Your Rotorua Guide to Matariki
Discover Matariki events in Rotorua
Whether you’re planning a night out, a day with the whānau, or simply looking to experience something new, there’s something for everyone in Rotorua this Matawiki.
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.
Aronui Matariki Drone Show - Matariki herenga waka: For everyone
9 – 11 July
Rotorua Lakefront | Te Rotorua nui a Kahumatamomoe
The Aronui Matariki Drone Show 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 on 9-11 July for a free outdoor experience combining 550 synchronised drones, powerful storytelling, sound, narration and stunning visual artistry in honour of Matariki.
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.
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.
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.
A time for remembrance,
celebrating the present and looking to the future.
This year’s Matariki celebrations in Rotorua are full of music, kai, storytelling and whānau-friendly fun, making the city the place to be to mark te tau hou Māori. Under the theme Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone, 2026 focuses on unity and inclusion. It highlights the idea that the Māori New Year belongs to all people.
Matariki Hunga Nui
Remembrance
Honouring those lost since the last rising of Matariki.
Matariki Ahunga Nui
Celebrating the Present
Gather together to give thanks for what we have.
Matariki Manako Nui
Looking to the Future
Look forward to the promise of a new year.