REAL New Zealand Festival – Active NZ

New Zealanders live a very active lifestyle and sport and recreation is part of our culture – not only in competition, but for fun ... throwing yourself off, into, over and under things is all part of experiencing the Kiwi lifestyle.

During the REAL New Zealand Festival there will be hundreds of sporting and recreational events all over the country. Whether it’s a marathon in Dunedin or Auckland, Taupo’s Day-Night Thriller, or the Peak to Pub, everyone has the chance to take part, compete, or cheer on from the sidelines.

Northland

• Catch “it!” Bay of Islands Seafood Tournament (20 – 21 Oct) Paihia, Russell and Waitangi. Be part of the friendly, competitive vibe of the Bay of Islands Seafood Tournament. There’ll be two days of fishing fun and competitions.

Auckland

• REAL New Zealand Rural Sports 2011 (16 – 22 Oct) Queens Wharf, Auckland. The country comes to the city for a Trans-Tasman wood chopping competition plus New Zealand’s top eight shearers in a speed shearing competition.

Bay of Plenty

• Mataatua Iwi Challenge (6 Sep – 12 Nov) Whakatane. Maori from the Mataatua Waka in the Bay of Plenty come together for the Mataatua Iwi Challenge, an authentic series of ‘challenges’ featuring sports and activities designed to promote fun, active lives.

Rotorua

• Tribal Rugby Festival – Kia Ora Challenge (11 Oct) Village Green, Rotorua. The Tribal Rugby Festival, in Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty, is three fun-filled days of entertainment, food and wine, Maori culture and competition.

Gisborne & Eastland

• Rugby RUCKus (17 Sep) Uawa Public Domain, Tolaga Bay. A showcase of the region’s rugby, kapa haka (Maori performance), kai (food) and Ki o Rahi (Maori rugby) and special bicultural heritage.

Hawke's Bay

• Rugby, Haka, Hangi Festival (23 Sep, 4pm – 9pm, & 24 Sep, 9am – 10pm) Te Aute College, Pukehou. Join the fun of the Rugby, Haka, Hangi Festival at Te Aute College in Central Hawke’s Bay as locals treat visitors to a friendly game of rugby, lessons in how to do the haka and some traditional Maori food.

Wellington & Wairarapa

• Festival of Sails (17 Sep – 10 Oct) Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, Oriental Parade, Wellington. The Festival of Sails will feature three weeks of fun sailing events including opportunities for visitors to go sailing on Wellington’s harbour.
• Give It A Try! (9 Sep – 23 Oct 10am – 4pm daily) Capital E, Civic Square, Wellington. Don’t just watch, score the winning try in Wellington! Using the latest greenscreen technology you’ll be running to the try line in the closing moments of a nail-biting final.

Nelson

• Birthplace of Rugby in New Zealand – 1870 (20 Sep) Botanics Reserve, Nelson. A celebration of Nelson as ‘the Birthplace of New Zealand Rugby’, the re-enactment of New Zealand’s first-ever game of Rugby will be a great occasion.

Christchurch & Canterbury

• Methven – Mt Hutt Spring Festival (8 – 16 Oct) Methven & Mt Hutt. An action-packed unique week of events — up at the ski area and down in the town.

Dunedin & Otago

• The Baldwin Street Gutbuster (18 Sep, from 10am) Baldwin Street, Dunedin. Join in the fun at one of Dunedin’s iconic running events and take on Baldwin Street – the World’s Steepest Street!
• Rural 7s and Country Fair Day (25 Sep, from 10am) Middlemarch Showgrounds, Middlemarch. Watch 12 Central Otago district teams battle it out in the inaugural Rural 7s, while you sample local cuisine and enjoy country activities.

Queenstown

• Classic All Blacks vs French Classics (18 Sep, 3pm kick-off) Queenstown Recreation Ground, Queenstown. Revel in the passion, flair and blood, sweat and tears as Classic All Blacks take on French Classics.