Maori New Year celebrations are underway with a karakia at Tawharanui Regional Park north of Auckland taking place at dawn this morning.

Tonight there will be a parade of illuminated floats, bikes, scooters, wheelchairs and skateboards from The Cloud to Silo Park to celebrate Matariki.

The Sky Tower will be lit in the colours of the breaking dawn, and the eastern sea wall of Auckland's Viaduct will also be lit in the evenings.

Auckland's Town Hall will also be glowing with an outdoor light show of Māori patterns, starscapes and landscapes by the Gossage family.