North Shore’s most exciting community event of the year is back. Takapuna Winter Lights is
proud to return as an integral part of Elemental AKL in association with Tātaki Auckland
Unlimited.
Experience interactive art installations, live music and performances across four evenings
between 27 and 30 July, 2023. Returning to this year’s festival is event curator, acclaimed
light artist, Angus Muir, whose work is award-winning both here in NZ and internationally.
“Takapuna Winter Lights is an inspiring, creative and engaging festival that is a multi-sensory
arts and cultural community event. It is fast becoming a highly anticipated family experience
during the winter,” says organiser Dan Move (SILO). “This year we have aimed to build on the
success of previous years, with even more elements to surprise and delight.”
The festival follows the success of the 2022 event that returned with a bang after a one-year
hiatus during the pandemic. Takapuna Beach Business Association CEO, Terence Harpur says
the unique social atmosphere of the festival brings significant visitor numbers to Takapuna
which is great for both local businesses and community spirit.
“This year we are expecting over 45,000+ attendees to witness and immerse themselves in
this awe-inspiring and educational event,” he said.
One of the festival highlights, the Te Ara o te Whenua Roa o Kahu installation, is an
interactive device-free augmented reality piece involving a live-view camera that brings to
life the story of the journeys early Māori took from Kaipara to Takapuna.
Local high school, Takapuna Grammar School, students are also involved, performing ballet
and jazz dance pieces, alongside street-style musical entertainment from their music
students. Artwork by children at Takapuna Primary School and Campbells Bay Early Learning
Centre will also be featured at the festival, using animation and projection.
Takapuna Winter Lights Festival is a free, fully accessible, and family-friendly community
event. For the duration of the festival the public can explore the light installations and
interactive elements at their leisure along Hurstmere Road and on Hurstmere Green. The
best time to see everything is when it gets dark when the light installations will be shining
bright and the interactive elements will be on show. There will also be food trucks and warm
drinks to keep everyone fuelled.
There are some ticketed events that form part of the festival, and are as follows:
Immersive Audio Hikoi
28 July, 6 – 6.45pm & 7 – 7.45pm, Hurstmere Road, $17
A hīkoi (walk) under the night sky along Takapuna Beach whilst listening to the pūrākau
(stories of origin) of the land underfoot through a recorded headset. This audio-immersive
experience has been uniquely designed by the award-winning creative agency at Papaya
Stories and Takapuna Boating Club to share the history of our local parks and places, whilst
sharing Te Ao Māori world view of our taiao (the environment.) Tickets are available here.
Lux Vinum at Street Organics with Mt Edward Wine
29th July 6.30-8.00pm & 8.30-10.00pm, $69.48,1 Byron Avenue Takapuna
An exploration of wine and light with the consummate wine lush, Jake Tipler.
Explore your relationship with your senses in this unique wine tasting that investigates just
how much light and food can change one wine.
Witness for the prosecution by Agatha Christie
The Pumphouse Theatre, $21 – $29.50, 20 – 30 July
Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a wealthy widow. The stakes are high with
shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock, and a young man’s fight
to escape the hangman’s noose… all with a classic Christie twist in the tale.
Regarded as one of Agatha Christie’s most accomplished plays, this suspenseful thriller keeps
audiences guessing until the very end.
Step out with Peter Urlich – Regatta, The Strand Takapuna
Saturday 22nd 7pm, $69.92
Shake away your winter blues and join us for a night of glitz and glam, champagne cocktails,
and Sinatra. Tickets are available here.
Takapuna Winter Lights is brought to you by Takapuna Beach Business Association, SILO,
AMD, Go Media, Devonport Takapuna Local Board, Willis Bond and Tātaki Auckland
Unlimited.
When: 27 – 30 July, 2023, 5 – 10pm
Where: Hurstmere Green, Hurstmere Road, Central Takapuna
Tickets: Free (apart from ticked events as above)
See the Winter Lights website for further details.
ABOUT TAKAPUNA WINTER LIGHTS
Takapuna Winter Lights in association with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is proud to be part of Elemental AKL and is brought to you by the Takapuna Beach Business Association, AMD, SILO, Go Media, Devonport Takapuna Local Board, Willis Bond and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited + many more. Our amazing funding partners, Four Winds, Foundation North, One Foundation, Aotearoa Gaming Trust, Bly Sky, Pub Charity and The Lion Foundation.
See www.winterlights.nz for further details.
ABOUT ELEMENTAL AKL
Elemental AKL festival celebrates the best arts, eats, and beats of Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland. From 20 July – 6 August 2023, festival goers can experience art, food, music, and
activities in an ever-growing programme of free and ticketed events across Auckland.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited – Auckland’s economic and cultural agency – works closely
with leading events, entertainment, arts and hospitality experts to deliver the festival which
is now in its fifth year.
For further information about Elemental AKL, please contact Issie Hallwright at Tātaki
Auckland Unlimited on 027 207 6348 or: issie.hallwright@aucklandnz.com.
Visit the Elemental AKL website here.
ABOUT ANGUS MUIR
Angus Muir Design specialises in working with clients to develop spaces, objects and events
that invite and inspire interaction and enjoyment.
Angus Muir creates moments. Specialising in atmospheric architecture, Muir’s work is
dedicated to conceiving and executing contemporary, immersive experiences.
Springing from an architectural basis, Angus’ design approach is conceptual, ambitious and
site-specific, acknowledging historical influences of the area while infusing fresh,
contemporary energy into a space. With a strong background not only in the theoretical
world of design but also practical fabrication and application, his designs are fastidiously
conceived and crafted from end to end.
Working at the international cutting edge of technologies, Angus is devoted to international
research and development, bringing new ideas to his work and clients every time. For all
those who encounter an Angus Muir installation, a sensory journey is undertaken through his
innovative manipulation of space and sense.
