queer literature.

Pride Roller Disco

Date: 10 March

Time: 6.30pm - 9.30pm

Venue: Kilbirnie Rec Centre, 101 Kilbirnie Crescent

Cost: $20-25

Get down to Kilbirnie Roller Rink for a night of DJs, lights, costumes and skates!

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2023/pride-roller-disco/wellington

Pride Youth Ball: Iconique - Past, Present and Future

Date: 11 March

Time: 6pm - 10pm

Venue: Shed 6

Wellington Pride Festival presents the 2023 Youth Ball - a safe event celebrating diversity in queer identities, put on by our 2023 Board members and amazing volunteers.

Zoo Pride

Date: 11 March & 12 March

Time: 9.30am - 5pm

Venue: Wellington Zoo, 200 Daniell St, Newtown

Cost: Adults $27, children $12, concessions $20. Under 3s free. Various family pass deals available.

Wellington Zoo are thrilled to be hosting our very first Zoo Pride event during the 2023 Wellington Pride Festival.

https://wellingtonzoo.com/visit/buy-tickets/

Rainbow Youth Night (Karori)

Date: 11 March

Time: 5pm - 8pm

Venue: Karori Library, 247 Karori Road

Cost: Free

Join us at the library for an only-slightly-more-than-usual rainbow-themed Youth Night! We’ll be open after-hours for rainbow and takatāpui youth (and friends!) to socialise, have fun, and chat to a librarian about your favourite queer literature. As usual, there will be pizza, gaming, movies, crafts, and quiet spaces to chill out.

Good Queer Goods market

Date: 12 March

Time: 9am – 1pm

Venue: Te Pokapū Hapori 105 Manners St

Market for Takatāpui, Intersex and Rainbow to sell their goods. Come to the market, support local community and find goods to cherish.

Out in the City

Date: 18 March

Time: 10am - 4pm

Venue: Michael Fowler Centre, 111 Wakefield Street

Cost: Free

Come along to Wellington's beloved annual queer fair, Out in the City, for a jam-packed day of queer celebration with heaps of amazing interactive stalls, delicious food and drink, and drag performances you won't want to miss.

Out in the Pool Party

Date: 17 March

Time: 6pm - 9pm

Venue: Thorndon Pool, 26 Murphy Street, Thorndon

To celebrate Wellington Pride Festival, we’re bringing our Out in the Pool Party back to Thorndon Pool! For this special pride festival Out in the Pool party, we will have a best dressed competition, an inflatable race, spot prizes and much more.

Pōneke Poets: Open Mic

Date: 18 March

Time: 1pm - 2pm

Venue: Harbourview Lounge, Michael Fowler Centre

Poets of all backgrounds and experience levels are invited to contribute to the vibrant and dynamic queer poetry scene, in ‘Pōneke poets: open mic’. Wellington City Libraries encourages all LGBTQIA+ poets and allies to join in sharing oral histories, personal stories and creative voices in an open-mic poetry hour, hosted by local poet and comedian Alayne Dick.

For more information and to book tickets visit: https://www.wellingtonpridefestival.com/

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