Cubadupa 2026: Pōneke Comes Alive For Another Unforgettable Weekend

2 April 2026

CubaDupa 2026 returned to the Cuba Precinct on 28–29 March with a stunning weekend of joy and celebration. It transformed the heart of the city into an unforgettable, free, open-air festival of music, parades, pop-up performances, street theatre, visual arts, food and culture! The wider festival zone was brimming with over 19 hours of programming, 280 acts and groups (1291 individual artists), 49 stages and creative zones, delivering 426 performances and 17 commissioned works and audiences of all ages across the weekend alongside 114 vendors.

CubaDupa has once again cemented its place as one of the capital's most beloved events. A free, family-friendly festival that has consistently championed emerging and established talent from across Aotearoa and beyond, drawing crowds over the weekend from across the Te Whanganui-a-tara region and from around Aotearoa.

Festival Director, Bianca Bailey said: "This weekend was a truly special reminder of why CubaDupa matters so much to our city. To see our streets come alive with the incredible talent of our local creative community, the musicians, artists, performers and makers who call Wellington home, was an absolute joy."

CubaDupa 2026 was made possible by the ongoing support of Wellington City Council and the festival's generous sponsors and partners, including Wellington Airport, Te Māngai Pāho, and Creative New Zealand, whose investment in the arts and culture of Pōneke helps make a free event of this scale possible year after year.

WELLINGTON AIRPORT NGĀ TANIWHA STAGE

Supported by Wellington Airport, the Ngā Taniwha Stage once again served as the beating heart of the festival. Valere set the tone for the weekend, drawing early crowds to what would become one of the most celebrated stages across both days. The highlight of the stage was undoubtedly Riiki Reid, who delivered a powerhouse homecoming set to a packed CubaDupa crowd. The Wellington-born artist brought an unstoppable energy to a night the city won't soon forget.

CubaDupa also welcomed back its first international act this year, with Naarm/Melbourne’s own Gut Health, whose incredible stage presence had the crowd rocking. Closing out the night was MOKOMOKAI, one of the most enigmatic underground hip-hop acts in Aotearoa. Their raw and bold sound ended the night’s festivities with an energy that crowds found hard to shake off overnight.

NGĀ TOI O TE ARO STAGE

Supported by Te Māngai Pāho, the Ngā Toi o Te Aro Stage showcased some of the weekend's most compelling performances and brought wonderful diverse crowds to the Te Aro Park area. Lighting up this space was platinum singer-songwriter and producer Paige bringing her intimate paigesspace world to the stage, drawing a devoted crowd for a set as honest and beautiful as the EP itself. The stage also played host to the popular morning artist talks, with HIRI and Kahu leading an inspiring conversation for attendees on Sunday morning.

“This year was my first experience at CubaDupa and it has to be my favourite festival I’ve been to in Aotearoa! I loved my experience performing there, I can’t believe it’s free to the public to attend. I found it inspiring how diverse the crowds were and how it brings so many different kinds of people together. Beautiful music, great vibes, great food. Can’t wait to come back next year” said Paige, 2026 performer.

Another show stopping performance came from TNT! Reo Māori Project, an explosive big band jazz programme featuring old-school waiata alongside bespoke musical arrangements of well known modern tunes. The project's team of top-notch musical personalities included Wellington’s Capital City Big Band, vocalists Lisa Tomlins (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngai Tahu, Ngāti Toa) & Jeremy Hantler (Kai Tahu, Ngāti Pākehā), Musical Director/Arranger Vaughn Roberts, & Māngai Māori/Assistant MD/Drummer Greg Crayford.

Award-winning, harmonious duo Aro carried audiences between the real and fantastical on Saturday. Aro, made up of Charles (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāti Mutunga) and Emily Looker, travel Aotearoa with their two young tamariki, writing, recording and performing bilingual waiata inspired by the land, people, and the unique spaces they visit. Their distinctive blend of voices in Te Reo Māori and English made for a magical mid-afternoon on that stage.

VIC UNI GLOVER PARK STAGE

Supported by Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. The Vic Uni Glover Park Stage proved to be one of the festival's most vibrant hubs. A standout moment came from 17-year-old R&B sensation Imani-J, who commanded the stage with a maturity and magnetism well beyond her years. Fresh from international writing sessions in Seattle and LA and the release of her debut EP EXPECTATIONS, Imani-J's CubaDupa debut signalled a very bright future ahead.

Crowd-favourite Sleeping Village brought a completely new beat with almost every song, combining chaos with experimental sounds and rockstar energy. Orchestrated by Te Whanganui-a-Tara local, Oscar Alty, their unhinged madness brought the party. They were followed by emerging Raglan musician, Reiki Ruawai, whose charismatic, neo-soul sound, offered an unforgettable sonic journey that evening, solidifying him as one of the most compelling artists on the rise.

BODYFX MAKEOVER MAYHEM PRESENTED BY WĒTĀ WORKSHOP

One of the weekend's most talked-about activations, making its CubaDupa debut in 2026, was the BodyFX Makeover Mayhem presented by Wētā Workshop. Audiences stepped into a makeover tent and came out the other side looking completely different with bold makeup, wild hair, and a whole new energy. Part makeover, part performance, and just as entertaining to watch as it was to experience, the activation had crowds nominating their mates and gathering around for the reveals all weekend long.

PARADES & STREET PERFORMANCE

No CubaDupa is complete without the magic that lives on the streets just as much as the stages. Wellington Batucada wound through the precinct, bringing their infectious rhythms and percussive energy to the crowds lining Cuba Street. The Nelson Sambassadors and SDANZ joined the Sunday street action, while former NZ Fringe artists, The Dad Brigade, Blip the Siren, and HAUSDOWN kept the roaming energy alive from midday. Street theatre, spontaneous performances and the ever-present buzz of a city is a reminder that at CubaDupa, the whole Cuba Precinct is the stage.

CubaDupa 2026 was held as a free event on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March, in Pōneke/Cuba Precinct. This free-to-the-public event was made possible by the ongoing support of Wellington City Council and the numerous sponsors and partners of CubaDupa and its umbrella organisation, Creative Capital Arts Trust.

Event Dates: Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 March 2026
Location: Cuba Precinct, Wellington
Website: cubadupa.co.nz

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