Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s waterfront will be transformed when the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival returns from 13–15 March 2026, inviting Aucklanders and visitors of all ages to enjoy a weekend of maritime heritage, hands-on activities and on-water experiences.
Part of Moana Auckland, New Zealand’s Ocean Festival, and proudly supported by Auckland Council Events, the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival is a free, family-friendly celebration of Auckland’s deep connection to maritime heritage through craftsmanship, culture and community.
Following a successful inaugural festival in 2024 that attracted around 10,000 visitors, the festival will once again transform Auckland’s inner-city waterfront into a lively festival hub and a sea of wooden boats. More than 200 vessels, models and maritime displays will be showcased across four iconic waterfront locations: Viaduct Events Centre, Jellicoe Harbour, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa and the historic Percy Vos Boat Yard.
From classic sailing yachts and beautifully restored workboats to clinker dinghies and indigenous craft, the festival brings together the stories of people and the sea – celebrating both traditional knowledge and contemporary maritime skill.
Wayne Brown, Mayor of Auckland, says “There’s a reason why Auckland is known as the City of Sails. We saw that recently when communities came together to watch SailGP at Wynyard Point. The boats we’ll see at the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival will be very different to what we witnessed last weekend, but that strong connection to any vessel that’s out on the water remains. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to get an up-close look at Auckland’s maritime heritage, to see where the city’s love for sailing began.”
Nick Hill, CE of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, which delivers Moana Auckland, including the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival, and operates the New Zealand Maritime Museum, says the festival offers something for everyone.
“The Auckland Wooden Boat Festival is about much more than boats – it’s about people, stories and our shared connection to the moana. From hands-on activities for tamariki to incredible craftsmanship on display across the waterfront, it’s a chance for everyone to come together, learn something new and experience Auckland’s maritime heritage in a way that’s open, welcoming and fun,” says Hill.
Michelle Khan-Stevenson, Co-Director of the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival, says the event offers boat enthusiasts a rare opportunity in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Bringing boats, skills and traditions together in one place and on the water allows people to experience wooden boat culture in real depth, from sailing and restoration to the knowledge shared by owners and builders. For anyone passionate about wooden boats, it’s a chance to see exceptional design and seamanship up close, and to talk directly with the people who build, sail and care for them,” says Khan-Stevenson.
What to expect at the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival
Opening on Friday afternoon, 13 March, the festival continues across Saturday, 14 and Sunday, 15 March with an exciting programme of activities on land and on the water. Visitors can explore and take part in a wide range of experiences, including:
· Traditional sailmaking and both European and Māori boatbuilding demonstrations
· A dedicated kids’ zone with hands-on activities for whānau
· Interactive experiences such as knot-tying and star compass navigation
· Contemporary live music including a ukulele band
· Nautical books, historic silver trophies and detailed boat models
· Steam and mechanical engines on display
· A collection of clinker dinghies and wooden sailing boats
· Indigenous Pacific craft
The festival’s popular ‘Have a Go’ experiences offer visitors the chance to step aboard dinghies, steamboats and other traditional wooden vessels, providing an authentic taste of life on the water. Festivalgoers will also be able to travel between the New Zealand Maritime Museum and the festival site aboard the historic steamboat SS Puke.
One of the many highlights of the festival is the opportunity to step inside the fully restored Percy Vos Boat Yard, open to the public for the weekend. Visitors can experience Māori and Pacific waka building as a living tradition, including the final stages of a waka hourua being crafted by master carvers and artists.
The New Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School will also build a kauri clinker Frostbite dinghy live on site, offering a rare chance to see traditional techniques up close.
In partnership with New Zealand Maritime Museum, the festival will feature a programme of short films, talks and seminars, sharing the stories, skills and innovation that continue to shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s maritime identity.
