The Dunedin Swing Festival

The Dunedin Swing Festival is an annual swing dance festival held in Ōtepoti Dunedin, New Zealand, over King's Birthday weekend (late May/early June). It's organized by Swing Riot Dunedin, a volunteer-run dance community, and is affiliated with the broader Swing Riot organisation.

History

The festival began in 2015 as the Vintage Street Swing Festival, was rebranded the Midwinter Swing Festival in 2016, and has since become known as the Dunedin Swing Festival. It celebrates African American dance styles from the swing era. Our last festival ran Thursday 29 May through Monday 2 June — three days of workshops and five days of social dancing. Dance styles covered include Lindy Hop, Balboa, Blues, and Solo/Authentic Jazz, taught by a line-up of international instructors, alongside social dances with live bands and performances throughout the weekend. Classes are structured for all skill levels, and newcomers are welcomed with a taster class at the start of the Saturday evening event. 

Scale & Spirit

As a small city, Dunedin has limited classroom space, so the festival caps the number of full passes and classroom spots available each year. The whole event is run by enthusiastic volunteers aiming to grow New Zealand's swing dance scene, and it's described as an exuberant festival that "reaches for the top, even if it's at the bottom of the world." 

In 2026, we took a break from organizing the festival. Watch this space, dunedinswingfestival.co.nz for more information on when the next festival might be held.