‍1. A different show every year

The WOW Show is unique every year, and 2026 is no exception. This year, Executive Creative Director Brian Burke and Show Director Malia Johnston are turning up the voltage with GLO!. This energetic and inspiring spectacle will take you through six sections or ‘worlds’, each built around its own energy, from fire-forged metal to explosive movement and playful Kiwi nostalgia. Expect the unexpected – that's the one WOW constant.

“I will be going annually for the rest of time.” Fashion Critical

2. Mind-blowing wearable art

At the heart of every WOW Show is the world's leading wearable art competition, and this year's line-up is incredible. 108 finalist garments from designers across 18 countries have been selected to take the stage, drawing on personal histories, cultural traditions, engineering, performance, fashion and fine art. The finalists range from a librarian and a death doula to a GP and designers whose work has been worn by the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé - proof that wearable art really does come from everywhere and everyone.

3. Bizarre is back

One of WOW's most iconic and beloved categories, Bizarre Bra, returns to the stage for the first time since 2023. First introduced in 1995, Bizarre Bra has inspired more than 588 wildly inventive creations over the decades, built from everything from teapots to telephones.  

If you’re flying in or out of Wellington in the lead up to the 2026 WOW Show, make sure you check out the collection of Bizarre Bras being exhibited at Wellington International Airport to get a taste of what awaits.

4. More WOW moments than ever

Brian, Malia and the team are developing a show with more jaw-dropping stage moments, closer garment reveals and bigger theatrical surprises than any show before it. While we can’t give much away, we can promise you’ll be WOW’d!

5. Talent of GLO!

Every WOW Show brings the wearable art pieces to life through a cast of world-class performers, choreographers and creatives. This year’s feature talent includes Jason Chasland, who you might know as Leather Lungs, opera singers Jasmine Jessen and Katherine Winitana, performer Pascal-Ackermann, and dance collective Shifting Centre.

6. Awe inspiring aerial

Brand-new, custom-built aerial apparatus is being engineered especially for this year's show. New rigs will push aerial choreography to new heights (literally), letting performers move around the arena in ways audiences haven't seen before.  

7. Goosebumps guaranteed

There's real science behind that WOW feeling. Psychologists call it a "glimmer" - a small moment that sparks genuine awe - and a visit to WOW delivers them by the dozen. Tingles, goosebumps, gasps, tears... we aim to bring them all.

8. Insider’s pass

If you’re the kind of person who loves the stories behind the wearable art and wants to know exactly what they’re made of, you’ll love the WOW Audio Guide. It’s like having an insider’s pass – you’ll discover the stories, techniques, and hidden details of each work, that you won’t hear anywhere else.

9. WOW rewards

Your seat at WOW now comes with a little something extra. With WOW Rewards, you earn 1 point for every $25 you spend on WOW Show tickets, with each point worth $1 towards your next WOW Show ticket purchase within 15 months.  

10. Wellington is buzzing

Wellington is buzzing with things to do around your 2026 WOW Show visit. Follow the giant sculpture trail of Bee in the City, transforming the capital into an outdoor art gallery from 14 September through to 8 November, in support of the Life Flight Trust. Lego fans won't want to miss the world-first LEGO® Star Wars™: The Exhibition at Tākina, running right through WOW season. And keep an eye out for the dozens of special offers from participating Wellington retailers and eateries for WOW ticket holders, making it easy to turn your WOW night into a full WOW weekend.

The 2026 WOW Show: GLO! runs 17 September – 4 October at TSB Arena, Wellington. Tickets are selling fast – secure your seat today!

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