Cross Street Music Festival is on Karangahape Road (K’ Road) in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on Saturday 28 November 2026. Cross Street is free during the day and ticketed in the evening, and the focus is independent and emerging Aotearoa music.

This guide covers which parts need a ticket, the age rules, what tickets cost and who has been announced so far. This year’s theme, according to the official site, is INFINITY.

Free by day, ticketed by night

Cross Street’s structure is the first thing to understand. Cross Street is free from 12pm to 3.30pm, then ticketed from 4pm to 10.30pm. Free all-ages performances and activations are also on at the Mercury Stage and other K’ Road locations. The official site doesn’t publish their hours or exact sites, so check the official site and the festival’s social accounts before planning your day around them.

You can go to the free programme, the ticketed evening, or both. The ticketed area has its own age rule: all ages from 4pm to 5.30pm, then R18 from 5.30pm. The festival as a whole isn’t all ages, so check the time before bringing anyone under 18 into the evening.

Who’s playing

The festival’s poster names these acts as its main billing: Sola Rosa, Melodownz, Dartz, Borderline, Lilbubblegum, Where’s Jai, Spell, Bbyfacekilla, Mokomokai, Roy Irwin, Magic Factory, The Beatniks, Love Language, Hales and Great South.

Smaller on the poster are Noa Records, Snakelegs, Spdrtwnbby, Murry Sweetpants, Erin G and Tiger Lotiss.

More artists are still to be announced. The line-up above is as announced on 28 October 2026. The festival’s Instagram, Facebook and TikTok accounts use the name crossstmusicfestival, which is a good place to watch for additions.

The poster for this year’s festival was hand-painted by Tanja McMillan (Misery) and depicts The Magician tarot card, according to the official site. The festival lists Auckland Live, Auckland Council Events, McLeods Brewery, Scapegrace, 95bFM and the Karangahape Road Business Association as partners.

Ticket options

Ticket details below are as listed on Humanitix on 28 October 2026. Prices and availability can change, so check the ticket page before you buy.

• Early Bird: $38.50 + $2.78 booking fee. Sold out.
• Second Tier R18 Adult: $55.00 + $3.73 booking fee. On sale.
• General (all ages): $25.00 + $2.00 booking fee. On sale.

Humanitix also lists under 12s as free. Check the ticket page for how each tier works, including what it covers and how age rules apply.

You don’t need a ticket for the free daytime window on Cross Street.

Accessibility, transport and road closures

None of these are published on the official site. If you need to plan around them, contact the organisers before you go.

Why we recommend it

Cross Street gives you a low-commitment way in. You can see what the festival is like in the free daytime window, then decide whether the ticketed evening is for you.

The programme is also specific. It is built around independent and emerging Aotearoa acts on K’ Road, rather than a generic line-up in a generic setting. The official site says this is the festival’s eighth annual edition.

We aren’t making claims about crowd size or demand, because nothing we have supports them. The case for going rests on what is published: a free daytime window, a ticketed evening, a named line-up and a clear age rule.

Who it suits

• People curious about Aotearoa independent music who want to hear a range of acts in one place.
• Anyone looking for a free city day out on K’ Road, where the daytime window on Cross Street needs no ticket.
• Adults planning a longer night who are happy to buy a ticket for the evening.
• Under-18s and anyone bringing them. Check the age rules above before planning the evening.

Plan your day

Check the official site for updates and the full festival information. If you want the ticketed evening, book through Humanitix.

• Visit the official website
• Buy tickets on Humanitix

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