Featuring a dazzling fusion of music, drag, theatre and comedy, the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival returns to The Civic from 24 June to 5 July 2026. With The Civic being taken over for the occasion, international visitors and local attendees can expect unforgettable cabaret performers and creatives from Aotearoa and beyond.
All That Glitters: The Gala Night
24 JUN | $20 - $59
Directed by Jennifer ‘Te Atamira’ Ward-Lealand and hosted by the fabulous Luke Bird, experience the opening of the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival - your perfect sneak peek into two electrifying weeks of cabaret.
24 - 28 JUN | $69 - $109
From the creators of global hits La Clique, La Soirée and Club Swizzle, this ever-evolving spectacle delivers a rotating cast of daring, dazzling performers in a high-energy night of deliciously unrestrained entertainment. Don't miss this explosion of circus, comedy and new burlesque!
1 - 5 JUL | $35 - $109
Premiering to rave reviews in 2024, Dangerous Goods by Polytoxic is a world-class lineup of circus, aerials, drag, burlesque and powerhouse vocals. This is cabaret for the brave new world, with a crew of diverse, multi-talented, super-powered femmes ready to blow minds and shift paradigms.
Sip, savour & indulge
Arrive early, linger longer, and make a night of it. Enjoy delicious bites and fabulous drinks before, between and during the show, all wrapped in an irresistible cabaret atmosphere. See what’s on the menu at aucklandlive.co.nz.
You can also enjoy happy hour on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 6 PM.
3 - 5 JUL | $20 - $49
Returning to the festival a decade after his debut, Le Gateau Chocolat delivers Musicals Mayhem, a joyous, high-glamour romp through the musical theatre canon. He will tug at your heartstrings as he crams every musical you know and love into an evening of warmth, wit and wicked theatrical delight.
Caluzzi Cabaret's 30th Birthday
27 & 28 JUN | $20 - $49
K'Road’s brightest stars are hitting the stage in a once-in-a-generation celebration. Caluzzi Cabaret, Australasia’s longest-running drag cabaret, marks its 30th anniversary with a dazzling new showcase created exclusively for the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival.
25 - 26 JUN | $20 - $49
Theatrical, outrageous, silly and sexy, the company behind Daffodils returns with an award-winning cabaret about Sugar - a radiantly beautiful gender fluid twink who discovers there’s money to be made from ‘transactional relationships.’ Tomáš Kantor veritably shimmers with charisma, revealing their talent as a storyteller with an irresistible pop soundtrack from Kylie, Gaga, Lorde, Chappell Roan and more.
Discover the full 2026 Auckland Cabaret Festival programme, here.
$2.50 per hour to a max of $12.50 on weekends and a $12.50 flat rate for weekday evenings at The Civic car park. Find out more.