Things to do
Friday 25 September
Rotary Club of Mosgiel Book Sale. 1–7pm, Wingatui Racecourse, 285 Gladstone Rd North.
New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby Nationals and Disability Sports Festival. Watch the matches and have a go at disability sports. Free. 9am–6pm, Breeze Arena, Edgar Centre.
Gigs, comedy & shows
Jamie Lee Taucher. Happy hour, food trucks + live music. 5–6:30pm, No.8 Distillery.
Rhythm and Brews. 7pm, Brew Bar.
Gone to Seed. Bittersweet comedy about a gardening club. 7pm, Fire Station Theatre, Mosgiel.
To the Moon! New Material Night. 7pm, Moons.
Stitched. An inside look into the private friendships of women. 7:30–8:35pm, New Athenaeum Theatre.
The Rubys Cabaret Show – Series 2. 7pm, Rubys Dunedin, 55 Stuart Street, Dunedin
Little Deaths, Blonde Cobra, This Software is Shareware, Computer People, and Finance. 7:30pm, The Crown Hotel.
Warner Emery 'The Cockroach' Album Release. With Edward Gains. 8pm, Inch Bar. (Country, folk).
The New Existentialists, House Of 2000, Shotgun Wedding. 9pm, Pearl Diver. (Edm, rock)
Saturday 26 September
Otago Farmers Market. Fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs, baked goods, milk, cheese, nuts, honey and artisan products + freshly roasted coffee and delicious breakfast and lunch items. 8am–12:30pm, Dunedin Railway Station.
Rotary Club of Mosgiel Book Sale. 1–7pm, Wingatui Racecourse, 285 Gladstone Rd North.
New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby Nationals and Disability Sports Festival. Watch the matches and have a go at disability sports. Free. 9am–6pm, Breeze Arena, Edgar Centre.
Pakake Symposium 2026. Expert talks and an expo-style afternoon with fun activities for all ages. Free, bookings required. 8:30am–4pm, Tūhura Otago Museum.
I Spy at Toitū – Rainbow Road! Journey across the rainbow as you take on a colourful hunt across Toitū. Pick up your free trail from reception. Daily until 4 December. 10am–5pm, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum.
Dino Makerspace. Create your own dino mask or hatching dinosaur egg. Free. Daily until 9 October. 10am-4pm, Tūhura Otago Museum.
Kids Go Free and School Holiday Adventures. Colouring competition, teddy bear hunt and children’s high tea. Up to 3 children free with 1 accompanying paying adult (reflects the adult ticket purchased). Daily until Sunday 11 October. 9am–5pm, Larnach Castle.
Kids' Day Out. Face painting, live entertainment, puppet shows, sports activities with Sport Otago, wellbeing expo, food trucks, community stalls and activities. Free entry. 10:30am–2pm, North East Valley Normal School.
Dinosaur Illustration Workshop. Learn how to draw all kinds of crazy dinosaurs, step by step. Ages 4+. Free, bookings required. 11am–12noon, Tūhura Otago Museum.
Dunedin Food Truck Market. Family friendly, multiple food vendors, free entry. 4–7:30pm, Dunedin Railway Station, Anzac Ave.
Gigs, comedy & shows
Shlokanjali. Presented by Naatya School of Indian Dance. 6:30–8:30pm, Trinity Catholic College Auditorium, cnr Tennyson St and York Pl.
Gone to Seed. Bittersweet comedy about a gardening club. 7pm, Fire Station Theatre, Mosgiel.
Stitched. An inside look into the private friendships of women. 7:30–8:35pm, New Athenaeum Theatre.
Otago Finals – Raw Comedy Quest 2026. 7:30pm, Te Whare o Rukutia, 20 Princes Street.
Sam Charlesworth and Friends. 7:30pm, Inch Bar.
Soft Bait NZ Tour. 8pm, Pearl Diver. (Punk, hardcore).
Look Over There. 8:30pm, The Crown Hotel. (Electronic, hip hop/rnb, punk/hardcore)
Sunday 27 September
Rotary Club of Mosgiel Book Sale. 9am–1pm, Wingatui Racecourse, 285 Gladstone Rd North.
New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby Nationals and Disability Sports Festival. Watch the matches and have a go at disability sports. Free. 9am–6pm, Breeze Arena, Edgar Centre.
I Spy at Toitū – Rainbow Road! Journey across the rainbow as you take on a colourful hunt across Toitū. Pick up your free trail from reception. Daily until 4 December. 10am–5pm, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum.
Kids Go Free and School Holiday Adventures. Colouring competition, teddy bear hunt and children’s high tea. Up to 3 children free with 1 accompanying paying adult (reflects the adult ticket purchased). Daily until Sunday 11 October. 9am–5pm, Larnach Castle.
Dino Makerspace. Create your own dino mask or hatching dinosaur egg. Free. Daily until 9 October. 10am-4pm, Tūhura Otago Museum.
Monthly Metta Meetup. Free Metta mediation, followed by a potluck lunch. 11am–12pm, Sargood Centre.
Pearls n’ Florals Cake Decorating Workshop. Hands-on cake decorating workshop. 1–3:30pm, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum.
Sacred Sound and Stillness. 90-minute session of deep relaxation, conscious breath, and healing sound frequencies. 1:30–3pm, Dunedin Spiritualist Church, 36 Rankeilor Street.
A Hundred Years of Music. Free lecture marking the centenary of the University of Otago's Department of Music. 1:30-2:30pm, Dunedin City Library.
Josephine Mini Bal. Free folkdance session, suitable for all dance levels. 2–3:30pm, Toitu Otago Settlers Museum.
Crop Swap in the Valley. Bring your excess garden produce or kitchen wares. 3pm, The Valley Project, 262 North Road.
Albatross Wildlife Cruise. See the Northern Royal Albatross chicks learning to fly! 4–5:30pm, Port Chalmers or Portobello departures. (Every Sun until end Sept.)
Dungeon and Dragons live game. Improvised event with a relaxed casual vibe. 6–9pm, Dunedin Gasworks Museum, 20 Braemar Street.
Mediumship Evening. Explore connection, reflection and comfort through messages and intuitive readings. 6-8pm, Dunedin Spiritualist Church, 36 Rankeilor Street.
Dunedin Observatory Open Night. Guided telescope viewing of planets, nebulae, star clusters, and distant galaxies. Every Sunday between April–September. 7–9pm, Dunedin Observatory, 1a City Road.
Gigs, comedy & shows
Larking About by Dunedin Youth Orchestra. 11am and 6pm, Hanover Hall.
Gone to Seed. Bittersweet comedy about a gardening club. 2pm, Fire Station Theatre, Mosgiel.
Animals in the Attic. Dunedin City Wind Orchestra. $10, one child free with one adult. 3-4pm, Hanover Hall.
Big Jazz Apple. 4:30pm, Inch Bar.
Songs of the 60s. 7:30pm, Dunedin Folk Club.
And that’s your weekend round-up. Got an event you’d like to feature? Drop me a line here → [email protected]
Thanks for reading,
Emma
Share the Dunedin Dispatch today
Know someone who’d love to find out what’s happening around the city? Share us with your friends and family
