Splore Is Back! Aotearoa’s Longest-Running Festival Returns In 2026 With A Revitalised Vision

After taking a year off, New Zealand’s most beloved bespoke festival is back.

Splore 2026 will return to Tāpapakanga Regional Park, Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland with a bold new vision – reshaped, re-energised and ready to reclaim its place at the heart of Aotearoa’s summer.

Set for February 20 to 22, Splore 2026 promises an immersive, three-day celebration of music, art, community, and wellbeing. With fresh programming, new creative spaces, and curated experiences designed to remove barriers (like ready-made tent villages and flexible payment plans via iTICKET), Splore is evolving to meet the moment – without losing the spirit that’s kept it going since 1998.

But this return is about more than a festival. It’s a rallying cry for culture. A signal that the live event landscape is changing, and Splore is committed to changing with it – ensuring there are still spaces for people to gather, express and belong.

The Reset We Needed

Taking a break in 2025 has given our community a break from financial pressures and has allowed the land to benefit from a fallow year. It has also given the Splore team the opportunity to recalibrate in the face of rising costs, shifting audience habits and a turbulent events landscape both here and abroad.

"Festivals everywhere are under pressure," says Splore Festival director John Minty, "but Splore’s story is one of adaptation. We took a breath so we could build a future. Strengthen the foundations, tend to our roots.”

That future includes a consolidated and reshaped experience for festival-goers – one that leans on its heritage and acknowledges how people are attending differently post-COVID, and meets them there. From new music programming and artist development to smarter camping options and greater accessibility, 2026 will offer a curated escape with deep connection, creativity and care at its heart.

Flexible payment plans offered by Splore and iTICKET also offer festivalgoers the option to pay off their tickets over time on their terms.

“Our longstanding partnership with Splore isn't just a collaboration; it's a testament to both our organisations obsessing over what our customers truly need and keeping our finger firmly on the pulse of the ever-evolving festival scene," says Reece Preston, Managing Director of iTICKET. "As proud, 100% Kiwi-owned and operated businesses, we're thrilled to have developed our incredibly flexible and super affordable new PayPlan feature. We built this in-house with direct input from the Splore team, ensuring it genuinely serves our community. Splorers can pay their way with dynamically calculated weekly, fortnightly, or monthly instalments, spreading the cost and ensuring they never miss out on this summer's ultimate festival."

Fun Facts about Splore

• Location location – The main stage and most of the action is held beachside at Tāpapakanga Regional Park, Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland so bring your togs! 
• International and local acts – Splore always has a range of top notch artists. Programme announcement coming soon! 
• Wellbeing – Wendy’s Wellness area is the hub for free yoga, breathwork sessions, educational talks, healthy food stalls and general good vibes. 
• Greatest dress party in New Zealand – Each Splore has a theme which inspires Splorers to get creative with upcycling and bejazzling costumes. 
• Free General Camping – Everyone’s ticket comes with free camping, which nearly everyone who comes to Splore uses. There's a selection of free general and free family friendly areas. 
• Family friendly – Splore offers two free family friendly campsites, giving parents with kids somewhere to mix and mingle. 
• Children get to go for free – Each year approximately 700 children (ages 12 and under) attend Splore for free with their parents. 
• Glamping and campers – Reserved camping, camper sites and glamping tents can be prebooked in addition to the Ultimate Festival Kit area. 
• Accessibility – Splore allocates a number of accessible campsites for wheelchair users and people with special mobility needs. 
• Day passes – Camping is not compulsory but it’s without a doubt the best way to fully immerse yourself in the Splore community. If it's just not your thing, there are limited pass-outs so you can leave and come back throughout the weekend. 
• Getting married – There hasn't been a Splore without a wedding yet. Beautiful Tāpapakanga is the perfect spot for a low-key celebration. 
• Sustainability – Splore is dedicated to delivering a world-class festival that minimises its environmental impact through meaningful, measurable action. Following a Zero Waste kaupapa, aiming to divert as much as possible from landfill by collecting and hand sorting everything onsite. Splore works closely with partners, vendors, and the audience to support this goal. Splore measures, reduces, and offsets its production-based carbon emissions, and encourages low-carbon choices such as carpooling, public transport, and sustainable costuming. Splore has eliminated disposable cups and single-use plastics. Food is served in compostable serve ware, and locally sourced, vegan and vegetarian food options are prioritised. Splore is proud to act as a blueprint for sustainable events in Aotearoa, continually evolving its practices to align with the principles of the circular economy while inspiring positive change.
•  Food and drink – A highlight of the Splore experience, the festival’s carefully curated food vendors offer a wide range of nourishing, affordable options, with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes to suit all tastes as well as fresh juices, smoothies and great coffee. Guests are encouraged to leave the baked beans at home and explore the diverse flavours on offer. Bars are thoughtfully designed as welcoming spaces to relax, connect, and enjoy refreshments in comfort and shade. Far from the basic service typical of large events, Splore’s bars provide the kind of quality and atmosphere usually reserved for VIP areas but at Splore, every guest is treated as a VIP.

© Scoop Media