Music Industry News

Wellington’s beloved street festival, CubaDupa, today announces its full lineup for 2026, confirming a wave of artists set to transform the Cuba Precinct into a kaleidoscope of music, performance, kai and colour across Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March 2026. The 2026 programme sets the tone for a weekend where Cuba Street becomes the stage: alive with discovery, play and surprise.

In 2026, CubaDupa will feature over 210 acts, 70 food vendors, 220 performances, welcoming thousands of visitors into the heart of Wellington across the weekend to celebrate creativity in all its forms. From street music and theatre to dance and immersive, participatory experiences.

Newly announced programme highlights include, Paige, NOÉ, Reiki Ruawai (Raglan), Star Time (Wellington), LEAO (Auckland), Tahini Bikini (Wellington) and Imani-J (Nelson), alongside other works and activations such as BODYFX Makeover Mayhem presented by Wētā Workshop, and Decant by Footnote New Zealand Dance & Friends. The full lineup can be found below or via the festival website cubadupa.co.nz/festival-programme.

The festival’s first lineup announcement in November revealed an eclectic mix of exceptional talent including RIIKI REID, MOKOMOKAI, Dick Move, Lou’ana, Aro, Jeff Parsnips and Tom Knowles, alongside CubaDupa’s first international act for 2026, Gut Health (Naarm/Melbourne). That initial reveal also introduced the evolution of CubaDupa’s street theatre programme, developed in partnership with the New Zealand Fringe Festival and Cuba Street Summer Series (supported by Wellington City Council), helping artists grow to full-scale street works that began life at Fringe or during the Summer Series, including Dad Brigade, Clown Pope and Hausdown. That street-led creative pipeline continues to be a defining feature of the 2026 festival.

Where else can you get a taste of the cuisine from around the world but at the iconic CubaDupa Street Feast? Experience an offering and adventure with some of the city’s most awarded restaurants and food trucks, featuring special menus both indoors and out on the street, right throughout the Cuba precinct! The 2026 Street Feast will be better than ever with over 70 vendors sprinkled around the festival site so you’ll never go hungry.

This second artist announcement showcases musicians shaping the sound of today. It spans pop, R&B, hip hop, electronic and genre-blurring club energy, all grounded in strong local identities and global influence. One the stars of Aotearoa, leading the second & full lineup announcement is Paige (Auckland), a rising Māori artist whose powerful live presence and genre-bending sound continues to captivate audiences nationwide. Paige and the rest of the talented lineup are all a part of a huge 2026 programme that celebrates bold local talent alongside emerging voices from across Aotearoa and beyond, reflecting CubaDupa’s signature blend of boundary-pushing creativity and big-stage energy.

Another incredible local talent is NOÉ (pronounced “noi”), a multi-talented Wellington artist whose genre-fluid sound draws from global influences while remaining deeply rooted in the evolving music culture of Aotearoa. He first gained international attention through early support from T-Pain, before forming a long-standing creative relationship with Ta-ku, collaborating across multiple projects and appearing on Ta-ku’s debut album Songs To Come Home To. That collaboration included a feature alongside James Poyser of legendary hip-hop group The Roots. More recently, NOÉ joined forces with Aotearoa R&B icon Aaradhna on his CRUEL CHANGE EP.

CubaDupa takes place across the Cuba Precinct over the weekend of March 28th & 29th, transforming streets, parks, laneways and venues into a free, accessible festival for all ages. Produced by Creative Capital Arts Trust, the festival celebrates community, creativity and the unique spirit of Wellington and invites audiences to discover something unexpected around every corner.

Event Dates: Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 March 2026
Location: Cuba Precinct, Wellington

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CubaDupa is Wellington’s free street festival, transforming the Cuba Precinct into a kaleidoscope of colour, sound, kai and performance. Produced by Creative Capital Arts Trust, CubaDupa is a celebration of community, creativity, and the capital’s unique culture — where thousands gather on the streets, experiencing it coming alive with discovery around every corner. Free, accessible & for all ages.