GrownUps New Zealand

Top New Zealand festivals you must attend 

Fancy a getaway? Why not plan it to coincide with one of the many New Zealand festivals on offer every year. Checking out one or many of New Zealand’s festivals is great way to get out and experience our regional beauty and culture. A huge range of festivals are run every year with something happening to suit all tastes and interests, including music, food, history, gardens, wine, music and classic cars.

Once you have decided which festival you want to go to, make sure you book accommodation early. Getting a group of friends together and booking a holiday house, apartment or motel helps to keep costs down. Make sure you stay a bit longer to enjoy the best of what the region offers too, as locals often make the most of an influx of visitors by hosting other events at the same time.

Popular New Zealand Festivals to Visit

Whether you’re heading off with your partner, friends or on your own, we reckon attending a festival should be on everyone’s bucket list! Some of the most popular ones include:

Fancy a trip away where you get to sample some of the Marlborough region’s best food and wine? Well, this festival is for you! Featuring dozens of local wineries and gourmet food, this festival also features some of New Zealand’s top entertainers and celebrity chef cooking demonstrations.

As far as New Zealand festivals go, this one is pretty unique. Offering up more than 50 food stalls, the Wildfoods Festival serves up an interesting array of quirky and unusual food choices like huhu grubs, as well as gourmet staples like whitebait and venison. Also on offer is a range of music, cooking demonstrations, buskers, roving entertainers and comedians.

Held in the beautiful town of Whamgamata, this festival plays host to around 1000 classic cars and hot rods, celebrating the best of the 1950s and 60s. This retro festival also features a vintage market, car cruises, dancing, music and a grand parade.

The key to enjoying your time at a festival is great planning. Make sure you’ve booked your accommodation ahead of time, have a fair idea of what you want to see at the festival and plan on staying a few extra days to check out the area the festival is held in. Then you can sit back, relax and enjoy what’s on offer!