Rainbow groups and activities

NZ International Comedy Festival 2^nd  - 25^th May

It's coming to Wellington with a mere fifteen shows in the Queer Comedy (LGBTQIA+) category. Too many to list here but this looks rather delicious ...

Rainbow Dragon Club

Sunday 25^th May 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

LGBTI history walk tours

Sunday 1^st June 1pm: Beacons of Hope walk tour (special Bruce Burnett anniversary)

This is a special event marking the 40th anniversary of the death of Bruce Burnett – one of Aotearoa’s pioneering HIV activists and educators.
Bruce was instrumental in co-founding the AIDS Support Network in the early 1980s, which would become the New Zealand AIDS Foundation – renamed the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa in 2022.
Walk Tours NZ, in association with the Foundation, is hosting a very special walk tour to commemorate Bruce’s passing on 1 June 1985. Starting outside the Awhina Centre on Willis Street, we’ll walk through central Wellington, stopping at various locations to pay tribute to some of this country’s HIV pioneers.
Learn about personal and collective responses to the epidemic, and hear short archival recordings from those who experienced the early years first-hand.
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.

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.

• Social mixer Friday 13^th June 5:30pm @ Southern Cross Garden Bar Restaurant, 39 Abel Smith St. facebook event page

CampGround Rainbow Comedy Night

Thursday 4^th July 8pm @ 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.

Wellington Wanderers

A rainbow community walking group and open to all. Join a group of lovely people, take part in banter and traverse our beautiful scenery mostly on Saturday mornings. All walks are events in the facebook group. Join by simply turning up.

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].

PrideNZ.com audio/video/digital 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

• The Events section on the Pride NZ webside has audio from many queer/rainbow events, conferences and campaigns from around the country - a treasure trove with more being added regularly.
• The On This Day page has a rich mix of rainbow life - from events that happened over 100 years ago to today.
• An interactive map of rainbow related sites in Wellington with links to interviews and articles on the website.
• Check out the historical timeline of GLBTTIQ events and people in New Zealand. Sample it by decade or settle in to read the big page with the full list.

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.

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 and Cabaret

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

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

• The Rainbow Forecast - weekly Wellington queer events guide
• Rainbow Hutt Valley | Te Ngākau Kahukura o Te Awa Kairangi
• Rainbow Wellington Dogs (& their owners)
• Queer crafters in the Hutt
• Queer whānau building Pōneke
• Queer Network NZ - Wellington Chapter - information sharing network
• Queer Wellington
• Tīwhanawhana is a takatāpui community group in Wellington that welcomes people of all diverse sexualities and gender. The kaupapa of Tīwhanawhana is primarily for takatāpui: building community, telling our stories and leaving legacies.
• Out at Work - union group
• UniQ Victoria - facebook groups for queer students
• UniQ Massey Wellington
• Lost Gay Wellington
• Queer Network NZ Wellington Chapter
• Vinegar Hill Gay Camping for rainbow people and their families over Christmas and the New Year holiday period

and no doubt there are many many more ...