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Summer in Napier has got an opening party.

Nuit Blanche – Art After Dark is back in the Art Deco city on Saturday, October 4, from 6pm to 10pm.

The free family-friendly street festival, centred on Tennyson St and Hastings St in the city’s Arts Quarter, creates a celebration of art, culture, food, and performance across the CBD.

Since its beginning in 2017, the free event has grown into an early summer highlight for Hawke’s Bay, with 15,000 flooding Napier’s streets in 2024.

In response, organisers have expanded the festival’s footprint for 2025, opening more space for new experiences and the broadest mix of entertainment yet.

Revellers on Herschell St during Nuit Blanche 2024. Photo / Kirsten Simcox

Napier City Council events manager Kevin Murphy said this year’s event is set to be the biggest yet.

“It’s the biggest street party in Hawke’s Bay,” he said.

“It’s the magic that happens on the streets with arts and music and the vibe that it brings with everyone really just enjoying themselves.

“It’s quite surprising just how many people that I come across that still haven’t actually made it to it.”

Murphy said four stages set up around Napier CBD would accommodate 17 acts.

“Only one of those is from out of town, and that happens to be Peter Urlich, who just loves coming here,” Murphy said.

Local artists playing include Naked Gun, Urban Dukes, Liberty, Ella Pollett and DJ Soph.

The festival will also feature food trucks, eight roving street entertainers, a silent disco in the Gatsby Room at the Masonic, art projected on to St John’s Cathedral, a laser show on Herschell St, open galleries and art studios offering hands-on experiences.

There will also be competitors from the World Buskers Competition performing, bringing some international flair.

Buskers at the 2024 Nuit Blanche in Napier. Photo / Kirsten Simcox

Murphy called the festival a “true city effort”.

“The scale of Nuit Blanche 2025 shows what’s possible when Napier City Council and Napier City Business Inc collaborate with a shared vision for our city.”

Napier City Business Inc general manager Pip Thompson says Nuit Blanche has become a cornerstone event.

“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,” she said.