NZ’s blockbuster Southeast Asia Festival 2025 is back and their first show will be held at end of this month in Hamilton.
In this multicultural event, India takes centre stage alongside its Southeast Asian neighbours at this year’s festival -the first of the series to be held in Hamilton on 30 August.
First introduced in 2003, this Southeast Asia Festival has grown into a vibrant celebration showcasing the rich and diverse cultures that shape New Zealand’s multicultural mosaic.
The Hamilton festival will be more than just a food paradise. Festival-goers can look forward to dazzling cultural dance performances- including a special showcase by D4dance Dreamerz, Auckland’s award-winning Indian dance troupe and 2025 dance competition title winners. Their energetic, show-stopping performance will light up the main stage, bringing the vibrant spirit of India to life for Kiwi audiences.
This year’s Southeast Asia Festival features a taste and feel of India, alongside the Southeast Asian nations – like Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. For food lovers, there will be tempting rare heritage dishes from across the region — and for Indian cuisine enthusiasts, there’s a mouth-watering lineup waiting. From delicious dosa and biriyani to crowd favourites like chaat, visitors can savour the flavours of India while watching traditional cooking techniques up close and capturing endless ‘Instagrammable’ moments.
The free event will be held on 30th August 2025, from 10am to 5pm, at Claudelands Events Centre (gate 4), Hamilton. Expect stunning cultural dances, traditional fashion shows, live music, and an expo packed with the best of Southeast Asian and Indian businesses.
After Hamilton, the next venue is at Auckland on 11th & 12th October and 6th Dec at Wellington.
The festival event is presented by SM Publications, with Include NZ as the official marketing partner, in association with Migrant News, Travel Galore, the Asian Food Portal, and Filipino News, with support from community groups, businesses, and government organisations.
Great opportunity for learning about various cultures