Current Season
Oct 2026 - Apr 2027
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| Event |
Date |
Venue |
More details |
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The Devonport Folk Club hosts Paul Brown -a traditional Scots singer from Dundee.
Note:
Floor singers first half, as is standard for folk clubs.
Members $5, non members $8
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5 October 2026
(Monday)
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The Bunker, Takarunga/Mt
Victoria, Devonport
8 pm start
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Access for vehicles on Takarunga/Mt Victoria is restricted, for full access and parking details see the Club's website here
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Bound by Sound - Hamilton Concert
National Youth Pipe Band of NZ live in concert, with special guests,
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10 October 2026
(Saturday)
4pm start
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Southwell School Performing Arts Centre, 200 Peachgrove Rd, Claudlands, Hamilton |
Some details here
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Bound by Sound - Auckland Concert
National Youth Pipe Band of NZ live in concert, with special guests.
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11 October 2026
(Sunday)
1pm start
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Ray Freedman Arts Centre, Epsom Girls Grammar School, Gillies Ave, Auckland.
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Some details here
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Kumeu Ceilidh
Fundraiser for Muriwai surf lifesaving. With the Auckland Ceilidh/Ceili Band.
$20 pp, optional $10 light supper and bottle toss. No door sales
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17 October 2026
(Saturday)
6.30 – 11 pm,
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Kumeu Community Hall, 35 Access Rd, Kumeū, Auckland |
Full details/buy tickets here
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Scottish Fiddle Club presents Free Fiddle workshops.
Traditional fiddle with Shetland music at its core. NOT suitable for beginners.
10.15am – 1pm: Starter by ear
1.45 – 4.30 pm: Skilled by ear
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24 October 2026
(Saturday)
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St Davids in the Fields, 202
Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough, Auckland
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See details in a post on their Facebook page here
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Hillsborough Ceilidh with the
Scottish Ceilidh Club
Regular monthly event., $5 per person, $10 per family - Cash.
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30 October 2026
(Friday)
7:30-9:30pm
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St Davids in the Fields,, 202 Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough, Auckland
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Contact: Anna Percy 021 656 732 |
4th Annual Kids’ Xmas Ceilidh
Free fun for the kids - dancing and Christmas party
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1 November 2026
(Sunday)
1 pm-4 pm
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Irish Club, Rocky Nook Ave,
Morningside
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Details tbc |
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Hororata Highland Games
Traditional Highland Games -a full day of world-class Scottish competition, massed pipes and drums, plus heaps for families of all ages to see and do – a true day out for the whole clan.
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7 November
(Saturday)
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Hororata Domain, 90 Hororata
Rd, Hororata, Canterbury |
Full details here
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Ceilidh at Harmony Hall
Music by Reel to rzeel, calling by Noel Armstrong. Have some fun on Election Night! Cash sales only at the door -no EFTPOS)
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7 November
(Saturday)
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4 Wynyard St, Devonport, Auckland |
Details here
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Puhoi Ceilidh
With the Auckland Ceilidh Band
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28 November 2026
(Saturday)
7:30 pm start
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Puhoi Centennial Hall, 88 Puhoi Rd, Puhoi, Auckland |
Details to come
Check out the Auckland Ceili/Ceilidh Band's Facebook page for videos of Ceilidh dancing
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St Andrews Day
Celebration of Scotland's Patron Saint
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30 November every year
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Your place?
Get creative and have some fun!
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Traditionally celebrated in Scotland with a St Andrews Day dinner - a good opportunity for those with Scottish roots to do the same.
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Jenny Mair Square Day
Competitions for Pipe Bands, solo piping & drumming, Highland Dance, PLUS Scottish vendor stalls!
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12 December 2026
(Saturday)
Full day event
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The Square, central city, Palmerston North |
Full details to come |
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Helen McGregor Memorial Medley Trophy
Solo piping. Helen’s dying wish - a piping competition where the best of NZ's pipers play music of their own choice.
5:30pm start, tickets $10 at the door, light supper, cash bar
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30 December 2026
(Wednesday)
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Foyer of the Celtic Barn, Caledonian Park, Waipu. |
Details here
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153rd Waipu Highland Games
The most entertaining way to end the year!
All-day family fun 9am-5pm - piping, dancing, stalls, kids races, traditional Highland sports
Take a short break then ring in the New Year with the Waipu Ceilidh (details in next entry)
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31 December 2026
(Thursday, New Years Eve) |
Caledonian Park, The Centre, Waipu, |
Details here
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Waipu New Years Eve Ceilidh
Traditional music, song and dance, bagpipes and Celtic music from “Twisty Willow”; supper preceded by the haggis ceremony.
$25 a head, cash bar.
8pm start, finish 1am New Years Day.
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31 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 |
Celtic Barn, Caledonian Park, Waipu. |
Details here
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NZ Gàidhealtachd
NZ has a deep Celtic heritage; immerse yourself in Celtic knowledge & skills, arts, language, history, music, dance, values & traditions.
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January 2027
Camp onsite for all (or part) of the week
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Maungaturoto Country Club
84 Bickerstaffe Road, Maungaturoto
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Details and registration tbc |
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RNZPBA Summer School 2026
The Royal NZ Pipe Band Association hosts this world-class piping and drumming school. Something for all levels, group lessons, masterclass workshops and more.
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January 2027
Registrations open now
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St Andrews College, Christchurch |
Details and registration tbc |
Burns Night
Anniversary of Robert Burns' birth in 1759 |
25 January every year (but can be on any suitable date around this time) |
There may be a Burns night near you - check your local events news.
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Burns Night is traditionally celebrated by a Burns Supper with haggis, neeps & tatties etc. But why not create your own with a BBQ or whatever! |
Turakina Highland Games
New Zealand's oldest Scottish Games first held in 1864. Sports, piping & drumming, Highland dance, Clan tents and Scottish vendors. Followed by an evening BBQ and Ceilidh |
January 2027
9am-5pm.
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Turakina Domain, Cameron Road, Turakina
(20 km south of Whanganui on SH3)
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Detaills tbc |
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Paeroa Highland Games & Tattoo
Piping & drumming, Highland dance, Clans, heavyweight Scottish field events, Scottish vendors, Steam Punk, variety acts, and an evening tattoo.
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February 2027
9am-9pm
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Paeroa Domain, Paeroa |
Details tbc |
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Pipes in the Park
Highland Gathering 10am-5pm with food, fun for the children, Clan and Craft markets contests and performances - piping, drumming and dance!
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March 2027 |
Avalon Park, Taita Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt (Wellington region) |
Details ibc
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New Zealand Pipe Band Championships ("The Nationals"). Street parade and performances from NZ Bands & even some from Australia and Canada. Competing across grades 1-3 - who will be the best this year?
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March 2027
9am-5pm each day
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TBC |
Details tbc
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Easter Hawkes Bay Highland Gathering
Contests for solo Piping & Highland dancing. |
April 2027 |
Lindisfarne College, Pakowhai Rd, Hastings |
Details to come |
Tartan Day
This celebration started in the USA & Canada and has now spread to Scotland! (NZ & Oz celebrate International Tartan Day on Jul 1) |
6 April every year |
Anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320) |
Wear a touch of tartan today to celebrate your Scottish heritage
For historical background info. on Tartan Day, click here
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Unicorn Day
(In Scotland and elsewhere)
Fun fact: The Unicorn is Scotland's national animal & even appears on their Royal Coat of Arms.
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9 April every year |
Your place? the local park?
Get creative and have some fun!
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For more background and ideas, check here and here
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PAST EVENTS
June to September 2026
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Old events - |
Details retained for historical interest
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Auckland Scottish Fiddle Club.
Regular Club nights, 7.30pm start, play Scottish music with a group.
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2026:
1st & 2nd Friday each month, Feb to Dec
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St Lukes Church, 130 Remuera Rd, Auckland 1050 |
More information - contact Anne-Marie. learnScotsfiddle@gmail.com |
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Ceilidh - hosted by the Titirangi Folk Music Club
Live music by Reel to Reel, fun get-together for friends and family. $15 entry, under-15s free.
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20 June 2026
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Titirangi Beach Hall, Titirangi Road, Titirangi, Auckland.
8pm start
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Details here
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Tartan Day 2026
Celebrate international Tartan Day a few days early! (see next entry).
Scottish Clans Assoc. (Auckl'd) partners with Auckland Museum to celebrate tartan with Clan info, Scots music & dancing, activities for the kids, and more.
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27 June 2026 |
Atrium - Auckland War Memorial Museum
10am-1:30pm
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Full details on the Museum website
For historical background info. on Tartan Day, click here
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Kirkin' o' the Tartan
A special church service - wear your kilt or some tartan. Clan banners are piped in and blessed during the service with a friendly morning tea that includes haggis afterwards.
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28 June 2026 |
St Andrews Church, Symonds St, Auckland
10am start
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For more details on the historical significance of Kirkin' o' the Tartan, click here
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International Tartan Day.
Celebrated on (or about) July 1 in New Zealand and Australia, this date marks the repeal in 1782 of the Act of Proscription that had banned the wearing of all Highland dress for 65 years.
(Note - The USA & Canada celebrate Tartan Day on April 6, commemorating the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath).
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1 July every year |
Your place? |
If you can't make it to the Museum - or if the museum event inspired you! - organise your own celebration.
For historical background info. on Tartan Day, click here
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XXIII Commonwealth Games, Glasgow
Not exactly a NZ event, but good to know about. Glasgow saved the 2026 Games, taking over when Victoria (Australia) withdrew from hosting due to rising costs.
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27 July to 2 August 2026 |
Hopefully NZ will see some of it on TV. |
Overview of the daily schedule is on the Games website here
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MacBeth - by William Shakespeare
Set in Scotland, the original political thriller. Actors & others call it "The Scottish Play" due to a superstition that catastrophe follows if the name MacBeth is spoken inside a theatre (unless during rehearsal & performance).
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28 July to 22 August 2026 |
ASB Waterfront Theatre
138 Halsey Street, Auckland CBD
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Details here
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Scottish Clans Association Annual Ceilidh
Wear some tartan & bring the spirit of your Clan for an evening of dancing and celebration., plus awarding of the Association's Annual Youth Scholarship.
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15 August 2026
4pm to 7pm
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Harmony House,
3 Wynyard St, Devonport, Auckland
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Full details (RSVP, ticket costs etc) here
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Ceilidh
Hosted by the New Plymouth Taranaki Caledonian Pipe Band.
Dust off your dancing shoes and enjoy the live band and dance caller
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29 August 2026
7pm start
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New Plymouth Club,
55 Gill St,
New Plymouth Central.
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Full details, ticket sales etc here
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Papakura Pipe Band Ceilidh
Annual band fundraiser. Family friendly dance, BYO, light supper included in ticket price
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5 September 2026
(Saturday)
7pm start
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Karaka War Memorial Hall, 319 Linwood Road, Karaka, Auckland 2580
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Full details (tickets etc) here
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Hillsborough Ceilidh with the
Scottish Ceilidh Club
Regular monthly event.
7:30-9:30pm, $5 per person, $10 per family,
cash.
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25 Sep 2026
(Friday)
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St David’s in the Fields, 202
Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough, Auckland
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Contact: Anna Percy 021 656 732
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Whakatane Pipe Bands Festival.
Hosted by the Whakatane Scottish Pipe Band, to showcase pipe bands to the community, and bring together bands-people of all abilities. Bands can compete, or take the “comments only” option. Starts with a street march, then performances, massed band and Scottish-themed market.
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26 September 2026
(Saturday)
10 am start
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Whakatane High School.
56 Goulstone Road, Whakatane
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For
a) Band Entry Form (closes 31.7.26) AND
b) Contest Rules & Conditions of Entry -
Contact
whakatanescottishpipeband@gmail.com
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