Rainbow groups and activities

Fringe Festival.

Fringe Festival Fri 14th Feb  - Sat 8th March 2025

The programme for the 2025 Fringe Festival is out with a huge variety of shows - it looks wild! Go to fringe.co.nz/programme and rummage for rainbow offerings. Some picks:

The Artist in her Residence - Thurs 13th Feb, online
Hampered by health conditions, Creatif Kate invites you in to her humble abode. Settle down with a cuppa and enjoy a poetic peep into a life lived at her pace, in her place
Purple is the Gayest Colour Fri 14th-Sat 15th Feb, BATS Theatre
Alayne never forgets an insult, in fact she wrote a whole show about it ...
EPIC WAY! I'm Gay? Oui oui faguette™ I LOVE KIM HILL (1999 version) Fri 14th- Sun 16th Feb, Te Auaha
Liv Ward is missing, but the show must go on! There's only one crustacean who can find them; The lobster (which is definitely not Liv in a $5 lobster costume) ...
Fairies playing Football Fri 21st- Sun 23rd Feb, The Circus Hub
Fairies + Football = fun for the whole fam. Join Acorn, Fizzlefig and their team of underfrogs as they wingwoman each other through life, love and football ...
Camping out 5 pm Sat 22nd Feb, Gryphon Theatre
Five of Wellington's funny and fabulous comedians are completing challenges both campy and camping (in nature).
Hugo's Rainbow Show Sat 1st- Sun 2nd March, Thistle Hall
What makes a rainbow? Join drag superstar Hugo Grrrl for a musical, magical adventure exploring the science of the skies above ...

Follow the Fringe on facebook.com/NZFringe instagram.com/nzfringe tiktok.com/@nzfringe.

Rainbow Dragon Club.

Rainbow Dragon Club

Sunday 16th Febuary 6pm @ Newtown Community Centre cnr Rintoul and Colombo Streets

A fortnightly boardgame and tabletop game club for the LGBTQ+ community and for women.
You are welcome to bring along your own games, miniatures, and paints. Or just bring yourself and try out a game in their collection! Follow on facebook

Wellington Wanderers.

Wellington Wanderers

We are a rainbow community walking group and open to all. Join a group of lovely people, take part in banter and traverse our beautiful scenery most Saturday mornings. All walks are events in the facebook group. Join by simply turning up.
Coming walks: more tba soon

For each walk bring water to drink, snacks and/or lunch, sunscreen and hat, dogs (optional if allowed) on leads. Wear appropriate footwear [tracks may be muddy], suitable clothes for the weather [incl rain/wind proof jacket for exposed walks].

Sunday 16 February 10:30am Korokoro Dam loop track (from Oakleigh St. entrance)
A walk through beautiful native forest and beside the stream in Belmont Regional Park. The walk will be about 1.5 hours. They'll be starting from the Oakleigh Street entrance and doing the 2.7km Korokoro Dam Loop Track to the waterfall, and adding a little side excursion along the stream ... facebook event page
Meet by the large map in the carpark at the Oakleigh Street entrance to Belmont Regional Park ready to go at 10:30am.
Sunday 16th March 10:30am Pride visit to Zealandia
Zealandia rainbow - photo by Zealandia
A ramble in Zealandia, Wellington's amazing wildlife sanctuary. This season's chicks will have fledged and be learning their adult songs, tuatara, geckos and skinks may be out sunning themselves, takahē scratching around, and we can learn about recent arrivals in the sanctuary. Plus a visit to the Lesbian Overlanders seat in Zealandia.
Maximum admission charges will be $26 (adult) or $22.50 (concession), and we’re hoping to reduce that as Sanctuary members can take in up to 5 friends for half price. So Zealandia members please bring your membership card and help spread the love!
Meet in the Zealandia carpark (end of Waiapu Road) near the entrance. Bring lunch and drink in your backpack, your hiking pole if you have one, and wear sturdy sneakers. Moderate fitness required as there be hills. No dogs!
Getting there: Catch the no. 2 Karori bus - 9.51am or 10am Courtenay Place, 10:02/10:11 Lampton Quay north end. Get off at the first stop after the tunnel, walk back to Waiapu Rd, and follow the Zealandia signs down to the end of the road ... facebook event page.
Rainbow Wellington.

Rainbow Wellington

Rainbow Wellington is an LGBTI+ organisation that focuses on networking, events and lobbying. Their website has information about past and present campaigns as well as directories of local LGBTI+ businesses, groups and activities. Follow on facebook

Social mixer events are held in a congenial bar on the second Friday of the month [usually] - check the website or facebook for updates.

Camp Ground Rainbow Comedy Night.

CampGround Rainbow Comedy Night

Thursday 6th March 8:30pm @ Ivy Bar and Cabaret, 63 Cuba St.

A comedy showcase of our best LGBTQAII+ standup comedians, on the first Thursdays of the month [usually]. Featuring polished pros and hilarious up-and-comers. Support your community by laughing with us! ... tix on eventfinda or at the door.

Rainbow walk tours.

LGBTI history walk tours

Saturday 8th March 1pm: A Change is Coming walk tour

2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the introduction in 1985, of the Homosexual Law Reform bill. The bill set out to decriminalise homosexual activity between consenting adults and make it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation. But this wasn’t the first attempt at homosexual law reform. Join this special 90-minute free walk tour to celebrate the people and movements that fought for a brighter future for rainbow communities. More info on the walktours webpage.

The tour is free but please register at www.taonga.nz/walktours. No bookings no walk!

Rainbow walk tours.

Sunday 16th March 1pm: The Fabulous Carmen walk tour : tea, toasties and trade

Join this free 90-minute community walk-tour to trace Carmen’s Wellington years (1967-1980). Visit some of the remaining inner-city business locations and imagine some of those that are no longer here: Le Balcon, Carmen’s International Coffee Lounge, The Peacock, Cleopatra’s Coffee Lounge, Carmen’s Bazaar, The Gazebo massage parlour, The Cottage brothel and Carmen’s Curio Shop.
Learn about Carmen’s landmark 1966 court case, her race to become Mayor of Wellington in the 1970s, and how she supported and offered a safe harbour to Wellington’s Takatapui LGBTI Rainbow communities. More info on the walktours webpage and on the facebook event page.

The tour is free but please register at www.taonga.nz/walktours. No bookings no walk!

Walk Tours NZ is a volunteer group that offers free, accessible, inclusive and community-focused walking tours around Wellington highlighting the city’s rich LGBTI rainbow heritage. Usually held on the first Sunday of the month. They walk on flat, accessible public footpaths. Tours are limited to approximately 20 walkers.

prideNZ audio archive.

PrideNZ.com audio archive

Latest addition to PrideNZ.com is a downloadable spreadsheet of 3,600+ newspaper articles from The Press in Christchurch from the 1870s-1989. It has been created using Generative AI to surface and summarise historic newspaper articles relating to Takātapui Rainbow LGBTI+ communities. PrideNZ partnered with Christchurch City Libraries to digitise The Press, and then The Press have made the paper available non-commercially under a Creative Commons License.

Follow news of the latest audio files of interviews and events added to PrideNZ on their facebook page

Glamaphones.

The Glamaphones

The Glamaphones are Wellington's all-inclusive rainbow choir based at St Andrews on the Terrace. They are a friendly mixed choir and welcome anyone who wishes to sing - no auditions! They sing a range of music including pop, classical, spirituals, world, choral, musical, and jazz classics. Follow the Glamaphones on their website. Rehearsals on Thursdays 6.30pm (usually) at St Andrews on the Terrace.

DANSS.

Same sex dancing classes

The Sunday night DANSS classes are for the LGBTI community and friends who wish to learn some classical Ballroom, some funky Latin American and some elegant New Vogue dance moves. A partner is not necessary however an attitude in wanting to learn and having fun is required.
Classes are held at the Thistle Hall, corner of Cuba and Arthur Streets.
Beginner's class start at 7 pm and the Intermediate classes start at 8 pm. Payment is by koha/donation.

Check the DANSS facebook page or website for more information.

Gay bars

Ivy Bar.

Ivy Bar and Cabaret

James Smiths Basement, 49 Cuba Street - ivybar.co.nz - they have lots of shows and events

S&M's - Scotty and Mals Cocktail and Lounge Bar.

S&M's - Scotty and Mal's Cocktail and Lounge Bar

176 Cuba Street - www.scottyandmals.co.nz - also has a busy events programme

facebook and other social media groups

and no doubt there are many many more ...

Social sporty groups

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