What’s On in Nelson

Your weekly guide to the best events, gigs and markets in Nelson

This week · 31 August – 6 September 2026
🎵 Live Music & Nightlife
Fleetwood Macs

Thu 3 Sep · Theatre Royal Nelson

A tribute show running through the Fleetwood Mac catalogue, starting 7:30pm.

Jazz Jam Nights 2026

Thu 3 Sep · The Honest Lawyer

An open jazz jam from 7:00pm where local players and visitors can sit in.

Take Note Open Mic Night

Wed 2 Sep · Waka Bar & Grill

A weekly midweek open mic from 7:00pm for singers, songwriters and spoken word.

Open Mic Night!

Fri 4 Sep · The Dog’s Bone

The Friday night open mic kicks off at 8:00pm in the Nelson pub.

Dixie Swing

Sun 6 Sep · The Honest Lawyer

A Sunday afternoon set of dixieland and swing standards from 1:00pm.

Meech & Co.

Sun 6 Sep · Eight Plates

Live jazz over Sunday lunch from 1:30pm.

🎭 Arts, Culture & Performance
The Blunderstudy

Thu 3 to Sat 5 Sep · The Suter Theatre

A theatre season with evening performances from 7:00pm and a 2:00pm matinee on Saturday.

NBS A Night at the Opera

Sat 5 Sep · Theatre Royal Nelson

An evening of operatic favourites presented at the Theatre Royal from 7:00pm.

Lunchtime Concert: Schola Musica

Thu 3 Sep · Nelson Centre of Musical Arts

A 12:30pm lunchtime classical recital in the NCMA auditorium.

Saree Stories

Sat 5 Sep · The Nelson Provincial Museum

A 1:30pm talk exploring the personal stories behind the saree.

Unravelling the Saree: Beyond the Fold

Daily · The Nelson Provincial Museum

An exhibition on the saree, open 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Ordinary Wonders

From Tue 1 Sep · Tāwera, Whakatū Nelson Arts Hub

A contemporary art exhibition at the new Nelson arts hub, open from 10:00am.

👪 Family & Kids
Nelson’s Model Railway Exhibition

Sat 5 and Sun 6 Sep · Warnes Stadium, Stoke

A biennial exhibition of model railway layouts across several scales, opening 10:00am both days.

Higgins Heritage Park Open Day

Sun 6 Sep · Higgins Heritage Park, Waimea

Vintage machinery and heritage displays open to visitors from 10:00am.

Open Evening at Willow Bank

Fri 4 Sep · Willow Bank Heritage Village, Waimea

An after-hours look around the heritage village from 5:00pm.

Hands on STEM

Tue 1 Sep · Elma Turner Library

A free after-school science and technology session for kids from 3:30pm.

Paper Play

Wed 2 Sep · Stoke Library

A drop-in paper craft session for children from 3:30pm.

Brick by Brick

Thu 3 Sep · Stoke Library

A free LEGO building session for kids from 3:30pm.

💪 Sports, Fitness & Wellness
Dovedale Hill Race 2026

Sat 5 Sep · Wakefield car park, Waimea

The annual Dovedale hill run and walk sets off at 1:45pm.

Run Club

Wed 2 Sep · The Dog’s Bone

A social group run leaving the pub at 5:30pm.

Shanti Yoga Sessions

Mon 31 Aug · Saxton Netball Pavillion

A Monday morning yoga class starting 10:00am.

Tai Chi & Qi Gong Fundamentals for Beginners

Wed 2 Sep · Trafalgar Hall

A beginners course covering tai chi and qi gong basics, starting 9:20am.

Everyday Ease: Simple Tools for a Calmer Mind and Body

Sat 5 Sep · Richmond Library

A 10:00am session on practical relaxation and stress tools.

Open Meditation Evenings

Sun 6 Sep · Pure Meditation & Wellness

A drop-in guided meditation evening from 7:00pm.

🤝 Community & Social
Broadgreen in Bloom: A Garden Party

Sun 6 Sep · Broadgreen House

A spring garden party in the grounds of the historic cob house from 12:00pm.

Compost Club Nelson Whakatū

Sat 5 Sep · Waimarama Community Gardens

A hands-on community composting morning starting 9:00am.

A Weekly Dharma Chat at Devachan

Sat 5 Sep · Devachan Charitable Trust

An open weekly discussion group meeting at 4:00pm.

Nellie Knitters

Mon 31 Aug · Nightingale Library

A friendly drop-in knitting group meeting from 1:00pm.

Library Knitters

Thu 3 Sep · Elma Turner Library

A weekly knitting circle in the library from 10:00am.

Last Bucket!

Tue 1 Sep · Community Compost

A weekly community compost drop-off and social from 5:00pm.

💼 Business & Networking
Westpac Smarts: Rewiring Aotearoa CE Mike Casey

Wed 2 Sep · Tides Hotel

A business briefing with Rewiring Aotearoa chief executive Mike Casey from 10:45am.

Knowledge at Noon: Wearing All the Hats

Wed 2 Sep · Mahitahi Colab Boardroom

A lunchtime session for small business owners juggling multiple roles, from 12:00pm.

Business Networking

Tue 1 Sep · McCashins Tap Room

A weekly morning networking meet-up starting 8:00am.

Nelson Central Business Networking

Thu 3 Sep · Prince Albert Hotel

A weekly central-city networking group meeting at 9:30am.

🎓 Workshops, Classes & Talks
Riverside Reads Book Club: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Wed 2 Sep · Elma Turner Library

The book club discusses Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear from 5:30pm.

Write a Poem for Spring

Tue 1 Sep · Motueka Library

A guided poetry writing session for spring, starting 9:30am.

Device Advice

Tue 1 Sep · Stoke Library

Free one-to-one help with phones, tablets and laptops from 2:00pm.

Seed Library Welcomes the New Seeds Back

Sat 5 Sep · Elma Turner Library

A seed-saving session and seed library restock from 1:00pm.

🍴 Food, Drink & Markets
The Nelson Market

Sat 5 Sep · Montgomery Square

Nelson’s long-running Saturday market runs 8:00am to 1:00pm, rain or shine.

Monthly High Tea

Sat 5 Sep · Rutherford Hotel Nelson

A booked high tea sitting in the hotel from 2:00pm.

😂 Comedy
Cori Gonzalez Stand Up Comedy

Sat 5 Sep · The Playhouse Cafe and Theatre

A stand-up show at the Mapua playhouse from 6:00pm.

🏞️ Outdoors & Adventure
Tāhunanui + Stoke Adventure & Exploration Passport

All week · Nelson CBD and Tāhunanui

A self-guided winter passport of things to find and do around Tāhunanui and Stoke.

Coming up later this month
Blue Stockings

Thu 10 Sep · Theatre Royal Nelson

A theatre season opening at 7:00pm.

The Great Songbook Singalong with Jason Kerrison

Fri 11 Sep · Room TWENTY5

A singalong show with the Opshop frontman from 7:30pm.

Nelson Parent and Child Expo

Sat 12 Sep · Founders Heritage Park

An expo for parents and young families opening 10:00am.

9 to 5: The Musical

From Wed 16 Sep · Nelson Musical Theatre

Nelson Musical Theatre stages the Dolly Parton musical, with evening shows from 7:30pm.

Home and Garden Show 2026

From Fri 18 Sep · Saxton Stadium

The annual home and garden show opens at 10:00am.

Climate Action Festival 2026

From Fri 18 Sep · Venues across Nelson Tasman

A multi-day festival of climate and sustainability events beginning 6:00pm.

Tāhunanui Beach Clean-Up 2026

Sat 19 Sep · Tāhunanui Beach

The annual community beach clean-up starts at 10:00am.

Coppermine Bike Festival

From Sat 26 Sep · Coppermine Saddle

A mountain bike festival on the Coppermine trail starting 8:00am.

Extra Lives: The Interactive Video Game Concert

Sat 26 Sep · Theatre Royal Nelson

A live video game music concert from 7:30pm.

South Island Chess Championship 2026: Classical

From Wed 30 Sep · Rutherford Hotel Nelson

The classical South Island championship begins at 9:00am.

Sources: Eventfinda and Nelson Tasman. Always check the venue or organiser for the latest details.

Keep exploring Nelson

Two more ways to make the most of your time in Nelson. Tap through below.

Frequently asked questions

What’s on in Nelson this week?

The What’s On calendar lists concerts, markets, sport, theatre, exhibitions and community events happening across Nelson this week, each with its date and venue.

What events are coming up in Nelson?

Upcoming events in Nelson, from gigs and festivals to markets and sport, are listed in date order on the calendar, so you can see what’s ahead at a glance.

Are there free events in Nelson?

Plenty. Markets, exhibitions and community days in Nelson are often free, and they appear alongside ticketed events in the calendar so free options are easy to spot.

Where can I find live music and gigs in Nelson?

Live music, gigs and club nights across Nelson are grouped in the calendar under their own heading, with the venue and date for each so you can plan a night out.

How do I find family-friendly events in Nelson?

Markets, festivals and daytime community events in Nelson are generally suitable for all ages, so look for these in the calendar for family-friendly outings.

How often is the Nelson events calendar updated?

Regularly. We refresh the Nelson What’s On calendar as new events are announced, so it stays current from week to week.