If you’re looking to add some extra substance and character to your New Zealand vacation, you can always try to schedule your trip around one or more of the fun and exciting New Zealand festivals, events, and holidays. There are so many different ones to choose from throughout the year, so you shouldn’t find it hard to include at least one. Many New Zealand holidays are celebrated across the land, so you can experience them no matter where you find yourself here. The more specific New Zealand events or festivals that are celebrated in the different towns and cities might be so tempting that you find yourself hopping around to enjoy a few. Taking in one of the New Zealand festivals, events, or holidays is a good way to learn more about the country and its different regions. Many times, local culinary achievements are highlighted, so you can sample some of the delicious New Zealand food and wines . While you can plan your upcoming trip around a festival, event, or holiday, you might just be lucky enough to catch one or more by chance, which is always a wonderful surprise. So keep your mind, ears, and eyes open for your chance to celebrate something special in New Zealand.
Should you want to enjoy a fun festival in Auckland, the Pasifika Festival is sure to please. So popular a festival in New Zealand this is, that it spawned a month-long celebration of events in Auckland known as the Celebrate Pasifika program. Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, and every year in March, their rich culture is on display in Auckland for all the world to enjoy. The main 2-day Pasifika Festival celebrates music, food and culture, and it is surely something you won’t want to miss if you’re in Auckland at the time. Winter enthusiasts who are mourning the ending of their favorite season in the Northern Hemisphere can always head to Queenstown, New Zealand in late June. This is when this dazzling city is celebrating the 10-day long Queenstown Winterfestival. It’s quite the bash, with live music, food, fireworks, frisbee golf tournaments, and icy lake swimming among the festivities.
In the capital city of Wellington, one of the more peculiar New Zealand events takes place in mid-September. The Montana World of WearableArt Awards is certainly something to behold. This is not your average fashion show, and you never know quite what you might see next. Some of the most outrageous outfits known to man either disgust or dazzle patrons during this event, so prepare to let your jaw hit the floor. Film buffs can include a New Zealand Film Festival on their lists of New Zealand events. The New Zealand Film Festival visits some 16 different cities, so you’ll have the chance to make up for one you might have missed with another. Auckland is a top place to enjoy the New Zealand Film Festival on the North Island. On the South Island, the charming city of Dunedin might be where you will head. Both start in July, the Dunedin International Film Festival most often seeing some days extend into August.
If culinary pursuits are something you enjoy, the New Zealand food and wine scene won’t let you down. New Zealand’s food is inspired by a mix of cultures, from Polynesian to Scottish, and its wine is some of the best in the world. Food and/or wine festivals are among the most plentiful New Zealand festivals, which is good news to most peoples’ ears, palates, and stomachs. One of the more renowned New Zealand food and wine festivals is the February Marlborough Food and Wine Festival. The Marlborough region is found on the northeast side of the South Island, and as pretty much everywhere else in New Zealand, the scenery here is quite splendid. Marlborough is a big part of the modern-day wine industry in New Zealand, producing its famed Sauvignon Blanc beginning in the late 1970's. Great wines, savory food, and live entertainment combine to make this one of the premier New Zealand events around. Other New Zealand festivals celebrate sports, arts and culture, Nature and the outdoors, and music.
In addition to the many great New Zealand festivals, the New Zealand holidays can be joy to take part in. February 6 is the national day of New Zealand, and it’s known as Waitangi Day. This main entry among the New Zealand holidays marks one of the more important dates in New Zealand history. The Treaty of Waitangi was officially signed on February 6, 1840, and it’s heralded as the country’s founding document. Waitangi Day is celebrated all over the country, so you don’t necessarily have to head somewhere special to enjoy it. New Zealand events can range from sporting matches, to theatrical performances. Catching a concert at Eden Park in Mount Eden can be just as exciting as taking in a rugby match. Cricket is just as big as rugby here, and if you’ve never caught a cricket match before, doing so in New Zealand is quite an experience. One thing is for sure in New Zealand, and that is the fact that you should never get bored. The New Zealand festivals, events, and holidays only help to make New Zealand a most complete travel destination.
