Focus Weekend: Kāpiti Coast and Porirua 25th - 27th October 2025

With our Focus Weekends, you can experience multiple heritage-themed events across the city in a single weekend, minimising travel time and maximising your experience. Whether you're interested in walking tours, creative heritage, or unique historical insights, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

We'll release more blog posts like this one in the coming weeks. You can read our previous blog post Pōneke Focus Weekend now. Two other focus weekends around the region are still to come, so keep an eye on our website to discover more!

Discover the Heritage of the Kāpiti Coast and Porirua

During the Labour Day long weekend, head up the West Coast to visit historic sites throughout Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast. From ceramic art to locomotive steam engines, Saturday 25th to Monday 27th October is full of significant places that have helped shape the region. Below are only SOME of the events in the area; you can filter using region, cost, date, and event type on our Events page, making it easy to discover even more options around the wider region.

Saturday, 25th October 2025

Start your Saturday from Ōtaki:

• Otaki Health Camp Rotunda 10am-12pm | Health Camp Road, Ōtaki Beach | $10 - Find out more Start your day at the top of the region and learn the stories behind the last remaining original structure of New Zealand’s first permanent children’s health camp, currently under restoration by the Friends of the Ōtaki Rotunda.

• An exhibition 'From Kāinga to Village, Part 1: 1843-1920 10am-2pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | Ōtaki Museum, 49 Main Street | Free - Find out more While you are in the area, stop by the Ōtaki Museum, where you will find an exhibition highlighting the stories from Ōtaki’s early history as it changed from a village to a town.

• The Kilns at Te Horo 10am-4pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | 6 Jim Winiata Way, Te Horo | Koha - Find out more Just a short drive down the coast, you can explore the unique bee-hive kilns of celebrated potter Mirek Smisek. With information storyboards, a small pottery store and picnic tables available, why not bring a pack lunch and spend some time enjoying the surrounding nature?

Start your Saturday from Paekākāriki:

• Up close to NZ's heritage railways 10am-2pm | The Engine Shed, Paekākāriki | Free - Find out more Alternatively, start your day getting up close to some of New Zealand's historic locomotive engines at Steam Incorporated. Learn about the steam power that moved these mighty machines, and see inside a railway carriage used from the 1930's to 1960's.

• Paekākāriki Station Museum & Pride Weekend 11am-3pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | Paekākāriki Railway Station, 20 Tilley Road | Free - Find out more Just across the tracks, nestled in a heritage railway station, is the Paekākāriki Station Museum, offering a fascinating look at the history of the area's railways, Tangata Whenua, early settlers and US Marines stationed during World War Two. Coinciding with Paekākāriki Pride weekend, the museum has a special feature celebrating the rainbow communities that continue to shape Paekākāriki today. After your visit, why not pop down to Campbell Park and enjoy the local Pride Parade?

• Wellington Tramway Museum Open Weekend 11am-4:30pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | Queen Elizabeth Park, Paraparaumu | Costs vary - Find out more Take a short drive north to experience the golden era of trams that once operated all over Wellington City. Join the museum for a special open weekend full of family fun, with a chance to explore and ride the original trams!

• Take the tram to hear the Marines' story! 11am-4pm Sat 25 + Sun 26 | Queen Elizabeth Park, Paraparaumu | Costs vary - Find out more Taking a ride on the trams at the Wellington Tramway Museum, you will hear from a Kāpiti US Marines Trust guide as they share the story of the US Marines in Kāpiti. Along the way, you will pass through Camp Russell and travel down to the coastline to visit the site of marine beach landing exercises.

Sunday, 26th October 2025

• Kāpiti Coast Museum - Something for Everyone 10am-3pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | 9 Elizabeth Street, Waikanae | Free - Find out more Start your Sunday exploring the collections on display at the Kāpiti Coast Museum. Housed in the former Waikanae Post Office, a building recognised by Heritage New Zealand, this charming local museum offers a look into the heritage of the Kāpiti Coast from Paekākāriki to Peka Peka.

• Exhibition: Further revelation: Frances Hodgkins and British Modernism 10am-4pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + 18 other times | Toi MAHARA, 20 Mahara Place, Waikanae | Free - Find out more The next stop on your journey is just a short 6-minute walk away, where you can discover the works of renowned expatriate artist Frances Hodgkins, alongside works from her fellow British modernists of the 1920s and early 1930s. Relax and grab a bite to eat at one of the nearby cafes before continuing on your journey.

• Kapiti Aviation Museum open days 10am-4pm Sat 25 + Sun 26 | 227 Kapiti Road, Paraparaumu | Koha - Find out more Just down the coast, the Kapiti Aviation Museum is having a special open weekend. Explore the many captivating photos, scale models, medals and dioramas on display, offering a window into New Zealand and the Pacific aviation history and the history of the Kāpiti Coast Airport.

• Forgotten Graves - Porirua Cemetery walk 5-6pm | 32 Kenepuru Drive, Porirua | Free - Find out more Further down the coast, you can join this insightful talk about the history of Porirua Cemetery, Porirua Hospital and the project underway to remember the people who died while in the hospital's care.

• Building by the Water - Kai Tahi, Porirua 7:15am-9pm + 21 other times | Kai Tahi Atrium, 20 Parumoana St, Porirua | Free - Find out more Finish your day by grabbing a bite to eat at the Kai Tahi food court and enjoy an exhibition of archival images and recent photographic works that come together to show the history of the area's harbourside settlement, from the first Māori pa sites to the modern day.

Monday, 27th October 2025

• Whenua Tapu Crematorium Open Day 2-3pm | 293 Airlie Road, Pukerua Bay | Free - Find out more Whenua Tapu Crematorium welcomes the public to come and learn about the history of its chapel and hear what it's like to run a crematorium from the people who operate it, along with an optional walk-through of the crematorium.

Couldn't fit everything in? These previously listed events are also open throughout the long weekend:

• An exhibition 'From Kāinga to Village, Part 1: 1843-1920 10am-2pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | Ōtaki Museum, 49 Main Street | Free - Find out more

• The Kilns at Te Horo 10am-4pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | 6 Jim Winiata Way, Te Horo | Koha - Find out more

• Kāpiti Coast Museum - Something for Everyone 10am-3pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | 9 Elizabeth Street, Waikanae | Free - Find out more

• Paekākāriki Station Museum & Pride Weekend 11am-3pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 | Paekākāriki Railway Station, 20 Tilley Road | Free - Find out more

• Building by the Water - Kai Tahi, Porirua 7:15am-9pm Sat 25, Sun 26 + Mon 27 + 19 other times | Kai Tahi Atrium, 20 Parumoana St, Porirua | Free - Find out more

Make the Most of Your Long Weekend

With many great events along the West Coast, enjoying a full day or weekend of heritage-themed activities is easy. Here are some tips to make the most of your time:

• Plan Ahead: Check the event timings and locations to plan your day. Many events are a short drive away or within walking distance, making it easy to move from one to the next.

• Secure Your Spot Early: Some events in our Festival require bookings and are selling out fast! Book your tickets where necessary to make sure you don't miss out. You can see which events require bookings on our Events page.

• Explore More: Between events, take the time to explore other attractions, such as nearby cafes and shops, or heritage nature walks in the surrounding region.

• Stay Engaged: Don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using our festival hashtags (#whf25) and check out our website for more information about the full festival lineup.

Looking Forward

Labour Day weekend is just the second weekend out of four during the Wellington Heritage Festival. With so many events to explore across the Greater Wellington Region, there’s no better time to dive into the past and discover the stories, people and places that shape the present. Be sure to check back for future blog posts highlighting our other Focus Weekends as the Festival continues.

To see the full schedule for the festival, visit our events page.