Your Rotorua Guide to Matariki

Hākari: Te Iwa o Matariki

6 July

Sir Howard Morrison Centre

Experience an immersive Matariki evening featuring Prof. Rangi Mātāmua, a curated indigenous degustation by Raukura Huata, and inspiring stories celebrating renewal, remembrance, connection, and mātauranga Māori.

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Ngā Whetū Pīata o te Rangi

9 July

Sir Howard Morrison Centre

Presented as part of Hawaikirangi – Reconnecting with the Night Sky, Ngā Whetū Pīata o te Rangi features the six Te Arawa kapa haka rōpū selected for Te Matatini 2027, gathering to mark Matariki through waiata, haka and the celebration of Te Arawa identity.

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Aronui presents: Matariki Drone Show & Night Market

9 – 11 July

Rotorua Lakefront | Te Rotorua nui a Kahumatamomoe

Aronui Matariki Drone Show & Night Market will light up the Rotorua skies for a third year in a row with one of Aotearoa’s most breathtaking Matariki celebrations.

Join us nightly for a free outdoor experience featuring 550 synchronised drones, powerful storytelling, sound, narration, and visual artistry honouring Matariki, alongside the Rotorua Night Market with delicious food, arts, and crafts.

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Hell’s Gate Twilight Spa Experience

20 June – 30 August (5-8pm every Friday and Saturday)

Hell's Gate

This Matariki, enjoy a geothermal mud bath, sulphur spa and complimentary cool plunge pool experience by night. Relax and unwind beneath the stars while rejuvenating your body, inside and out, in the world-famous mud and waters of Hell's Gate.

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Te Puia 6-Course Degustation

3 July – 28 August (Every Friday)

Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute

After a run of sold-out degustations in 2025, Executive Chef Shane Beattie returns with this immersive dining experience celebrating the unique landscapes of Te Puia. Beginning in the Geothermal Valley, each course in this carefully crafted degustation draws inspiration from seasonal ingredients, cultural connection and culinary creativity, designed to awaken a different sense with every bite.

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Matariki Soak, Sip & Show at Wai Ariki

9 – 11 July

Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa

Honour the Māori New Year with an evening of restoration, reflection and connection. Begin your journey with a hosted Restorative Journey, designed to calm the body and ground the wairua. Enjoy a welcome beverage and hangi snack and live local entertainment. Then, take your place to experience the Aronui Matariki Drone Show, a breathtaking celebration of the stars and stories of Matariki.

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Te Puia Matariki Hautapu Ceremony

10 July 5am-7am

Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute

Celebrate the Māori New Year at Te Puia with a traditional Hautapu ceremony, held before dawn as the Matariki star cluster rises above Aotearoa. Through karakia, waiata and the offering of kai, this special ceremony honours loved ones who have passed, gives thanks for the year gone by, and sets intentions for the year ahead.

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Te Puia Matariki Whānau Day

10 July 9am-3pm

Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute

Inspired by the traditions that followed a Hautapu ceremony, Matariki Whānau Day brings people together to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future. Enjoy cultural performances, Pā activities (Tītī tōrea & other fun games) artisan market stalls, carving and weaving demonstrations, family activities, and delicious local kai, including a traditional hāngī cooked in the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley.

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Aronui presents: Vol.9 Matariki Mixtape

11 July

Terrace Kitchen

Internationally acclaimed DJs Thomas Rose and Ethan James will present Aronui’s Matariki Mixtape- Vol.9 a specially curated sunset-to-nightfall performance that blends soulful R&B, Polynesian rhythms, low-fi textures and reflective soundscapes in honour of the contemplative spirit of Matariki.

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