ASB Polyfest is the world's largest secondary school Pasifika cultural festival and one of Auckland's most significant annual cultural events, held each March at the Manukau Sports Bowl in South Auckland. Now in its fifth decade, it brings together hundreds of groups from dozens of schools across the Auckland region to compete and perform in Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands, Niuean and diversity categories in front of audiences of tens of thousands.

What makes Polyfest extraordinary is not just its scale but its purpose — a festival that puts young Pacific and Māori people at the centre, celebrating their languages, cultures and performing arts at the highest level. For the students who participate, months of preparation culminate in performances that express pride in identity, connection to heritage and excellence in cultural practice. The energy, colour and emotion of the performances reflect the depth of Pacific and Māori culture in Auckland and the commitment of the communities that nurture it.

For visitors to Auckland in March, Polyfest is one of the most powerful cultural experiences the city has to offer. It is a reminder of the extraordinary richness of Auckland's Pasifika communities and the living strength of the cultures they carry — performed by young people who are both inheritors of tradition and creators of its future.