14 January 2022 - 0 Comments

Auckland Live presents
SUMMER IN THE SQUARE
28 January - 26 February 2022
Aotea Square, Auckland Central

Auckland Live is proud to announce the full 2022 Summer in the Square line-up, with Aotea Square coming to life as Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s vibrant central destination for free, outdoor family fun this summer. Chill out in the urban garden as sunny days turn to balmy nights and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat with friends while enjoying back-to-back curated festival weekends. With a programme packed with music, fashion, circus, fiesta, dance, spoken word, and films, this stellar line-up of fierce local talent has something for the whole whānau right in the centre of our city, from 28 January - 26 February.

FIESTA | 28, 29 & 30 January
Kicking off the festivities is the return of the beloved Auckland Latin Fiesta on 28, 29 & 30 January. Prepare to party all weekend long, basking in the scintillating sounds, tastes, and experiences of Latin American culture in Auckland. Don your dancing shoes for three days of free salsa and tango dance classes, live music featuring a 15-piece Latin band, samba parades, Brazilian forró bands, and Latin DJs. Turn up the heat and sample traditional foods from the market while celebrating the vibrance of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Latin American community.

JAZZ | 31 January
Unwind during Auckland Anniversary Weekend with an unmissable afternoon of jazz, brought to you by Jazz Auckland. On Monday 31 January, Aotea Square hosts iconic jazz legend, Nathan Haines as he performs favourites from his Gold-selling albums and previews brand new material from his forthcoming album. Joining Nathan will be his spectacular eight-piece band, including brother Joel Haines on guitar and vocalists Jess Penson (Kedu Carlo) and Rachel Clarke. Keyboardist/vocalist Arjuna Oakes will play a solo support set, while a Jazz Auckland-curated list of DJ sets featuring Jaimie Webster Haines, Manuel Bundy and Hudge will keep the afternoon swinging.

CIRCUS | 4 & 5 February
The circus comes to town on 4 & 5 February with a dazzling family-friendly line-up of acrobatics, flips, slips and a whole lot of tricks! Aotea Square comes to life for a celebration of all things circus, curated by Manubrium Circus Theatre and featuring The Dust Palace, Flip n Fly Circus School, and Circability. Catch a free show in the Square with some of New Zealand’s best circus performers or try your hand at some of the interactive activities on offer including workshops for all skill levels. On Saturday 5 February, you can also settle in for some free outdoor film screenings, with 1928 classic The Circus starring Charlie Chaplin, and the 2017 hit The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman.

FASHION | 11 & 12 February
Fashionistas will find a stylish summer oasis in Aotea Square on 11 & 12 February when NZ Fashion Week heats up in the central city. For 20 years, NZ Fashion Week has given a platform for local designers to showcase their artistry and connect with Aotearoa’s fashion-focused communities. All are welcome to the Square for a weekend of art workshops for the whole family, yoga, dance, korowai weaving demonstrations, and more. Highlights from the week’s fashion shows will play on the Auckland Live Digital Stage, as well as a special screening of the 2018 documentary Westwood, presented by Rialto Cinemas on Friday 11 February.

BEATS | 18 & 19 February
Join in the weekend-long celebration of urban tunes, epic dance and internationally renowned spoken word artists on 18 & 19 February. Soak up K-Pop, Kapa Haka, a Vogue workshop with House of Iman, and street dance showcases from Freshman’s Dance Crew, while DJ Pom and DJ Scizzorhands will keep the beats pumping and the vibes good. The Auckland Live Digital Stage will be delivering the beats on Saturday 19 February, with free screenings of animated short films and 2021’s In The Heights, followed by a special event: Connecting Worlds With Words. This new, grassroots-led spoken word event is a collaboration between three major urban public spaces: Fed Square, Melbourne; Bunjil Place, Casey; and Aotea Square, Auckland. By embracing new technologies, public urban spaces are activated to celebrate the power of spoken word and story to connect communities across time and space at a time when we could all do with a healthy dose of human connection. Rounding out the Beats Weekend, an unmissable set from Aotearoa hip hop legend King Kapisi will headline on Saturday night.

PRIDE | 25 & 26 February
Finishing up the festivities is Auckland Pride’s annual Aotea Square takeover, marking the final weekend of the Auckland Pride Festival with a celebration of Queer joy in the city centre. Friday night’s programme includes guest spots from Jewels of the Pacific and Fine Fatale, who will warm up Aucklanders for the full Pride Party takeover on 26 February. Then, Pride Party performances will sprawl across two stages, with food trucks and good vibes a-plenty, and a pop-up garden bar to keep you going throughout the day. When the sun goes down, grab a drink and party the night away with an amazing line-up of DJs, drag performances, and musicians, including headline performances by Afro Pasifika DJ Lady Shaka and award-winning RnB artist Disciple Pati. This will be an unmissable chance to see some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s finest Queer artists in a weekend packed full of celebratory pride.

SUMMER IN THE SQUARE:
FREE ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WHOLE WHĀNAU ALL SUMMER LONG

For more info and updates visit: aucklandlive.co.nz/event/summer-in-the-square

At Auckland Live, the health and safety of our staff and visitors is our priority. Under the Covid-19 Protection Framework all visitors are required to comply with venue conditions of entry. Click here for all Auckland Live Covid-19 FAQs.

Auckland Live Summer in the Square
28 January - 26 February
Aotea Square
291 - 297 Queen Street
Auckland Central

All events are free to attend & family-friendly

FIESTA
28, 29 & 30 January
Click here for full programme

JAZZ
31 January
Click here for full programme

CIRCUS
4 & 5 February
Click here for full programme

FASHION
11 & 12 February
Click here for full programme

BEATS
18 & 19 February
Click here for full programme

PRIDE
25 & 26 February
Click here for full programme

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