The TSB Festival of Lights returns to Pukekura Park tonight (Saturday 20 December), launching a five-week summer run through to 24 January 2026.
Lights will be on from 8.30pm to 11pm every night, rain or shine, with the festival free to attend.
The 2025/26 season spans 36 nights and is set to again transform the park into an illuminated showcase of light art, music and interactive experiences.
This year’s programme includes 12 new light installations by international and local artists.
Among the headline works is Lisa Reihana’s Te Wheke-a-Muturangi, described as a 15-metre floating artwork inspired by Māori mythology, while other new pieces encourage hands-on participation, including Curiosity by Amigo & Amigo and The Hive by Beamhacker.
On the entertainment side, there are more than 70 events across the season, ranging from live music to kids’ sessions and outdoor cinema.
Opening night features Kiwi rock band Racing, supported by New Plymouth’s People of the Sun.
Later line-up highlights include Caravãna Sun, Lost Tribe Aotearoa, Mazbou Q, and Flamingo Pier, which will lead the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Families will find plenty on the calendar, with the Festival Kids programme returning with foam parties, glow-themed activities, “Pukekura power play”, and a tots-to-teens music night.
There are also a range of special events sprinkled through the run, including an acrobatic performance called Dream Garden, a Full Moon Gong Journey, The Book Factory, and Dancing to the Ritz.
Outdoor cinema is back too, with screenings listed this season including Cool Runnings, The Mountain, and a Mamma Mia! sing-along.
If you’re keen to add something a bit different to the usual walk-through, Glow Boats are returning on the lake (bookings essential), and there’s a TSB Treasure Hunt for prizes you can participate in by scanning any of the QR codes around the park to get started.
Getting to and from the park is made easy with a free Festival Bus running on a loop between Bay E on Ariki Street and the festival’s main entrance on Fillis Street, with the first departure at 7.30pm and the last departure from Fillis Street at 11pm. The service is wheelchair and pram-friendly, and runs across the festival period except public holidays.
For those driving into the CBD first, Centre City is offering free parking for the first two hours, with standard charges applying after that. No codes or bookings are required for the parking offer.
The Festival of Lights continues to be a major driver for summer visitation and spending in Taranaki. NPDC says around 155,000 people attended the 2024/25 festival, with 44% coming from outside the region, and it cites a BERL study estimating $15.8 million in total expenditure and $8.1 million in GDP value-add for the Taranaki economy.
Those numbers follow a similarly strong previous season, with NPDC reporting 175,000 festival visits across 2023/24 and said BERL’s post-season analysis estimated more than $9.2 million added to local GDP, with a large share of out-of-region visitors saying the festival was the main reason for their trip.
That influx typically translates into a busy stretch for accommodation providers, hospitality venues, retailers and visitor attractions, while also giving locals a free, family-friendly reason to spend summer evenings in the park.
Quick facts
- Where: Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
- Dates: Saturday 20 December 2025 to Saturday 24 January 2026
- Entry: Free
- Lights on: 8.30pm–11pm nightly (rain or shine)
What’s on
The festival combines light installations throughout the park with live performances, kids’ events, outdoor cinema nights, and special one-off experiences across the season. The most up-to-date schedule (including wet weather plans and any changes) is on the TSB Festival of Lights official “What’s on” page here.
Expect a mix of:
- New light installations for the season, plus returning favourites
- Live music nights and themed events (including New Year’s Eve celebrations)
- Festival Kids sessions across multiple dates
- Outdoor cinema screenings
Getting there
Free festival bus
A free Festival Bus runs on a continuous loop between Bay E on Ariki Street and the main entrance on Fillis Street.
- Service hours: 7.30pm–11pm (first departure 7.30pm; last departure from Fillis Street 11pm)
- Dates: 20 December to 24 January (excluding public holidays)
- Accessibility: Wheelchair and pram-friendly
Free parking at Centre City
Centre City offers free parking for the first two hours during the festival period, with standard charges after that (no code needed).
A good plan is to park at Centre City, then hop on the free Festival Bus from Ariki Street.
Other parking options
- Fillis Street (main gate)
- Rogan Street
- TSB Stadium car park
- Victoria Street
The Bellringer Pavilion car park is closed to all vehicles during the festival from 5pm to 7am the following morning.
Maps
Use the official maps to plan your route and find entrances, facilities, and light locations.
- An interactive digital map is available here.
- A PDF download is available here.
Food, picnics and facilities
You can bring your own picnic or use on-site options:
- Festival Hub / Light Bites on select nights (food trucks and more)
- The Teahouse open nightly for hot food, ice creams and drinks (including coffee)
Glow Boats
Glow Boats return on the lake, with bookings required. Key details include pricing, duration, age requirements and boat capacity are available here.
Accessibility
The festival provides mobility options and Access & Inclusion evenings. Details include:
- Wheelchairs available for pick-up from the Festival Hub (bookings essential)
- Mobility scooters available via Taranaki Disabilities Information Centre Trust (contact details on the accessibility page)
- An electric buggy service from the TSB Stadium entrance for visitors who are less mobile
- QR-code audio descriptions for light installations
One Response
What’s yr closest hotel to the park