Wintergeddon Returns With Global Stars And A Pop Culture Powerhouse King's Birthday Weekend

Scoop

19-05-2025

Auckland's favourite celebration of fandom returns this King's Birthday Weekend as Wintergeddon brings a stelar line-up of international stars, cosplay royalty, interactive exhibits, gaming and more to the Auckland Showgrounds.
Leading the celebrity guest list are four powerhouse names from the worlds of sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming:
Ioan Gruffudd, best known as Mr Fantastic in Fantastic Four and the heroic Horatio Hornblower.
Renee O'Connor, beloved globally as Gabrielle in Xena: Warrior Princess.
Kim Rhodes, a standout in Supernatural as Sheriff Jody Mills.
Jeff Ward, breakout star of One Piece and fan-favourite in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
They're joined by a stellar supporting cast including T.J. Thyne (Bones), Aime Donald (M3gan), Neil Fanning (voice of Scooby-Doo) and Kiwi acting legend Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess) drops in for an exclusive Sunday panel as well.
Cosplay fans are in for a treat with four of the world's biggest cosplayers: Alyson Tabbitha, Rachel Maksy, Vera Chimera and Ridd1e leading panels, judging contests, and showcasing jaw-dropping costume artistry all weekend.
New for 2025 is the world-first appearance of CARmageddon – a fully-drivable custom Cadillac inspired by the Batmobile and KITT, complete with scissor-lift turret, voice commands, and a working flux capacitor.
Fans can also explore an exclusive Stranger Things costume exhibit featuring original Netflix screen-used wardrobe, and dive into a massive range of activities including:
Two national esports tournaments (League of Legends and Marvel Rivals)
Minecraft VR Zone
Airsoft range and X-Shot battle arena
Spookers Horror Hall and Just Dance disco
Live music from the Auckland Wind Orchestra
Anime screenings, D&D adventures by Questbook, board games from Catan, pinball, wargaming, and cosplay parades