
Rainbow groups and activities


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
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
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
- 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 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.
- Monthly drinks Friday 21st February 5:50pm @ Scotty and Mal’s Cocktail and Lounge Bar, 176 Cuba Street facebook event page
- Dog Park Meetup Saturday 22nd February 2pm @ Tawatawa Reserve facebook event page

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.

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!

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.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
- 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 ...

Social sporty groups
- Rainbow Team Wellington - has an omnibus list of sporty and cultural groups.
- Frontrunners - a friendly group for gay and lesbian runners meeting twice a week for sociable runs.
- Different ropes - queer indoor climbing Wednesdays 5pm-7pm at Fergs Rockclimbing, Queens Wharf
- Out in the Pool - Keith Spry Pool, Johnsonville, 6-8pm on the first Sunday of the month
- Different Strokes Wellington - a GLBT friendly swim club in Wellington.
- Wellington Racqueteers - a group for LGBTI folks who are interested in playing social badminton.
- Different Spokes - Wellington queer cycling group
- Frontrunners - a friendly group for gay and lesbian runners meeting twice a week for sociable runs.
- Wildcats Women's Cricket - Women’s Social 8 a side T20 (20/20) cricket team
- Richter City Roller Derby - Wellington’s all female, flat track roller derby league
- Wellington Rainbow Bowling League on facebook
- Wellington Wanderers - a rainbow community group who walk every Saturday morning - open to all. They try and alternate between Wellington and Kapiti areas each fortnight. All walks are events in the Facebook group
- Rainbow Outdoors Wellington - A group for queer and/or trans people - including takatāpui, intersex, and non-binary folk - to get involved in outdoors trips such as tramping, day-hikes, camping, climbing, etc., and to meet other like-minded people.
