Events

Taranaki, known as the garden of New Zealand, will honour its long standing reputation when the region’s annual Rhododendron and Garden Festival opens in October.

Chefs and stallholders are planning to cook up a storm at this year’s annual Havelock Mussel Festival – a tasty celebration of the New Zealand green shell mussel.

Tauranga comes alive with the sounds of soul, bebop, ragtime, swing, Dixieland and funk over Easter as jazz lovers swing into the 48th National Jazz Festival – an iconic Kiwi event.

An authentic Māori cultural experience that includes sailing on a traditional waka to the Bay of Islands to celebrate Waitangi Day – New Zealand’s national holiday – is being offered by a new Auckland tour operator.

A highly skilled performance has won Auckland’s Māori performing arts group Te Waka Huia, the supreme award at New Zealand’s annual Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival for the fourth time.

Emirates Team New Zealand has funding and is in good shape heading towards the next America’s Cup, says boss Grant Dalton, after winning the Louis Vuitton Trophy.

Kiwi yachtsmen have again showed they are top of their game with Emirates Team New Zealand winning the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Dubai, and dominating the world class event over recent years.

The small New Zealand town of Te Kuiti will soon be overrun with thousands of sheep charging down the main street.

While the traditional Kiwi food experience is often around casual outdoor dining, New Zealand is fast developing a reputation for fine cuisine and high-end foodie events and destinations.

New Zealand has confirmed its reputation as a rugby-loving nation – just one day after tickets went on public sale, the 2011 Rugby World Cup has become the country’s biggest money-making event.