Register now for Tuku 26

Running from 21 March to 3 May 2026, the Tuku festival is six weeks of events where our community can share (tuku) Whakatū Nelson’s unique stories of people and place.

Each year, a range of organisations and community groups deliver events across Nelson, supported by Nelson City Council. These events are organised by the community, for the community.

In 2025, Tuku 25 featured 109 events and was attended by an estimated 11,500 people. Cultural diversity continued to grow for the sixth consecutive year, with 49% of events reflecting non-Pākehā/European heritage. Tuku remains the most culturally diverse heritage festival led by a Council in New Zealand.
Proposals for an event should focus on sharing our heritage through stories of people and place, and be accessible to the public. Council welcomes a wide variety of proposals from Nelson’s lively and diverse community.
Community grants are available for those requiring additional support. These typically range from $500 to $2000 and are intended to help offset event costs, keeping attendance fees low (ideally free). This enables broader community participation in your activity.

Details including the information pack, event registration forms and grant application forms can be found at tukuwhakatu.nz.

The closing date for submitting ideas and applying for a grant is 5pm on 12 January 2026.