PRIDE WAIRAU FESTIVAL 2026
FESTIVAL INFO
Welcome to Pride Wairau Festival 2026. It's time to RADIATE.
Radiate is pride turned up. It’s light, heat and visibility spilling outward - dancefloors that move, creative spaces that buzz and shared moments that hit hard and stay with you. Expect a mix of performances, parties, creative showcases and gatherings designed to feel open, welcoming and alive.
Across 10 days and multiple venues in Marlborough, Pride Wairau takes over with colour, sound and unapologetic energy. Think bold community moments by day, electric nights after dark, and a programme built to glow from start to finish.
What sets Pride Wairau apart is its heart and scale. Community-led, carefully curated and proudly regional, this is a destination Pride that punches well above its weight. Come for one event or dive into the full festival journey.
Ticketed events have sold out in previous years - Get your tickets now to avoid missing out.
Huge events. Multiple venues. Limited capacities. Join us!
PRIDE 2026 HEADLINERS
AROHA
AROHA (Aroha Harawira) is a dynamic DJ and producer from Aotearoa, now based in Naarm (Melbourne), known for electrifying, genre-blurring club sets rooted in global underground sounds and her Māori heritage. Voted New Zealand’s Best Club DJ in 2013, she has shared stages with artists including Grace Jones, Disclosure, Kaytranada, Ben UFO, Chase & Status, Jazzy Jeff and 2ManyDJs. Her performances have taken her to major festivals including Glastonbury Festival, Pitch Music & Arts, Let Them Eat Cake, WOMADelaide, Rhythm and Vines, Electric Avenue Festival, Splore Festival and Northern Bass, cementing her reputation as one of Aotearoa’s most influential DJs on the global circuit.
EMERSON
At just 18, Rockquest-winning artist EMERSON is one of Aotearoa’s most exciting new alt-pop voices. Since debuting in late 2024, seven of her nine singles have charted on the Aotearoa Hot 20, with her latest release Again entering at #10, alongside editorial support from major Spotify and Apple Music playlists and radio play across the motu. 2025 marked a breakthrough year with headline shows, national tours and showcase performances, as well as her first major festival appearance at Rhythm and Vines. A multi-instrumentalist with a background in musical theatre and competitive dance, EMERSON brings a commanding live presence to the stage, delivering emotionally charged alt-pop with powerful connection and confidence.
HALFQUEEN
HALFQUEEN is a genre-bending DJ from Tāmaki Makaurau whose electrifying sets blend global club sounds with unapologetic dancefloor energy. Rooted in her Fijian and Pākehā heritage, her performances connect rhythms and influences from across the diaspora, creating powerful, joy-filled moments on the floor. Her international rise has seen her perform at Glastonbury Festival and Horst Arts & Music Festival, play London’s legendary Fabric, tour Europe and East Asia, and secure a BBC Radio 1 residency in 2023, cementing her as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting DJs on the global circuit.
KITA MEAN
KITA MEAN is one of Aotearoa’s most iconic drag performers and the inaugural winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, known for her razor-sharp wit, infectious charm and unmistakable high-camp glamour. With a career spanning more than 15 years, she has performed for audiences across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, North America and Asia, while co-owning Auckland’s legendary Caluzzi Cabaret. A celebrated entertainer, host and producer, KITA also stars in the hit New Zealand series House of Drag and tours her smash-hit live shows to sold-out audiences, delivering performances packed with glamour, comedy and pure drag superstar energy.
PAIGE
PAIGE is a pop songwriter and producer from Tāmaki Makaurau whose heartfelt songwriting has earned more than 78 million streams worldwide, a platinum record in South Korea and a growing international fanbase. Praised by Billie Eilish for her songwriting, PAIGE has achieved Top 10 airplay in New Zealand, multiple Aotearoa Music Awards nominations and chart success across Asia. She has sold out headline shows in New Zealand, Australia and South Korea and performed at major festivals including Rhythm and Vines, Bay Dreams, Homegrown and Soundsplash Festival, while sharing stages with international artists such as George Ezra, Ruel and Alec Benjamin.
PRIDE 2026 FULL ARTIST LINEUP
Artists are listed in alphabetical order.
Anita Wigl’it | Aroha | Emmerson | HalfQueen | Hugo Grrrl | Jousey | Kita Mean | Kola Gin | Lee Li | Nathan Joe | Paige | Rita Menu | Ron Te Kawa | SwimCap | ThoCat | Tyler Redmond
FEATURED EVENTS
- 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
High glamour, high voltage and full-spectrum brilliance featuring a line-up of New Zealand DRAG excellence. 5 Queens, 1 DJ - a full fierce and fabulous line-up
- 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
WINE AND DINE
A hosted evening in the vineyard, where food, wine and entertainment come together. Shared tables, flowing conversation and moments of surprise woven throughout the night.
- 11:00 am - 12:30 am
BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH
A daytime celebration with flowing drinks and delicious food. Pure joy, poured freely. Hosted by two of Aotearoa's best Queens.
- 9:00 pm - 2:00 am
EUPHORIA
The final glow. A full-scale, high-energy closing celebration where the festival ends with a full climax. Big sound, epic visuals and pure release. Come ready to give it everything.
GOLD SPONSOR
Squealing Pig Wines
Squealing Pig is a Marlborough-born wine brand known for its bold, fruit-driven wines and playful spirit, grounded in quality New Zealand winemaking. A proud supporter of rainbow communities, they have been the Gold Sponsor of Pride Wairau in both 2025 and 2026, championing inclusivity, connection and celebration.
NGĀ MIHI NUI TO OUR SPONSORS
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
