Womad is officially returning to New Plymouth in 2027! The global music and arts festival is set to take over the Bowl of Brooklands from Friday March 12 to Sunday March 14 next year.
Organisers TAFT (Taranaki Arts Festival Trust) confirmed the dates on Thursday. It follows a "purposeful rest" for the event in 2026. TAFT announced the pause last September due to rising costs and challenging conditions across the festival industry.
TAFT chief executive Suzanne Porter says the break gave the organisation time to look ahead. She says the time off allowed them to make decisions that protected the heart of the festival while setting it up for the future.
When the event returns in 2027 it'll bring fresh energy and a renewed focus. Porter says the team is aiming to offer a festival experience that stays true to what people love about Womad.
Womad first arrived in Taranaki in 2003 as a biennial event before switching to an annual schedule in 2007. It's the region's biggest single festival and draws thousands of visitors to the city. Those visitors generate millions of dollars in economic activity for the local economy.
Like many major events Womad's faced hurdles in recent years. The festival didn't go ahead in 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic before returning in 2023. Last year's festival in 2025 saw an average of 12,000 people attend each day, which was a drop of 4000 from the year prior.
Tickets go on sale in July.
