The Best Things to Do Around Auckland in January

Take advantage of the quiet city and long summer days to enjoy events, exhibitions, theatre, markets and some great films.
Sarah Templeton
December 20, 2021
List
Map
  • Event

    Smales Farmers Market

    Sunday, May 9, 2021

    Smales Farm, North Shore

    Auckland's newest farmers market arrives across the harbour.

  • Event

    Enchanted Worlds: Hokusai, Hiroshige and the Art of Edo Japan

    Virtually walk through this major exhibition on Japan's Edo period at Auckland Art Gallery.

  • Event

    Tequila Ice Cream Afternoons

    Tuesday, March 9, 2021

    Coops Corner Pub, Auckland

    This harbourside bar is now serving up boozy ice cream everyday.

  • Event

    Toi Tu Toi Ora: Contemporary Maori Art Virtual Tour

    Virtually walk through this major exhibition exploring contemporary Māori art.

  • Event

    Straight to Churly's

    Tuesday, April 27, 2021

    Churly's Brewpub & Eatery, Auckland

    Start your adventure in Auckland with some craft beer and a nose-to-tail feast.

  • Event

    Rita Angus: New Zealand Modernist/He Ringatoi Hou o Aotearoa

    Saturday, December 18, 2021 - Monday, April 25, 2022

    Te Papa Museum, Wellington

    The landmark exhibition will showcase over 70 works from one of the country's most famous female artists.

  • Event

    Ugo Rondinone: Vocabulary of Solitude

    Saturday, November 20, 2021 - Sunday, February 27, 2022

    Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, Auckland

    Not one for your coulrophobic friends, this rainbow-hued clown-filled exhibition is best viewed on a sunny day.

  • Event

    'The Lord of the Rings' 20-Year Anniversary Celebration

    Friday, December 10, 2021 and Friday, January 14, 2022 

    Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Matamata

    Celebrate two decades of big-screen hobbits, elves and wizards at the Hobbiton Movie Set.

  • Event

    Southside Stories: A Murder Mystery

    Wednesday, December 15, 2021 - Monday, January 31, 2022

    Bozo - Gin and Craft Beer Bar, Auckland

    Sip cocktails while you unlock chapters to solve a (fictional) murder mystery gripping the city.

  • Event

    Casa Bacardi Summer Sessions

    Saturday, December 11, 2021, Saturday, December 18, 2021, Saturday, January 1, 2022 and Saturday, January 8, 2022 

    Wynyard Quarter, Auckland

    Sip fresh mojitos, snack on delicious Caribbean-inspired bites and boogie to some of the city's best DJs .

  • Event

    Frosé Your Way

    Monday, January 3 - Thursday, March 31, 2022

    Dr Rudi's Rooftop Brewing Co., Auckland

    Embrace summer with two hours of bottomless frosé by the water's edge — complete with fruity flavours and fun toppings.

  • Event

    Spider-Man: No Way Home

    Thursday, December 16, 2021 - Wednesday, January 5, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood web-slinger swings back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe to face a lineup of familiar villains.

  • Event

    West Side Story

    Sunday, December 26, 2021 - Wednesday, January 19, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    The 1950s-set spin on 'Romeo and Juliet' returns to the screen — and, making his first-ever musical, Steven Spielberg turns it into a spectacular cinematic achievement.

  • Event

    George FM Summer Tour at the Whitianga Hotel

    Sunday, January 2, 2022

    Whitianga Hotel, Whitianga

    George FM is putting on a rave worth venturing out after New Year's for.

  • Event

    Black Christmas

    Tuesday, December 21, 2021 - Sunday, January 2, 2022

    Online

    A timely remake of a 70s cult classic, this is a Christmas-themed slasher flick for the #MeToo era.

  • Event

    The Lost Daughter

    Friday, December 31, 2021 - Wednesday, January 26, 2022

    Online

    Actor-turned-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal makes a bold directorial debut, bringing Elena Ferrante's novel to the screen with an exceptional performance by Olivia Colman.

  • Event

    The Matrix Resurrections

    Sunday, December 26, 2021 - Wednesday, January 19, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will make you go “whoa!” at ‘The Matrix’ franchise’s mostly dazzling, almost-always-entertaining tumble back down the sci-fi rabbit hole.

  • Event

    The Tragedy of Macbeth

    Sunday, December 26, 2021 - Wednesday, January 19, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Something wicked this way comes — a wickedly stunning new Shakespeare adaptation starring a phenomenal Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand.

  • Event

    Ghostbusters: Afterlife

    Saturday, January 1 - Wednesday, January 26, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    There’s something bland and tedious in this neighbourhood: an empty reboot haunted by easy nostalgia.

  • Event

    House of Gucci

    Saturday, January 1 - Wednesday, January 26, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    This supremely soapy recounting of the Gucci family's 70s, 80s and 90s-era dramas is worth seeing for Lady Gaga's fantastic performance alone.

  • Event

    The King's Man

    Thursday, January 6 - Wednesday, January 26, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    The 'Kingsman' franchise gets a World War I-set prequel that no one asked for.

  • Event

    Power Yoga + Poke Bowls

    Wednesday, January 19, 2022

    Vellenoweth Green, Auckland

    The perfect combination for a wholesome mid-week evening of wellness.

  • Event

    Summer Shandy Series

    Saturday, January 1 - Monday, January 31, 2022

    The Bavarian Newmarket, Auckland

    Wet your whistle with six types of shandies at The Bavarian this summer.

  • Event

    Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary

    Friday, December 10, 2021 - Sunday, March 13, 2022

    Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, Auckland

    Celebrate the daring fashion icon in this exciting new exhibition, straight from the V&A museum in London.

  • Event

    Scream

    Thursday, January 13 - Wednesday, February 2, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Ghostface is back for another stab, this time attacking a new bunch of teens, in the horror franchise that definitely still loves scary movies.

  • Event

    King Richard

    Thursday, January 13 - Wednesday, February 2, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Will Smith turns in an attention-grabbing performance as Venus and Serena Williams' father in this stirring drama about the two tennis stars' childhood.

  • Event

    The 355

    Thursday, January 13 - Wednesday, February 2, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    A dream international cast leads this female-fronted spy action flick, but even Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o and Penélope Cruz can't stop the globe-hopping result from being oh-so-basic.

  • Event

    Food Truck Collective in Onehunga

    Saturday, January 22, 2022

    Onehunga Bay Reserve, Auckland

    The city's beloved food truck nights are back for spring, bringing together live music, delicious street food and ice-cold drinks on tap.

  • Event

    Juke Joint Bottomless Fried Chicken

    Tuesday, February 1, 2022, Tuesday, February 8, 2022 and Tuesday, February 15, 2022 

    Juke Joint, Auckland

    Grab your chicken-loving crew and settle in for two hours of unlimited fried chicken, coleslaw and tater tots.

  • Event

    Spencer

    Thursday, January 20 - Wednesday, February 9, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Kristen Stewart turns in a career-best performance as the People's Princess in this bold and enthralling slice-of-life biopic.

  • Event

    Gold

    Thursday, January 20 - Wednesday, February 9, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    This Australian-made thriller gives Zac Efron his turn at surviving the blistering outback, playing a stranger who spots a glistening nugget in a dystopian future.

  • Event

    The Auckland Anniversary Market and Whanau Festival

    Sunday, January 30 - Monday, January 31, 2022

    The Cloud, Quay Street

    Shop, eat and play during a two-day market this coming Auckland Anniversary Weekend.

  • Event

    Nightmare Alley

    Thursday, January 20 - Wednesday, February 9, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Starring Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett, this mesmerisingly dark carnival noir is one of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's very best features.

  • Event

    Belle

    Thursday, January 20 - Wednesday, February 9, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Taking 'Beauty and the Beast' into cyberspace, this vivid and inventive Japanese animation serves up a bold and dazzling take on the familiar fairytale.

  • Event

    Shakespeare in the Park 2022

    Saturday, January 22 - Saturday, February 19, 2022

    The Pumphouse Theatre, Takapuna

    Pack a picnic and settle in for an evening of comedy and culture this summer.

  • Event

    Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta 2022

    Monday, January 31, 2022

    Auckland Waterfront, Auckland

    This spectacular annual event is going ahead at red, so grab the family and head down to watch the action unfold.

  • Event

    Mudbrick Sunset Screening Series

    Friday, January 28, 2022, Sunday, January 30, 2022 and Thursday, February 3, 2022 

    Mudbrick Winery, Waiheke Island

    Watch the sun set over Rangitoto before snuggling up to watch Pretty Woman and sip on some of the winery's finest.

  • Event

    Licorice Pizza

    Thursday, January 27 - Wednesday, February 16, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    Freewheeling, meticulous and glorious all at once, Paul Thomas Anderson's ninth film serves up a 70s-set coming-of-age slice of life, as topped by a transcendent performance from Alana Haim.

  • Event

    The Eyes of Tammy Faye

    Thursday, January 27 - Wednesday, February 16, 2022

    Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland

    With a committed and compelling lead performance by Jessica Chastain, this otherwise far-too-standard biopic explores the life of 70s and 80s American televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.

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