A Christmas Gift To The People Of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Auckland Live kicks off its annual free summer programme with Christmas activations in Aotea Square, perfect for a family day out in the central city.

With a dazzling giant tree adorning the Square and a charming digital interactive experience on the big screen, there is every reason to come into the city and get your festive vibe on. Aotea Square is the perfect pit stop for weary shoppers to take a break, take a selfie, and take some time to enjoy family and friends.

Auckland Live’s towering Christmas Tree is now filling the Square with colour and light. From 8 to 19 December, Tap Tap Takahē will take over the Auckland Live Digital Stage. Created by local digital collective Blob Collective, this interactive game invites all you to become Santa’s little helpers and deliver some gifts to our sneaky Takahē on screen, who has 12 days to make Christmas magic. Choose a virtual gift from your smartphone and send it to Takē the Takahē to open up in front of your eyes on the big screen. Takē is relying on you to help fill the screen with festive fun!

On 15 December, we invite you to get into the spirit of Christmas, with a very special concert streaming live to your lounge from the Auckland Town Hall. The Coast Christmas Singalong with feel-good Breakfast hosts, Toni, Jase, and Sam, features very special guests including National Youth Theatre, The Auckland Gospel Choir, Modern Māori Quartet, Jackie Clarke, and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s Brass quartet. And of course, no Christmas singalong is complete without a visit from Santa Claus!

Auckland Live is proud to be part of Tāmaki Makaurau Festive Trail. The central city will come to life with holiday lighting displays, the iconic Smith & Caughey’s Christmas windows, a magical Light Forest and much more to discover.

The Auckland Live Summer in the Square programme rolls through until the end of February 2022. A full line-up announcement in early January will include a series of free weekend arts and entertainment to make summer in the city an urban delight. Think balmy evenings filled with free live entertainment, delicious snacks and beverages, and the best of times shared with friends.

Curated festival weekends are on the summer line-up celebrating a Latin fiesta, jazz, circus, dance, music and more. Then party through the last days of summer at Auckland Pride Festival’s annual epic takeover of the Square.

Alongside all the programme regulars is an incredible new hybrid event: Connecting Worlds with Words, Saturday 19 February. Featuring spoken word artists from New Zealand and Australia, Melbourne’s Federation Square, Bunjil Place in City of Casey, and Auckland’s Aotea Square will feature live spoken word performances while screening other cities’ poets via each venue’s major public screen.

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