Auckland Anniversary Weekend: Weather and events in the City of Sails

Friday, 17 January 2020

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses crowds at Laneway, where she once performed as a DJ. 'It's been down hill since then.'

Auckland Anniversary Day is almost upon us, and if you're staying in town, you're in luck.

MetService is forecasting blue skies all long weekend with highs in the mid-20s and southwesterly breezes.

Monday will be the hottest day, according to the forecaster, with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

An impressive range of events is also set to run over the weekend, with festivals, comedy nights, an ice cream market and a light show all on the cards.

**READ MORE:

* What to do in Auckland in January

* Auckland's summer festivals**

Laneway is a summer festival that will see international acts perform at Albert Park.

* Laneway 2020: Tickets, times and getting there

Here are our picks of the best events.

LANEWAY

The indie-pop festival returns on January 27 with The 1975 and Rufus De Soul headlining the show.

Albert Park makes for a great summer festival experience that Aucklanders won’t want to miss.

Check out everything you need to know about the festival, from what you can and can't bring to what bus to catch, here.

AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY REGATTA

A huge fleet of vessels will take part in the traditional regatta on January 27.

Tugboats, launches, dragonboats, waka ama and radio controlled yachts will all take to the Waitematā Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf.

Seeport Festival at Captain Cook Wharf is a celebration of Auckland’s maritime history.

This year, an all-female crew will helm a vessel for the first time.

Some of the best spots to watch the regatta from include Bastion Point, North Head, the East Coast Bays, Tamaki Drive, Ōrākei Wharf or Princes Wharf.

Go here for race times and venues.

The International Buskers Festival will showcase a diverse panel of street performers.

SEEPORT FESTIVAL

A celebration of Auckland's maritime heritage, this free summer carnival takes place from January 25-27 at Captain Cook Wharf.

Aimed at families, the event offers the chance to explore the port from land, sky or sea with helicopter rides, music and entertainment on and off the water.

Check out the SeePort website for the full schedule.

AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL BUSKERS FESTIVAL

The world’s best street acts will display their acrobatic, clowning, singing and dancing skills at the Viaduct Harbour from January 24-27.

Make sure to bring some change to show your appreciation if you're heading to check out the performances.

The Ice Cream Sundae market takes place at Silo Park.

Go here for dates, times and locations.

AUCKLAND FOLK FESTIVAL

An array of traditional and contemporary folk artists will perform at the Kumeu Showgrounds from January 24-27.

The option to camp is available, or you could just venture in and experience the vibe.

Go here for all the details.

ICE CREAM SUNDAE MARKET

January 26 will see Silo Park awash with icy delights as the second annual Ice Cream Sundae market returns.

As well as ice creams, there'll be food trucks, DJs, ice cream-inspired drinks and themed games and activities.

The event runs from 12pm-5pm.

VECTOR LIGHTS

A six-minute light show will play on Auckland's Harbour Bridge, weaving visuals with original sound and music.

The show will play every 15 minutes from January 24 to 27 between 9pm-midnight.

Vector Lights will light up the bridge with colourful static designs outside of show times.