About Michael Park School

The Michael Park School Summer Fair: Ellerslie’s Best-Loved Community Tradition

Every November, thousands of families make their way to Michael Park School in Ellerslie for one of Auckland’s most genuinely charming community events, the Michael Park School Summer Fair. It’s part school fundraiser, part village festival, and it’s been drawing crowds from right across the city for years.

If you’ve never been, or you’re wondering whether it’s worth the trip this year, this guide covers everything, what the fair actually involves, why Michael Park School runs it the way it does, and what you can expect if you’re bringing the family along.

What Is the Michael Park School Summer Fair?

The Summer Fair is Michael Park School’s flagship annual fundraiser, and it’s grown into something considerably bigger than a typical school gala. Held on the school’s own grounds at 55 Amy Street in Ellerslie, the fair blends live music, dozens of stalls, whimsical children’s activities, and food that leans heavily on the school’s own organic gardens.

Michael Park School describes it best on its own site as a place “where the magic happens,” and that’s not just marketing language. The fair has built a genuine reputation across Auckland as a fair unlike any other, largely because of the school’s distinctive character behind it.

2026 Fair Details

This year’s Michael Park School Summer Fair runs on Saturday 7 November 2026, from 9.30am to 3.30pm, at Michael Park School, 55 Amy Street, Ellerslie. Entry details, the stallholder application form, and the latest event updates are all available directly on the official Summer Fair page.

For enquiries, the school can be reached on 09 525 8994, and updates in the lead-up to the day are regularly posted on the Michael Park School Fair Facebook page, which is worth following if you want to see what’s planned before you go.

Why the Fair Feels Different From a Typical School Gala

Michael Park School is the only Steiner school in central Auckland, and that Waldorf character shapes the fair every bit as much as it shapes the classroom. The school has an established reputation for a strong aesthetic sensibility, favouring natural materials, handmade craft and a village-like campus feel over anything mass-produced or corporate, and the fair is where that philosophy is on full display.

A lot of what makes the day special comes from things parents and students make themselves rather than buy in. The prizes for classic games like the Lucky Dip and the fair’s famously popular Clucky Hen game are handmade by the school community, and much of the produce sold through the day is grown in the school’s own organic gardens on site.

The fair also carries the school’s genuine sustainability values through into the event itself, with organisers continuing to aim for a zero waste day even as visitor numbers climb into the thousands.

What to Expect on the Day

Food and Cafés

Food is a genuine highlight of the Michael Park School Summer Fair, and it goes well beyond the usual sausage sizzle. The school runs several themed cafés across the grounds for the day, including the Vegetarian Café, the Devonshire Tearoom, Tastebuds Café, and a BBQ grill for anyone after something heartier.

Because so much of the produce is grown in the school’s organic gardens, the food has a genuinely local, homegrown character that’s rare to find at an event this size.

Entertainment and Live Music

A stage runs live music throughout the day, giving the fair a proper festival atmosphere rather than the quieter feel of a typical school gala. It’s one of the reasons the event pulls visitors from well beyond Ellerslie itself, families who might not otherwise have a connection to the school still come along for the atmosphere alone.

The Children’s Zone

This is where the fair’s Steiner character really comes through. Children under 8 get their own “teensy-tea” experience at the Flower Fairy Café, while parents can relax nearby at the neighbouring Primrose Café. Braver kids can hear the Dragon’s tale in exchange for a small treasure, then head off to shop for themselves at the Children’s Bazaar, a genuinely kids-only shopping zone stocked especially for younger visitors, before paying a visit to the Fairy Queen.

It’s this kind of imaginative, storybook detail, rather than the usual bouncy castle and face painting formula, that makes the Michael Park fair stand out from most other school fundraisers in Auckland.

A Longstanding Ellerslie Tradition

Michael Park School itself was established in 1979, growing out of a community push to bring Rudolf Steiner education to Auckland. What began as a small kindergarten and lower school on what was then swampy, undeveloped land in Ellerslie has grown into a full state-integrated area school, teaching students from kindergarten right through to Year 13.

That community-built history is part of why the Summer Fair carries such weight locally. The same spirit of parents, whānau and volunteers coming together to build something from very little is baked into how the fair is run today, largely powered by parent and community volunteers rather than professional event organisers.

For a school with a roll of under 400 students, drawing thousands of visitors each November is no small achievement, and it says a lot about how embedded the fair has become in Ellerslie’s community calendar more broadly, not just among Michael Park families.

Getting Involved: Stallholders and Volunteers

The fair runs on community participation, and Michael Park School actively welcomes outside stallholders each year. If you run a local business or craft stall and want to take part, the school’s Stallholder Application Form is available directly through the official fair page.

Families connected to the school can also get involved through the wider Community Skill Share programme, which reflects the same parent-powered, hands-on approach that shapes the fair itself.

Practical Tips for Visiting

Michael Park School sits at 55 Amy Street, Ellerslie, tucked into a residential pocket of the suburb rather than right on the main Main Highway strip. Given the scale of the crowds the fair draws, arriving earlier in the day tends to make for an easier visit, both for parking and for getting through the more popular food and children’s activity queues before they build up.

Because the event runs rain or shine across a full school campus, comfortable footwear and a plan for the kids’ inevitable Children’s Bazaar purchases are both worth factoring in ahead of time.

Why This Matters for Ellerslie Families

Beyond being a great day out, the Michael Park School Summer Fair is a genuine snapshot of what makes Ellerslie work so well as a family suburb. It’s the kind of event that brings together families who might never otherwise cross paths, Michael Park parents, curious neighbours, and visitors from right across Auckland, all in one place for a single Saturday each November.

If you’re new to the area and want a natural way to meet other local families, an event like this is a far easier entry point than most, no ticket required, no formal sign-up, just turning up on the day. For the fuller picture of schooling options in the suburb, including Michael Park School alongside the state and private alternatives nearby, see our Schools in Ellerslie page, and for more on the suburb’s wider calendar of family events, visit our Parties & Entertainment in Ellerslie category page.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Michael Park School Summer Fair in 2026? The 2026 fair runs on Saturday 7 November, from 9.30am to 3.30pm, at Michael Park School, 55 Amy Street, Ellerslie.

Is the Michael Park School Summer Fair only for school families? No. While it’s run as a fundraiser for Michael Park School, the fair is open to the wider public and draws thousands of visitors from across Auckland each year, not just the school community.

What kind of food is available at the fair? The fair runs several themed cafés including the Vegetarian Café, Devonshire Tearoom, Tastebuds Café, and a BBQ grill, with much of the produce grown in the school’s own organic gardens.

Are there activities for younger children? Yes. Children under 8 have their own dedicated Flower Fairy Café, and kids can visit the Children’s Bazaar, meet the Fairy Queen, and hear the Dragon’s tale, all designed specifically around younger visitors.

Can local businesses have a stall at the fair? Yes. Michael Park School welcomes outside stallholders each year through its official application process, available on the Summer Fair page.

Where can I get updates on this year’s fair? The Michael Park School Fair Facebook page is the best place for regular updates in the lead-up to the event, alongside the school’s own website.

Final Thoughts

The Michael Park School Summer Fair has earned its reputation as one of Ellerslie’s most genuinely enchanting annual traditions, not through slick marketing, but through decades of community effort, handmade craft, and a school culture that treats beauty and creativity as seriously as academics. Whether you’re a longtime Ellerslie local or simply looking for a great family day out this November, it’s well worth putting in the diary.

For more on Michael Park School itself, including its Steiner curriculum and enrolment pathways, visit the school’s own Our Story page, and for the full directory of family services across the suburb, start at the main Ellerslie directory page.