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A wet end to January did little to slow attendance across New Plymouth District Council venues and events this summer, with strong visitor numbers recorded across festivals, pools, galleries and attractions.
The TSB Festival of Lights attracted an estimated 162,500 visits to Pukekura Park between December 20, 2025 and January 24, 2026 — up 4.8 percent on the previous season.
NPDC venue and events manager Chade Julie says final economic impact data is still being compiled, including analysis of out-of-region visitation.
The Todd Energy Aquatic Centre recorded more than 100,000 visits between November and the end of January, while community pools also reported solid attendance: Inglewood (4,676), Waitara (11,049) and Ōkato (5,365).
Major entertainment events contributed to the season’s performance, including a near sell-out performance by British comedian Jimmy Carr at TSB Stadium and concerts at the Bowl of Brooklands, where Rock the Bowl and L.A.B featured as part of the Summer at the Bowl series.
Cultural venues also reported strong patronage. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre welcomed 13,469 visitors across December and January, while the Len Lye Centre Cinema attracted 1,531 cinemagoers during January’s unsettled weather.
Puke Ariki Museum recorded high foot traffic, including 1,950 visitors on January 3 alone, driven largely by its interactive Rescue exhibition. The iSITE New Plymouth visitor centre, based within Puke Ariki, assisted 7,176 visitors in December.
NPDC pools collectively attract around 410,000 visits annually, including approximately 370,000 at the Todd Energy Aquatic Centre. Seasonal pools at Fitzroy, Ōkato, Waitara and Inglewood operate during the summer months.
