SlavFest is Wellington’s annual celebration of Slavic and Eastern European cultures, bringing communities together through music, dance, food, traditional arts and shared cultural experiences. Created by Wellington’s Slavic and Eastern European communities, it is an inclusive, family-friendly festival where people can experience these cultures first-hand, while communities celebrate, preserve and pass their heritage to the next generation.

SlavFest 2026 takes place on Saturday 19 September at Te Whaea, Newtown, bringing together performers, cultural organisations, community groups, stallholders and food vendors for a full day of performances and participation.

This year’s main stage features live music from Medena and Slaveya-a-Tara, Klezmer Rebs, Krakerjack, Ish, Vox Ethno and Bazurka, alongside traditional dance performances from Orleta and Orzel, Vinok and Bulgarian Horo dancers. Together they bring Polish, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Balkan, Klezmer and other Eastern European musical and dance traditions to the festival.

Beyond the stage, visitors can get involved through workshops in traditional music, dance, singing, folklore and crafts. This year’s programme includes Petar’s Macedonian music workshop, Polish and Ukrainian dance, Bulgarian Horo and Kolo dancing, Bulgarian songs, traditional folklore and other opportunities to learn directly from musicians, dancers and community members. Children’s crafts and activities make the festival an experience for the whole family.

Food is another major part of SlavFest. Food trucks, community cooks and cultural organisations will serve traditional dishes, street food, sweets and baking from across the region. The festival marketplace brings together community organisations and independent stallholders offering crafts, jewellery, art, cultural products, information and hands-on activities.

SlavFest is deliberately more than a concert or cultural showcase. Visitors can watch, listen, taste, learn, dance, sing, make things and participate. It is a meeting place where different communities share their traditions with each other and with the wider Wellington public, strengthening cultural connections and celebrating the diversity they bring to Aotearoa New Zealand.