Matariki Pride Rotorua

Matariki Pride is Rotorua's rainbow festival, run by Rainbow Rotorua, the charitable trust formerly known as Rotorua Chamber of Pride. It is timed around Matariki, the Māori new year.

The 2025 edition ran from 12 to 14 June with four events: short films, a panel, a whānau day on the lakefront and a quiz and party night at Level 13. The Rotorua Daily Post reported on 10 June 2026 that the second edition would have 13 events from 11 June to 4 July, including a rainbow night glow walk, queer short films, art workshops, a panel at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre on 19 June and a talk by author Witi Ihimaera at Rotorua Library on 30 June. Organisers told the paper they expected more than 1,000 people. Many events were free or discounted.

The 2027 dates have not been announced at the time of writing. Rainbow Rotorua posts programmes and tickets on its Facebook page, so check there before you plan a trip. An earlier event, the Rotorua Pride Festival, ran in August 2023 under a different name.