Now into its fifth decade, the Auckland Folk festival is a venerable institution, first conceived and created by the folk and traditional music and dance clubs of Auckland in the 1970’s. For the past 30 years, the festival has been based at the Kumeu Showgrounds in West Auckland, where the music venues are spread over gently rolling paddocks and campers meet up with old friends and musical comrades-at-arms to play and dance long into the night.

The festival runs over the three days of the Auckland Anniversary weekend in late January, starting on the Friday evening and finishing with sessions and ceilidhs into the small hours of Monday morning. The music stages run throughout the entire weekend, boasting great sound quality and a full programme, providing something for everyone at all times. Saturday and Sunday evenings feature concerts by the principal artists on the main stage.