Nuit Blanche 2025 coming this October

Nuit Blanche 2025 – Hawke’s Bay’s Biggest Street Party, Right in the Heart of Napier

The countdown is on! Nuit Blanche – Art After Dark is back on Saturday, 4 October 2025, and this year Napier’s iconic street party will open summer in the city with more streets, more stages, and more to discover than ever before.

Since its beginnings in 2017, the event has grown into a cultural highlight for the region. After drawing an estimated 15,000 people in 2024, demand has continued to grow. In response, organisers have expanded the footprint for 2025, opening up more space for new experiences, activations, and the broadest mix of entertainment yet.

The free family-friendly street festival is centred on Tennyson and Hastings Streets in the heart of Napier’s Arts Quarter, creating an immersive, city-wide celebration of art, culture, food, and performance. Highlights include:

• Live music across multiple stages, featuring mostly local musicians 
• Out-of-town buskers from the World Buskers Competition, bringing international flair to Napier
• Open galleries and art studios with hands-on activities for the public
• Food trucks clustered into “eat streets” on Emerson, Hastings, and Herschell

This year’s entertainment line-up has something for everyone – from live bands including Naked Gun and Urban Dukes, to DJs like Peter Urlich and DJ Soph. Local emerging stars Liberty and Ella Pollett will also take the stage. Crowd favourites return too, with the Silent Disco moving to the Masonic and the Roller Disco on Hastings Street. Roving entertainers from The Bubbleman to the Glow in the Dark Fairies will keep surprises popping up across the CBD all night long.

Together, it creates an immersive, city-wide celebration of art, culture, food, and performance.

Stage programming is proudly supported by our stage sponsors: Sight & Sound, Benson Group, MCL/Stead Construction, and MacDaddy.

Napier City Business Inc General Manager Pip Thompson says Nuit Blanche has become a cornerstone event for the city.

“Nuit Blanche has grown into Hawke’s Bay’s biggest street party and it happens right here in Napier’s Arts Quarter. It’s not just a celebration of art, music, and creativity; it’s a real boost for local businesses at a time of year when it’s needed most.”

Napier City Council Event Manager Kevin Murphy says teamwork underpins the event’s success.

“This is a true city effort. It supports local businesses, provides paid opportunities for artists, and creates an unforgettable night for everyone who attends. The scale of Nuit Blanche 2025 shows what’s possible when NCC and NCBI collaborate with a shared vision for our city.”

It’s also one of the biggest nights of the year for Napier’s CBD. Many restaurants, bars, and retailers say Nuit Blanche is their busiest trading night, and with support from external funders such as Pub Charity, the event is able to remain free and accessible for the whole community.

Coinciding with the school holidays, it’s the perfect time to encourage friends and whānau to visit Hawke’s Bay and experience Napier’s ultimate after-dark celebration.

Nuit Blanche is a collaboration between Napier City Council and Napier City Business Inc, the inner-city business association. 

Events Details:

Nuit Blanche – Art After Dark: Saturday, 4 October 6-10pm

Location: Napier CBD

Entry cost: FREE

For more info and updates, head to the Facebook event page.