2027 Auckland Folk Festival Lineup Announced ft. Ny Oh, Yurt Party + More

A local tradition which can be traced back to the early 1970s, Auckland Folk Festival is a rock solid contender for Tāmaki Makaurau's longest running music and arts festival (paging music historian Gareth Shute for confirmation), and is certifiably Aotearoa New Zealand's largest folk festival of them all. Having toasted the festival's gold (50th) anniversary in 2023, the organisers embrace the future with a joyously diverse first lineup of acts from across the motu and beyond for the 2027 edition, returning to Kumeū Showgrounds over three days and five stages, during the upcoming Auckland Anniversary long weekend.

The first crop of acts includes 2026 Best Folk Artist Tūī winner Ny Oh headlining the festival, dance-igniting Ōtautahi Christchurch big band Yurt Party, and a bevy of guests from overseas. Australian representatives include multi-award-winners Apolline, Naarm Melbourne trio The Inadequates, and bluegrass five-piece The Borough, plus Tulua will be travelling all the way from Wexford, Ireland for the event.

Returning for the fest are Aotearoa born, Nashville, Tennessee-based songwriter / guitarist Cy Winstanley and US songwriter Jeff Davis, while the local contingent also features Aotearoa-based Ghanaian musician Yaw Asumadu, "soul-food" songwriter dān dān 丹 丹 and more. You can learn all about every single act announced for so far for 2027 Auckland Folk Festival via the very handy official site HERE.

This summer's whanau-friendly extravaganza boasts a kids stage, workshops galore, food trucks to keep you going and family camping spots. Snag an early bird ticket / festival pass and look forward to more announcements in the weeks to come.

"2027 is going to be a magnificent celebration of our creative community! There is a place for everyone, and space for young and old to enjoy a wonderful blend of tradition and discovery." - Emily Roughton, Festival Programme & Artist Coordinator

2027 Auckland Folk Festival
Friday 29th January to Monday 1st February (Auckland Anniversary Weekend)
Kumeū Showgrounds, Auckland

Ny Oh (UK/NZ)
Yurt Party (NZ)
Tulua (IRL)
Yaw Asumadu (GHA/NZ)
Apolline (AUS)
The Inadequates (AUS)
Hinekoia Tomlinson (NZ)
The Borough (AUS)
The Jews Brothers (NZ)
Jeff Davis (US/NZ)
Lucy & Luisa (AUS)
Cy Winstanley / Simon Stanley (US/NZ)
Nicola Mitchell / Niccolo Piccolo (NZ)
Whangārei City Morris Dancers (NZ)
Ethno NZ (NZ)
dān dān 丹丹 (NZ)
+ more to be announced

Tickets on sale now and available from aucklandfolkfestival.co.nz and Moshtix
Early bird tickets close Thursday 31st December
Be sure you don't miss out on info & updates - visit aucklandfolkfestival.co.nz to sign up for news

Hit play on 'Aperture', from 2026 Best Folk Artist winner Ny Oh's latest album Wildwood...

Check out 'Hypervigilante', from Yurt Party's 2023 self-titled album...

Press release:

The 2027 Auckland Folk Festival presents an incredible musical journey spanning the depth and breadth of folk music and dance from Aotearoa and around the world. An annual destination for families and friends for over 50 years, the three-day spectacular is a chance to step out of the hustle and bustle of daily life and step into a world of music, dance, food, workshops and more. Held at the Kumeu Showgrounds from Friday 29 January – Monday 1 February 2027 (Auckland Anniversary Weekend).

As New Zealand’s largest folk festival, Auckland Folk Festival honours the traditional, while exploring the modern, with a programme showcasing both local and international acts from across the musical spectrum. Take your pick from five stages, under cover with marquees, (including a dedicated kids' stage) alongside flax weaving, pottery, music and dance workshops - food trucks for every diet and camping fun for the whole family! Day passes and full weekend passes are available.

Headlining the festival this year is Ny Oh, whose beguiling voice and songwriting have made her one of the most talked-about names on the New Zealand folk scene. Fresh off touring with Harry Styles and taking home Best Folk Album at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards, Ny Oh brings a headline show not to be missed.

Also joining the top of the bill is Yurt Party, the beloved Christchurch-based street party band known for turning festival crowds into one big dance floor. Off the back of their huge headline performance at the 2026 Woodford Folk Festival, Yurt Party will bring their trademark chaos and joy to the Auckland Folk Festival stages in 2027!

From across the Tasman, Auckland Folk Festival welcomes three exciting Australian acts. Apolline arrives with an award-winning pedigree - winner of the Gill Rees Memorial Award for Young Musicians at the National Folk Festival and Folk Alliance Australia's Youth Artist of the Year at the Australian Folk Music Awards. They're joined by Melbourne trio The Inadequates, three young guns bringing plenty of fun to the programme, and 5-piece bluegrass outfit The Borough, featuring Lucy Kammerman (ABOTMA Young Performer of the Year) on fiddle.

Representing Ireland is four-piece Tulua, a traditional Irish ensemble whose music is deeply rooted in their rich heritage. Ghanaian musician Yaw Asumadu, now based in Aotearoa, brings his WOMAD-honed sound to the festival stages.

Returning to New Zealand for the 2027 Festival, via Nashville, is Cy Winstanley, one half of Tui Award-winning duo Tattletale Saints and a regular collaborator with Tami Neilson. US singer- songwriter Jeff Davis also returns to the lineup. Award-winning folk songwriter Nicola Mitchell (Waikato/Tainui Ngāti Maniapoto) will present a set with her acoustic trio, a show filled with storytelling, dark Americana sounds & a touch of bluegrass. Rounding out the Aotearoa contingent, Auckland-based soul-food singer-songwriter dān dān 丹 丹 brings her bilingual English/Mandarin storytelling and classically trained piano to the festival on the back of her debut EP songs about food. Hinekoia Tomlinson (Ngāti Hine, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa), founder of Waiata Mai Vocal Coaching, returns to run her much loved waiata workshops, blending vocal technique, voice science and the power of waiata.

The much loved, dedicated Kids Stage is in good hands once again this year, with returning favourite Cy Winstanley’s alter ego Simon Stanley and the talented Niccolo Piccolo; The latter presents an interactive, action-packed musical adventure created by Nicola Mitchell that helps tamariki learn te reo Māori through original bilingual waiata, in a fun, safe space.