Anyone for festivals, fritters and mountain oysters?
Autumn has arrived on New Zealand’s sunny shores but don’t panic, it’s not the end of the golden weather, quite yet.
Over March and April the summer’s blistering rays fade to a more comfortable warmth, the mornings are fresh, the evenings no longer a muggy bath.
But best of all, it’s the season when New Zealand carries on celebrating its culture, cuisine, music, arts and, oh yes, don’t forget the wine and beautifully crafted beer and ales!
Everywhere there are tempting places to visit and events to experience so here are just a few to check out.
Food glorious food (and wine….and beer)
Up and down the country you will find food and wine festivals showing off the best the country has to offer – you can really eat and drink your way around.
Probably the craziest food experience is the Hokianga Wildfoods Festival, celebrating the outrageous gastro-innovation of New Zealand’s rugged West Coast of the South Island.
This festival has become somewhat of a national icon since it was launched in 1990 – it is certainly one of the most talked about.
Year-on-year it features a growing array of gob-smacking, creative and weird foods, along with great entertainment and things to do.
From the infamous stallion protein shots and mountain oysters to gorse flower wine and rose petal brew, there’s something to broaden everyone’s palate.
Tickling your taste buds can be taken literally at this event – as long as you try a grasshopper, huhu grub, scorpion, baby octopus or worm – yummy!
For something a little more sedate try the Whangarei Fritter Festival, on 19 March – based at the Northland Events Centre, just two hours north of Auckland, you could even do this as a day trip.
Whitebait fritters have always been firm Kiwi favourite, so why not base a whole festival around one dish?
This sounded like a good idea four years ago when this festival began and since then it’s become bigger and bigger with lots of other delectable delights, as well as great entertainment.
You can “fritter” the day away tasting gourmet bites, and supping the region’s top wines and brews.
And if you want to be entertained, the music line-up includes some of New Zealand’s best-loved performers – look out for Katchafire, Tiki Taane and The Jordan Luck Band.
Seafood is a mainstay on New Zealand plates and so the Havelock Mussel and Sea Food Festival, on Saturday 19th March, is a pretty good place to experience all the sea can offer.
Havelock nestles on the edge of the Marlborough Sounds a sparsely populated, unspoiled marine paradise of coves, sheltered bays and bush-clad coastline.
Over recent decades it has become quite a tourist destination offering cruises, boat charters, fishing trips, walking tracks, hiking and kayaking.
It is also the self-proclaimed Greenshell Mussel Capital of the World – the green-shell or green-lipped mussel being one of the tastiest and largest of mussels in the world.
Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly outing, a celebration of New Zealand food and wine, or a day of “chillaxing” to live music, this festival ticks all the boxes.
Back up north, the Waiheke Food and Wine Festival, on 2nd April, is easily reached from Auckland on a 30 minute ferry ride and a great place to combine sumptuous fare with some beach time and stunning coastal scenery.
Waiheke is an idyllic island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and this event is a perfect excuse to visit.
Here you will be able to sample some of the Island’s (and New Zealand’s) top wines, and tuck into all sorts of tasty food while enjoying live music and soaking up the island’s stunning views.
Now we’ve covered wine, how about beer?
The Great Kiwi Beer Festival, takes place in Hagley Park, Christchurch, on 2nd April, so if brews are more your thing, this event promises “excitement on tap”.
It will have almost 30 artisan brewers alongside some of New Zealand’s favourite larger breweries. Like many of these festivals, music is part of the day, and with acts including Hollie Smith, John Toogood (from Shihad fame), The Phoenix Foundation and Jordan Luck, so it will be worth going for the music alone!
Music to our ears
Throughout late Summer and early Autumn, New Zealand hosts some of the best music events – it’s like a final celebration before the weather cools and the rain sets in.
For an internationally eclectic event you can’t go past WOMAD NZ, in New Plymouth, on 18-20 March.
WOMAD stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance, and was co-founded by Peter Gabriel in 1982, since when there’s been 160 WOMAD festivals around the world.
WOMAD is a family event and as well as featuring over 30 hours of music across six stages, there will be cooking classes, a Kidszone, international arts and crafts, and lots of interesting tasting food from around the world.
Over the Easter weekend there is also the day-long Coastella Music Festival, at Paraparaumu, on the Kapiti Coast, about 45 minutes north of Wellington.
This is a real community music festival with thirteen bands representing diverse cultures and a melting pot of musical talent from both New Zealand and overseas.
Once again, it’s for the whole family and there’s even cricket, an Easter egg hunt, face painting and plenty of local cuisine.
Jazz is very popular in New Zealand, so here are a couple of autumn festivals to enjoy.
Held over the Easter weekend, the Waiheke Jazz Festival combines fantastic international and local talent with superb food and wine.
Check out one of New Zealand’s favourite musicians, Greg Johnson, who will be performing on the Saturday night. But if you would like something more unexpected, try Hopetoun Brown, Sex on Toast or Tahuna Breaks.
So if you didn’t make it over for the wine festival, here’s a second chance to enjoy this wonderful island!
Having visited the Waiheke Jazz Festival you could then head to the The National Jazz Festival, in Tauranga a week later, about a three hour drive from Auckland.
This is one of the longest running jazz festivals in the world where more than 60,000 people flock to enjoy the sound of some of the world’s best musicians every year.
And to round off the musical delights one of New Zealand’s stars Hollie Smith, will be on tour between 31 March – 16 April.
Rip It Up magazine describes her sound as “a beautiful treat for the ears”, so try catching this Kiwi gal at various venues across New Zealand this autumn.
Her soulful sound and string of number one hits, including “Bathe in the River”, have seen her win plenty of awards both here and overseas – so this is a concert well-worth seeing.
Culture, colour and comedy
From island culture, to Shakespeare and laughing out loud there’s plenty to choose from over the next couple of months.
The Pasifika Festival is an annual celebration of Island music and dance, and held at Western Springs Park, Auckland.
There’s no better way to get a true appreciation of Auckland’s colourful Pacific diversity, than attending this fantastic event.
Close your eyes and listen to the sounds, smell the aromas of island cuisine and hear the drumming, and you will be transported magically to an island paradise.
The dancing, singing, food, arts and craft of eleven Pacific nations take centre stage in this celebration of country and culture. And even better, it’s free!
Both Auckland and Wellington are celebrating their Arts Festivals during March and there’s lots to choose from.
The Auckland Arts Festival, is an energetic celebration of the city’s rich culture and features a huge range of theatre, music, dance, circus, cabaret, burlesque, comedy and visual arts, at various venues across the City.
The Wellington Arts Festival, promises “kick arts” shows.
Wellington is really proud of its cool arts scene and creative culture, and there’s always plenty on, even outside festival season. If you are in town, make sure you check the website for daily ticket deals.
Kiwi ingenuity has also come to Shakespeare with a local entrepreneur building a Pop Up Globe Theatre, now based in Greys Avenue, Auckland City, right until the middle of April.
The Pop Up Globe is a full-scale, working replica of the second Globe Theatre. Most of it is made of scaffolding but it feels like the original and provides a magical theatrical experience. You may as well be at the replica Globe Theatre in London.
The Pop Up Globe is in Auckland for a full season of live Shakespeare featuring plays including Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest and Antony and Cleopatra.
Its success has been so great, the season has been extended, so there’s still time to take part in this historic experience, and see some of Shakepeare’s great works come to life!
To round off, there will be a lot of laughs between 22 April and 15 May at The New Zealand International Comedy Festival, Auckland.
Featuring stand-up, sketch, improv, clowning, and musical comedy from both New Zealand and international comedians – you’re guaranteed a great night out, with a lot of laughter, which is always good for the soul!
And finally, two petrol headed events
For something completely different, try The Repco Beach Hop, in Whangamata, between 30 March and 3 April.
This event is held in New Zealand’s surf mecca, Whangamata, and combines music, dancing and Hot Rods!
It may be an unusual combo but tens of thousands of people flock for five days to hang out, ogle hot-rods, surf, boogie, revisit the fashions of yester-year and pay tribute to all that’s vintage. Proceeds go to the local surf club.
If you are putting this Beach Hop in your itinerary, book accommodation and vehicle rental early – Whangamata is a small town! Alternatively consider staying in one of the many other towns on the Coromandel.
And finally for a real motoring experience there is the NZ Truck Show and Racing Festival, at the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo, 22 – 24 April.
If super trucks, drifters, muscle cars, classic cars and motorcycles are more your thing, you’ll be in petrol-head heaven at this fuel-filled festival.
The weekend event includes the final round of the NZ Super Truck Racing Championship, the Muscle Car Invitation Anzac Cup as well as demonstrations, big rig track parades and other car class races. What more could you want if petrol really is in your head!
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If you’ve got your car rental sorted, you can set your own agenda to make the most of this season’s highlights.
Take your pick and hit the road – enjoy the celebrations New Zealand style!
Remember we drive on the left, Drivesafe and always have a designated driver.