A three day entertainment extravaganza & New Zealand's greatest dress up party. We invite you to embrace the theme and join our mindful tribe of party animals!

Mrs Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words defines Splore as: Merry-making festivities, carousing and frolicking, a good going session.

Splore is a three-day music and arts festival staged annually on the shores of Tapapakanga Regional Park – perhaps the most beautiful festival setting in the world.

It's more than a good place. It's a good place in your heart.

Throughout the three days – and deep into the night – an eclectic lineup of musical artists from New Zealand and abroad plays the multiple festival stages. Performing arts, installations, workshops and forums flower across the site. And people dance like no one is watching.

It's the best sort of party. But it's more than a party, it's a community. To come to Splore is to be part of Splore. Be kind, be respectful, be up for it.

THINGS TO KNOW

Whether you're an OG Splorer or first timer you'll have a better time if you know the basics about about how we do things at Tapapakanga. Please take some time to browse the INFO tab above and check out the Splorer's guide to Thriving and Surviving.
 

Music

Sweet, sweet music. The Splore team spends months each year checking out the world's best festival acts – bands, singers, MCs and DJs – and deciding who to bring home to meet the whanau. Always eclectic, always special.
 

Performing Arts 

Featuring an array of extraordinary talents, Splore is guaranteed to surprise and delight with shows, workshops, happenings, flash mobs and disruptions, to view, experience and participate.

VISUAL ARTS

Dedicated curators put together Splore's arts programme, which encompasses performances, happenings and installations. Take a break from dancing and immerse yourself in the shimmering, spooky delights of the arts trail. Indeed across the entire site there are wonders that surprise and delight
 

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Kids are welcome at Splore. There's a dedicated kids' zone with its own programme of activities and separate, free family camping areas. Children under 12 can come to Splore free and youth tickets (ages 13-17) are discounted. We welcome the whole family. It takes a village, you know?

Oxfam

Oxfam and Splore share a vision of a sustainable world that is free from the injustice of poverty. One where everyone is valued, can enjoy their rights, and can influence the decisions that affect them. 

 

WELLNESS

Splore's Wellness zone, dedicated to healthy minds and bodies, is open for the duration. Rejuvenate and nourish, soul, body and mind.
 

SPLORE PARTNERS

Our partners help us create a great festival – thanks to them we can pull Splore off every year. Their support means we can focus on the finest entertainment and audience-orientated fun.

TANGATA WHENUA

Splore takes place on the ancestral land of the tangata whenua, Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Paoa. Our international guests are welcomed every year with a powhiri. We are guests here, and parts of the site have a particular significance to our hosts. These are well-marked and we need you to respect the boundaries.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Every moment at Splore is special, but Saturday night is when we really step out. Its about carnival, colour and costume. You can get together with your friends and dress to this year's theme, or just to how you feel. No, it's not compulsory, but it's deeply, wonderfully liberating.

LEAVE NO TRACE

 Every year as a matter of respect for the land we occupy and the planet we share, Splore seeks to raise its game. Sustainable practice is at the heart of everything we do.

FOOD AND DRINK

Our food vendors are part of the ethos and most of them come back every year. The fare is nourishing, varied and affordable. There are several bars located throughout the festival site serving beer, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.  If you're looking for something a little extra at mealtime, check out the Banquet Club.

GETTING HERE

Tapapakanga Regional Park, Deerys Rd, Orere Point, is 72km south east of Auckland CBD – it takes about an hour, but you may encounter queues at peak times. We like it when you share a ride, and there is also a subsidised bus from central Auckland.
 

CAMPING

Nearly all Splorers stay onsite in one of the multiple camping zones. Every festival ticket includes access to free camping and there's a range of options, including reserved sites, family camping and – because camping can be art – there's Glamping, Tepees and theme camps.

SPOKEN WORD

Ideas matter, and the time for talking about them is Saturday morning at THE LISTENING LOUNGE.
A curated programme of panellists and speakers presented by Russell Brown.

SPLORE ON SPOTIFY

We love families and kids at Splore and offer free and reserved camping areas for families of all sizes. These areas are dedicated to families, close enough to all amenities and the entertainment precinct to make your family experience comfortable and safe.

Tickets For Kids

Children 12 and under are free. Parents just need to select a $0 value kids ticket when purchasing their own. There will be a $6 charge for the child's wristband. This way we can keep a handle on how many kids are going to be onsite and cater for families more accurately. 

Join Splore Families

Have you heard about the Splore Families page on Facebook?  Follow us to stay updated with the latest news including kids programmes, The Rumpus Room, food, contests and more. 

We're committed to constantly improving Splore in all areas and minimising our impact on the environment is no exception.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, from eliminating single use cups and water bottles, introducing reusable serve-ware for our food and working closely with Tapapakanga’s iwi, Ngāti Paoa and Ngāti Whanaunga. Splore is a member of the Sustainable Business Network and is proud to be the first New Zealand festival to win the international ‘A Greener Festival Award’ for our sustainability initiatives.

Thanks to the Splorers (that's you) we create a festival environment where we rewrite the rules and explore a better, and more exciting, way of living.

Honour the whenua

It is a privilege to party on this sacred whenua, Tapapakanga. We are very thankful to the tangata whenua, Ngāti Paoa and Ngāti Whanaunga, and their ancestors - the ancient occupants of this beautiful place. They give us their blessing to be here. Please be kaitiaki (caregivers) and take pride in being here as Splore community.

Ko Papatuanuku te whaea o te whenua.
Papatuanuku is the earth mother.