Wellington Pride Festival 2025 Starts On 7 March

20 February 2025 – Over sixty community-made events and five large-scale flagship events are coming to Te Whanganui-a-Tara in March as part of Wellington Pride Festival 2025. This year marks 39 years since the first annual Pride celebration in the capital which began during the campaign for Homosexual Law Reform in 1986.

“The theme of this year’s Festival is ‘Torona atu te Āniwaniwa ki te Rā – the Rainbow Stretches Forth to the Sun’,” says Board co-chair Taylor Curd. “This speaks of our diversity both collectively and as individuals. Toro(na) is a word that not only means to stretch forth, but also to go and see, and to explore.”

“Despite the progress we've made, there are still forces attempting to undermine the rights we've fought for," says co-chair Taylor Curd. "Members of the Rainbow community continue to face challenges on multiple fronts. Yet, we have always been here, we will always be here, and we are excited and prepared to express our existence in all its diverse forms. Our community is full of many inspiring lights, and we encourage you all to seek out and explore them this Festival."

The 39th Wellington Pride Festival will feature:

KURU POUNAMU: our opening celebration. An evening of drag, poetry, waiata, ballroom, and laughter - hosted by Dame Jthan of the Tīwhas. Showcasing takatāpui realness and POC excellence - this event is one of a kind and for one night only! Fri 7 March at the Opera House. Tickets on Ticketmaster.

OUT IN THE CITY: Rainbow Fair. Be part of our all-day family friendly fair event with over 80 stalls, stage performances, delicious food and drink and a jam-packed day of LGBTQIA+ celebration and vibes. Sat 22 March at Odlin’s Plaza, beside Wharewaka. Not a day to miss! Free!

PRIDE YOUTH BALL: for rainbow rangatahi aged 13-18. This event is a safe, fun Ball experience for our rainbow youth run in partnership with InsideOut, Te Whare Kahukura o Te Awa Kairangi, Rainbow Youth, and Youthline.

PRIDE HĪKOI with Queer Endurance & Defiance (QED): Pride is political: it has always been a celebration of queer joy as well as a protest. Come down for a solidarity march with our trans* and gender minority whānau for rights to gender-affirming healthcare. Sunday 23 March, starting at Waitangi Park at 10am (ending on Parliament lawn).

PRIDE PICNIC made possible by Rainbow Wellington: On the final day of our Festival, this is a wonderful opportunity to gather with friends and whānau in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with a Bunnings sausage sizzle and live music by Orchestra Wellington. Big thanks to Rainbow Wellington and the Burnett Foundation. Free – at the Botanic Gardens from 12-3pm. Sunday 23 March.

More than sixty events are happening over the course of the festival, ranging rainbow story times, historical walking tours, the Youth Ball and a picnic with Wellington Orchestra, to the largest of our signature events - Out in the City, a giant family-friendly festival happening in Odlins Plaza on 22 March. The Wellington Pride Festival website organises events by category and by access need, so everyone can find something to suit.

“To make sure everyone has a safe, fun experience at Pride, we are working in collaboration with various local organisations, including security services, the Police, Māori Wardens, and the City Councils to limit risk of disruption,” says Curd. “Perhaps most importantly we have worked with mana whenua – who want to emphasise the importance of peace in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. If there happen to be aggressors and haka that challenge our community, then we encourage anyone present to respond with waiata. This is a great chance to elevate not just our voices, but to physically express our togetherness, through the waiata ‘Te Aroha’ and ‘Tūtira mai ngā iwi’.”

"We aim to use the month of March as a time to unite, draw strength from each other, and celebrate our vibrant community," says Curd. "We warmly invite our allies to join us in supporting queer artists, enjoying the festivities, and considering a donation to one or more of the essential not for profits who are keeping our community safe.”

The 39th Wellington Pride Festival runs 7-23 March – to our brilliant and resilient rainbow community, whānau and friends: we can’t wait to see you there.

Note:

Wellington Pride Festival is the longest-running annual Pride celebration in Aotearoa.

The first Pride celebrations in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara were organised as part of campaigning for Homosexual Law Reform in 1986. Wellington Pride Festival traces back to Newtown Lesbian and Gay Fair, held at Newtown School and themed ‘a Fair for a fair law’.

Now, Wellington Pride Festival is an ever-growing annual Festival celebrating our rainbow whānau in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara. Our largest event, Out in the City, is a fair which attracts thousands from across Aotearoa and beyond. The Festival runs each March in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara.

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