REAL New Zealand Festival Regional Events

Quickfind by region: North Island > Auckland, Northland, Waikato & Waitomo, The Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo & Ruapehu, Gisborne & Eastland, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, Whanganui & Manawatu, Wellington & Wairarapa South Island > Marlborough, Nelson, West Coast, Kaikoura, Christchurch & Canterbury, Mount Cook & Mackenzie, Dunedin & Otago, Wanaka, Queenstown, Southland

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Auckland

• ATC: The End of the Golden Weather (1 – 24 Sep) Maidment Theatre. Tickets: www.atc.co.nz
• HeART of the Nation: From the Waka to the Pah (1 Sep – 7 Nov) Various venues. Free. Stunning whatever way you look at it – from earth or sky!
• The Black Boot Legends Gallery (1 Sep – 24 Oct) Britomart. Free.
  New Zealand rugby images from the non-professional, pre-1995 era.
• Giant Rugby Ball Homecoming (5 Sep – 23 Oct) Queens Wharf. Free.
• A Salon of Maori Art (9 Sep – 23 Oct) House of Taonga Salon, 72 Karangahape Road. A showcase of Maori artists.
• New Zealand On Screen 2011 (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Queens Wharf. Free.
• Black in Fashion: Wearing the Colour Black in New Zealand (9 Sep – 24 Oct) Britomart, Cnr Galway & Gore Streets. Free. Explores how and why black has become part of our identity.
  
• The World Press Photo Exhibition 2011 (12 Sep – 6 Oct) Britomart, Cnr Galway & Gore Streets. Door sales.
• Taste at The Cloud (13 Sep – 23 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Tickets: on site. Journey through NZ cuisine.
• Auckland International Boat Show 2011 (15 – 18 Sep) Viaduct Harbour. Adults: $20.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: Che Fu & The Kratez (16 Sep) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free. Hip hop, R&B and reggae vocalist.
• Queens Wharf Late Night at The Cloud: The Turnaround (16 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free.
• The Kiwileles (17 Sep) Queens Wharf. Free.
• The Lydiard Legend Marathon and Arthur’s Half Marathon (17 Sep) Waitakere Ranges. Follows the training route used by acclaimed running coach Arthur Lydiard.
• Queens Wharf Late Night at The Cloud: Nick D & Yaw (17 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Queens Wharf Family Weekend: Maritime & Heritage (17 & 18 Sep) Queens Wharf. Free. Journey into the past.
• Auckland Heritage Festival (18 Sep – 2 Oct) Various venues. Ticketed and free events. Celebrating the city’s unique natural, social and built heritage.
• I, George Nepia (20 – 24 Sep) Q. Tickets: www.qtheatre.co.nz. One-man play by Hone Kouka about one of our most loved rugby icons.
• Te Houhi – The People and the Land are One (21 – 25 Sep) Q. Tickets: www.qtheatre.co.nz. Full $35, concession $25. Dance work inspired by tribal history.
• Strange Resting Places (21 – 24 Sep) Q. Tickets: www.qtheatre.co.nz. Based on the relationship between an Italian and a Maori soldier during WWII.
• Queens Wharf: Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand Culinary Match (22 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free. Former French rugby player Olivier Magne and Le Cordon Bleu Executive Chef Philippe Clergue take on former All Black Tana Umaga and celebrity chef Al Brown cooking NZ produce.
• Heroes (22 Sep – 1 Oct) Musgrove Studio. Tickets: www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz. World premiere of a play about rugby.
• Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy (22 Sep – 22 Oct) The PumpHouse Theatre, Takapuna. Tickets: www.pumphouse.co.nz. Stage show for children aged 3 to 10.
• Queens Wharf Music on the Main Stage: Anika Moa (23 Sep) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free. Award-winning vocalist Anika Moa.
• Queens Wharf Late Night at The Cloud: State of Mind & MC Woody (23 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free. Prolific producers of Drum & Bass.
• Maui – One Man Against the Gods (23 – 25 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Unique theatrical event combining an excerpt from the stage production, and music by Tiki Taane.
• Aroha Mardi Gras (23 – 25 Sep) Britomart. Free. A flamboyant show featuring an all-star cast and created by Mika, a truly original NZ artist.
• New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Odes to Joy (24 Sep) Auckland Town Hall. Tickets: www.buytickets.co.nz.
• 2011 Junior World Cup Tournament (24 Sep) Bruce Pulman Park, Ardmore. Enquiries: www.ardmoremarist.co.nz.
• Queens Wharf Late Night at The Cloud: Pitch Black (24 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free. Since 1997, they’ve roused dance floor punters.
• Queens Wharf Family Weekend: Auckland Cultural Mosaic (24 & 25 Sep) Queens Wharf. Free. Locals unite with song, dance and a love of rugby.
• Villa Maria Festival in the Vineyard (25 Sep) Villa Maria Estate. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz. Adults $30, children (12 and under) free. Music, culture, art, history, fashion, food and wine.
• Grey Lynn Creates (25 Sep – 2 Oct) Various venues. Free. An arts trail, seminars and workshops, and children’s events.
• Diwali: Festival of Lights (25 Sep,1, 8 & 9 Oct) The Trusts Stadium Arena, Waitakere; Pacific Events Centre, Manukau; Aotea Square. Free. Celebrate Indian culture.
• Basement Fest. 2011 (26 Sep – 23 Oct) The Basement Theatre. Tickets: www.iticket.co.nz. Theatrical thrillers, street art, burlesque, DJs and comedians.
• Oranges at Halftime (27 & 28 Sep) Pukekohe Town Square. (2 & 3 Oct) Market Square, Orewa. (10 – 14 Oct) Queens Wharf.
• Tautai Pacific Arts Village (29 Sep – 2 Oct) Western Park, Ponsonby. Polynesian culture on show with performances by actors, musicians and poets.
• Anything Goes (29 Sep – 22 Oct) The Civic. Tickets: www.the-edge.co.nz. $32 – $85.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: Elemeno P (30 Sep) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free. A night of classic Kiwi sing-a-longs.
• Queens Wharf Late Night at The Cloud: Karn Hall (30 Sep) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Tempo – New Zealand’s Festival of Dance (30 Sep – 8 Oct) Q. Tickets:
  www.tempo.co.nz. Something for every taste; from hip hop to ballet.
• Queens Wharf Late Night at The Cloud: Sola Rosa Soundsystem (1 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Queens Wharf Family Weekend: Celebrating Rugby (1 & 2 Oct) Queens Wharf. Free. Don your club jersey and come to Queens Wharf!
• Southside Gig 2011 (1 & 2 Oct) Mangere Arts Centre. Free and ticketed events. Hip hop, break dance and graffiti art.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Goldenhorse (3 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (3 – 6 Oct) Various venues. Free. Spontaneous dance performances.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Annie Crummer with Will Crummer & The Rarotongans (4 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth. 
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Moana & The Tribe (5 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• Black Grace presents Verse 2 (5 – 11 Oct) Maidment Theatre. Tickets: www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz. $25 – $45 plus booking fees. Short dance works.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Greg Johnson & Band (6 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Don McGlashan & The Seven Sisters (7 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• ATAMIRA – Maori in the City (7 – 9 Oct) ASB Showgrounds. Free. Maori Rugby, past, present and future, including art, fashion, film, Maori arts and crafts.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: King Kapisi and Cornerstone Roots (8 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Kiwis Can – School Holiday Experience (8 – 24 Oct) Museum of Transport and Technology. MOTAT entry applies.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: I Am Giant, The Thomas Olive Band and Knives at Noon (9 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Sculpture in the Gardens (9 Oct – 12 Feb) Auckland Botanic Gardens. Free. Large scale works by leading NZ artists.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Bella Kalolo & Band (10 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• Rugby Reunion Dinner with the 1987 Former All Blacks (11 Oct) Ellerslie Racecourse. Tickets: www.iticket.co.nz. Individual tickets $300, table of ten $3,000. Join the 1987 former All Blacks team for an evening of fun and laughter.
• Schools Robotics World Cup (11 – 13 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Queens Wharf Comedy at The Cloud (11 – 13 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free, but pass needed from information booth on the day. Three hilarious nights of comedy.
• Finding Murdoch (13 – 23 Oct) Q. Tickets: www.qtheatre.co.nz. The triumphant and tragic true story of Keith Murdoch, the only man to be expelled from the All Blacks.
• New Zealand Rugby Foundation and the Barbarians Charity Golf Day (13 Oct) Akarana Golf Club. Team of 4 $600, individual players $150. Club hire is available. Register online. A round of golf, a BBQ lunch and buffet meal with fellow rugby enthusiasts.
• Arohanui – The Greatest Love (13 – 22 Oct) Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls Grammar School. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. Haka, martial arts, poi and music bring a love story to the stage.
• Art Week Auckland (13 – 23 Oct) Galleries, museums and studios across Auckland. Exhibitions, talks, walks and events.
• SACRE: The Auckland Dance Project (14 Oct) ASB Theatre. Tickets:
  www.buytickets.co.nz. NZ’s largest multi-school arts and performance project.
• Waka Maori (14 – 23 Oct) Te Wero Island, Viaduct Harbour. Free. This distinctive waka (canoe)-shaped pavilion will host cultural experiences, performances and entertainment.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: Opshop, Dragon, Jordan Luck Band & Ardijah (15 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: The Feelers, Zed, Julia Deans and Flip Grater (16 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• REAL New Zealand Rural Sport 2011 Competition (16 – 22 Oct) Queens Wharf. Iconic NZ rural sports; shearing, wood chopping and sheep dog trials.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: Little Bushman (17 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• NZ Fashion Week at The Cloud (19 – 20 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf.
• Style Pasifika – Best of Pasifika New Zealand (18 & 19 Oct) Vector Arena. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: The Adults (19 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth. 
• Taste of New Zealand (19 – 22 Oct) Victoria Park. Tickets: www.tasteofauckland.co.nz. Celebration of NZ’s best restaurants and finest produce.
• Queens Wharf Live at The Cloud: NZ Songbirds with Hollie Smith, Maisey Rika, Seth Haapu and Tama Waipara (20 Oct) The Cloud, Queens Wharf. Free; passes from info booth.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: The Earlybirds, The Datsuns, Shihad and Electric Wire Hustle (21 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: The Black Seeds, Katchafire and 1814 (22 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: A Gala Evening (22 Oct) Vector Arena. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz.
• The Rugby Comedy Festival (22 Oct) ASB Theatre. Tickets: www.buytickets.co.nz.
• Queens Wharf Music on The Main Stage: Avalanche City, Cut Off Your Hands, The Checks, Gin Wigmore and Kids of 88 (23 Oct) The Main Stage, Queens Wharf. Free.
• Full Throttle – Manukau’s Labour Weekend of Wheels (24 Oct) Pacific Events Centre, Manukau. Free.
• Kiwi Day Out (24 Oct) Auckland Domain. Free. Showcases our ‘New Zealandness’ with dance and music.

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Northland – Whangarei

• Te Tai Tokerau Maori Art Exhibition (9 Sep – 11 Oct)
  Old Library Arts Centre, Whangarei. Free. An indigenous art exhibition featuring the work of top Tai Tokerau (Northland) visual artists in the Whangarei region.
• Hard on the Heels: Capturing the All Blacks – Peter Bush (12 Sep – 20 Nov) Whangarei Art Museum. Entry by donation. The Hard on the Heels exhibition is drawn from rugby photographer Peter Bush’s vast library of photographs — personal favourites, the controversial and candid behind-the-scenes shots.

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Northland – Waipu

• Waipu, the Celtic Heart of Northland, welcomes Canadian Supporters (14 Sep) Coronation Hall, Waipu. Free. Continuous lunch $20. Bus trip to the game $10. In the 1850s, 1,000 Scottish Highlanders built their own ships, left their community in Nova Scotia behind and sailed to Waipu in search of a better life. Meet the local community, enjoy the Waipu Highland Band and Highland dancing, and visit Waipu Museum to discover the story of an extraordinary global migration.

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Northland – Paihia

• Catch “it” Bay of Islands Seafood Tournament (20 & 21 Oct) Fishing spots around Paihia and Russell. Catch “it”! and be part of the competitive, but amazingly friendly vibe of Northland’s Bay of Islands Seafood Tournament – three days of fishing fun and competitions.
• “it” Bay of Islands Food and Wine Festival (22 Oct) Paihia Village Green and main street. Tickets: www.eventfinder.co.nz or from the Paihia i-SITE or Paihia Booking Office: adults $45, children 5 – 17 $15, under 5 free. Capping off the Catch “it” Seafood Tournament, the “it” Bay of Islands Food and Wine Festival has a relaxed Bay of Islands atmosphere as visitors are encouraged to take it easy while enjoying fresh local fish and shellfish, wines from Northland and around the country, and Kiwi entertainment on the Village Green.

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Northland – Kerikeri

• ‘Sweet As’ Music Festival (8 Oct) The Stone Store Basin, Kerikeri. Tickets:
  www.eventfinder.co.nz.Tickets can also be purchased from: Paihia i-SITE; The Pear Tree, Kerikeri; The Sound Lounge, Kerikeri; and Musicor, The Strand, Whangarei. ‘Sweet As’ is a day-long festival of music, arts and food with a line-up of top NZ musical acts and performers.

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Northland – Russell

• Weaving and Korowai Exhibition Workshop (1 – 30 Sep)
  Haratu – Whare of the Kororareka Marae Society. $5 per person. Special arrangements can be made for group bookings. See beautiful Maori traditional and contemporary Korowai belonging to local people. Weavers will be on site to show how these stunning works of art are created.
• Artisans in The Bay (17 Sep) Russell Waterfront and Village Centre. Free. From gourmet food to painting, pottery, ceramics, carving and quilts, you’re bound to find a unique treasure to take away or morsel to consume.
• Russell Oyster Festival (17 Sep) Tickets: www.eventfinder.co.nz. Adults $20 plus booking fees (includes an oyster and a free drink), children 17 and under: free. Kororareka oysters are a delicacy grown locally in Kororareka, Russell, and they’re at their fattest in spring. On offer are a variety of oyster treats, NZ beers and live entertainment.
• Russell – Kororareka Hellhole of the Pacific (1 – 21 Oct) Russell Waterfront and Village Centre. Free. Russell’s historic waterfront once again brings alive the riotous atmosphere of whalers, sailors, wild women and other wayward folk that gave Russell the infamous reputation as ‘the hellhole of the Pacific’.

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Northland – Kawakawa

• Kawakawa Steam Sevens (17 Sep) Taumarere Rugby Grounds. Adults $10, children (under 15) free. Travel from Kawakawa by steam railway to the Rugby Grounds where competitions include childrens’, adults’, women’s and seniors’ teams. Enjoy a fantastic day of Rugby Sevens and Northland hospitality at a delicious Kiwi BBQ.

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Northland – Waitangi

• Waitangi Welcomes the World – The Festival (18 – 20 Oct) Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Adults $25 per day, children $12 per day. Three days of celebration, with Maori cultural events, rugby-inspired happenings and Kiwi events.

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Northland – Kaitaia

• Flavours of the Far North Festival (5 – 8, 12 – 15, 19 – 22 Sep) Awanui Rugby Sports Complex, Kaitaia. A showcase of the arts, crafts, food, music and sport of the REAL Far North. The festival includes local schools’ under 12s and under 15s touch rugby games, with teams representing the nations playing in Rugby World Cup 2011.
• Oranges at Halftime Exhibition (30 Sep – 1 Oct) The Warehouse Carpark, 11 Matthews Avenue, Kaitaia. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.

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Northland – Dargaville

• Oranges at Halftime (29 Sep) The Warehouse carpark, 149 Victoria Street. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.

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Waikato & Waitomo – Hamilton

• Red, Yellow and (All) Black (To 30 Jan) Waikato Museum, Hamilton. Free. An energetic, dynamic exhibition focusing on the ‘national religion’ – a local look at our national game incorporating interactive elements, memorabilia and history to appeal to families and serious fans alike.
• Hamilton River Festival (9 Sep – 11 Oct) Waikato River. Free and ticketed events. The Hamilton River Festival will bring the stunning Waikato River and its banks to life with events featuring sports, arts and entertainment.
• New Zealand Rugby Foundation and the Harlequins Charity Golf Day (14 Sep) St Andrews Golf Course. Team of 4 $400. Individual players $100. Club hire is available. Register online. A round of golf, a BBQ lunch and buffet meal at St Andrews Golf Course with fellow rugby enthusiasts to help the New Zealand Rugby Foundation and the Centurions.
• Haka (15 Sep – 2 Oct) Hamilton Gardens. Free. Tours and entertainment: $5 – $25. In the picturesque Hamilton Gardens, visitors can experience and celebrate the haka and Maori arts and cultural activities.
• Kiwi Cream – The Great New Zealand Music Gig (17 Sep) Claudelands Arena. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. Featuring top New Zealand bands Shihad, Opshop and Kids of 88.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (17 Sep) Lake Areare. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz. One of 17 native tree-planting projects around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011. The Lake Areare site is dedicated to legendary Waikato Rugby player Duane Monkley.
• Re:Fraction (1 Oct – 30 Nov) Sculpture Park. Tickets: Adults $10, children (5+) $5, children (under 5) free. An exhibition of contemporary NZ outdoor glass in a magical event that demonstrates how beautiful glass looks in an outdoor environment.
• Hamilton Half Marathon (2 Oct) River Path, Hamilton Gardens. Half Marathon $40, 10 km $25, 5 km $20, spectators free. An annual event with thousands of locals taking part. In addition to the Half Marathon, the event includes a 10 km run/walk, 5 km Fun Run/walk and a Kids’ Marathon.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (2 Oct) Garden Place. Free.
• Experience Waikato (11 – 13 Oct) Various locations. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. Choose from one of four day tours showcasing the best of NZ’s rural industries including agriculture, horticulture and equine, followed by dinner and entertainment with local kiwi sporting legends and former All-Blacks including Richard Loe, Sir Colin Meads and Sir Brian Lochore.
• NZ Flair (13 – 14 Oct) Te Kowhai Airfield. Flair showcases New Zealand’s innovation and capability in aviation design, manufacturing, maintenance and operation, and in pilot training. Exhibitions, aircraft demonstrations and new product launches.

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Waikato & Waitomo – Cambridge

• Oranges at Halftime (25 & 26 Sep) Countdown car park, Cnr Queen & Empire Streets. Free. Exhibition celebrating the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.

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Waikato & Waitomo – Te Aroha

• Aroha Cruise In (1 Oct) Te Aroha. The purr of classic engines will resonate through the spa town of Te Aroha in the Waikato during Aroha Cruise In – a day dedicated to classic cars and motorcycles.

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Waikato & Waitomo – Raglan

• Raglan Art Trail Open Studio Weekend (17 & 18 Sep) Raglan Old School Arts Centre. Free. Artists from the Raglan area will participate in the Open Studio Weekend. Collect your Art Trail Guide then meet artists in their studios, view their work and enjoy the vibrant art destination.

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Waikato & Waitomo – Tokoroa

• Oranges at Halftime (23 Sep) Leith Place shopping centre car park. Free.

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The Coromandel – Paeroa

• Clay Target Shooting Weekend (17 & 18 Sep) Thames Valley Deerstalkers’ International Standard Shooting Range. A chance to learn to shoot clay targets with a shotgun, or test your existing skills on fields that can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities.
• Oranges at Halftime (24 Sep) Mackay Street. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.

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The Coromandel – Whitianga

• Whitianga Scallop Festival (17 Sep) Marina Reserve. Tickets available at:
  www.eventfinder.co.nz A day of indulgence, with over 60 food and wine stalls, seafood demonstrations and cook-offs, scallop shucking and other competitions, as well as live entertainment.
• Homegrown (15 – 23 Oct) Various venues around The Coromandel. A special Homegrown festival in the special place that’s The Coromandel – it’s a nine-day showcase of local goodness featuring food, art and Kiwi music.

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Bay of Plenty – Tauranga

• REAL Tauranga Festival (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Various locations. Showcase the Bay of Plenty people and region in a programme of music, fashion, art, culture, food, sport, children’s activities and charity events.
• Oranges at Halftime (11 & 12 Sep) Pocket Park Waterfront. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.
• Tarnished Frocks and Divas 2011 (15 – 17 Sep) Mills Reef Winery & Restaurant. Tickets: www.ticketdirect.co.nz. A visual extravaganza of reconstructed, retro ensembles donned by a talented and vivacious group of 40-something ‘divas’ in the Bay of Plenty.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (2 Oct) Kaituna Wetland. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz. The Great Living Legends Muck-In is 17 native tree-planting projects around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011. This planting site is dedicated to New Zealand rugby icon Hika Reid.
• GRACE: The Exhibition (20 – 30 Oct) Masonic Park. Free. A unique collaboration between legendary rugby photographer Peter Bush and top New Zealand choreographer Raewyn Hill to create GRACE: The Exhibition during Tauranga Arts Festival.
• Tauranga Arts Festival (20 – 30 Oct) Various locations around Tauranga. Tickets: www.taurangafestival.co.nz. Eleven days of music, theatre, cabaret and exhibitions.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (22 Oct) The Strand, Tauranga. Free. Six dancers from Footnote Dance, one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance companies, spontaneously ‘roll out the red carpet’ in a public space accompanied by New Zealand music.

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Bay of Plenty – Ohope

• Ohope Beach Touch Rugby Tournament (27 Sep) Ohope Beach. Touch rugby tournament catering for serious teams, fun, recreational teams and those of you who just want to enjoy the atmosphere and watch.

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Bay of Plenty – Whakatane

• Oranges at Halftime (13 & 14 Sep) Peace Park, Boon Street. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies. 
• Mataatua Iwi Challenge (16 Sep – 12 Nov) Various locations around Whakatane. Free. Maori from the Mataatua Waka in the Bay of Plenty meet for an authentic series of challenges. Events range from outdoor bowls to golf, table tennis, basketball, touch, outrigger canoeing, and pig hunting.

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Rotorua

• Neil Pardington – The Vault (To 4 Dec) Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Adults $18, children (5 – 18 yrs) $7, small family pass $25, large family pass $40. Armed with his large-format camera, Wellington photographer Neil Pardington visited museum storage spaces throughout New Zealand. This exhibition documents what is kept in areas usually off-limits to the public.
• Heather Straka – The Asian (To 27 Nov) Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Adults $18, Children (5 – 18 yrs) $7, small family pass $25, large family pass $40. In commissioning artisans from Shenzhen, China, to produce 50 high-end copies of one of her original Asian Girl paintings, Dunedin artist Heather Straka examines ideas about the authentic and fake, truth and lie, the original and the copy.
• Bay Proud – A Century of Bay of Plenty Rugby (To 4 Dec) Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Adults $18, children (5 – 18 yrs) $7, small family pass $25, large family pass $40. A multi-media exhibition developed specially for Rotorua Museum. The exhibition begins with pioneering forefathers who made their mark on the national and international stage and highlights the rich, national contribution the Bay has made to both Maori and Sevens Rugby. All Blacks from the area, memorable victories, and the way that provincial unions tick will all be revealed.
• World of WearableArt™ Icons on Tour (3 Sep – 27 Nov) Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Free. Get up close to historic, iconic WOW garments, inspired by New Zealand’s authentic stories, landscape, history and culture. Learn about these iconic garments, designed by ordinary New Zealanders and established artists, through compelling stories, audiovisual footage, and New Zealand art.
• A Catalogue of Wonders (20 Sep – 19 Feb) Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Adults $18, Children (5 – 18 yrs) $7, small family pass $25, large family pass $40. The story of art in Rotorua is entwined with the story of tourism. Alongside the tourist brochure, the advertising poster or the family snapshot, fine art has played an important role in shaping the way we see Rotorua and its various attractions.
• Blomfield in Wonderland (3 Sep – 27 Nov) Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Adults $18, children (5 – 18 yrs) $7, small family pass $25, large family pass $40. This exhibition, curated by Rebecca Rice and Damian Skinner, shows that Blomfield’s art focused on more than just the scenic wonders of Rotorua.
• Rotorua Entertains (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Various locations around Rotorua. The people of Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty are pulling out all the stops – from stilt walking to salsa, face painting to balloon sculpture, juggling to samba drumming, you’ll see it all as the town comes alive with a heap of exciting and entertaining activities.
• Tribal Rugby Festival (11 – 13 Oct) Rotorua International Stadium and Lakefront Entertainment Centre. Tickets: www.tribalrugby2011.com Three days of entertainment, food and wine, friendly competition and some unforgettable rugby. Including Waka Warrior Canoe Races on Lake Rotorua, the International Fan Tug ‘o War, the best international version of The Haka and the Team Anthem Singing Competition. Team sign-up sheets will be available online.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (15 & 16 Oct) Energy Events Centre. Free. Six dancers from Footnote Dance – one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance companies will spontaneously ‘roll out the red carpet’ in a public space and, accompanied by New Zealand music, entertain anybody (and everybody) who’s there.

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Taupo & Ruapehu – Taupo

• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (18 Sep) Whakaipo Bay Recreation Reserve. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz The Great Living Legends Muck-In is 17 native tree-planting projects around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011. This planting site is dedicated to New Zealand rugby legend Sir Colin ‘Pinetree’ Meads.
• Oranges at Halftime (21 & 22 Sep) Tongariro Domain. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving the pies.
• Clean Energy Expo (13 – 16 Oct) NZ Clean Energy Centre. Public Expo & Clean Energy Centre Tour: Adults $10, children with adults free. Showcase of New Zealand’s clean energy technologies, demonstrating wind, geothermal, solar and biomass solutions to the need for energy.
• A Quintessential Kiwi Concert (23 Oct) Lower end of Tuwaretoa Street, Taupo. Free. Celebrate the final countdown of RWC 2011 with a quintessentially Kiwi concert headlined by one of New Zealand’s most popular bands, Kora.
• Taupo Racing Club Spring Marquee Day (14 Sep) Centennial Park Racecourse. Enjoy an exciting day of horse racing in Taupo. Find a picnic spot under the trees or take in the views from the grass embankment – a day at the races, whether you place a bet or not, is a classic Kiwi social experience.

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Taupo & Ruapehu – Ruapehu

• Tongariro Alpine Crossing Guided Winter Walks (Jun – Oct) Tongariro National Park. Tickets: www.adriftnz.co.nz, from $155. Experience New Zealand’s landscape in Tongariro National Park. Whether you’re a seasoned walker or a beginner, these guided walks offer an unforgettable hiking experience.

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Taupo & Ruapehu – Taumarunui

• Taumarunui Festival (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Various locations around Taumarunui. A six-week festival including sport (rugby and netball), a Wild Food Feast, kapa haka display, art exhibition and a traditional hangi with a flax and fashion show.

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Gisborne & Eastland – Gisborne

• Otis Frizzell – Paint it Black (Sep) The Cut, Gisborne. Free. Acclaimed artist Otis Frizzell is creating an original five-metre banner of support for the All Blacks at a community event showcasing local music and artists.
• Oranges at Halftime (15 & 16 Sep) The Warehouse car park, 80 Customhouse Quay. Free.
• Te Unga Mai 2011 Voyaging Festival (7 & 8 Oct) The Cut, Gisborne. Free. Acknowledges both Maori and European voyaging traditions, as well as commemorating the first formal meeting between the tangata whenua of Aotearoa and Lieutenant James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in October 1769.
• Poverty Bay Agricultural & Pastoral Show (14 & 15 Oct) Showgrounds Park. Adults $13, children (under 15) $5. Fun family day, with show jumping, dog trialling, sheep shearing, wood chopping, live music, local arts and crafts, and delicious food and wine.
• Gisborne Wine and Food Festival (23 Oct) Waiohika Estate Vineyard. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. The best of Gisborne’s world-class wines and superb food, and top New Zealand music including Fat Freddy’s Drop and the Rugby on the big screen at the end of the day.

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Gisborne & Eastland – Tolaga Bay

• Oranges at Halftime (17 Sep) Wharekura Memorial Park. Free.
  
• rugbyRUCKus (17 Sep) Uawa Public Domain. Small entry fee. The rugbyRUCKus showcases the region’s rugby, kapa haka (performance), kai (food) and Ki o Rahi (Maori rugby) and the bicultural heritage of the Tolaga Bay community.

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Gisborne & Eastland – Wairoa

• The George Nepia Exhibition (26 Aug – 1 Dec) Wairoa Museum. Free. This exhibition shows how a Maori boy, of modest upbringing and from an isolated part of New Zealand, took on the world – and won! It explores his influences, his mentors and dedication to his sport and the experiences that helped shape him.
• Oranges at Halftime (18 Sep) Near the Lighthouse. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.
• Rugby, Haka, Hangi Festival (30 Sep & 1 Oct) Tapuwae Rugby Club Grounds. Free. Join in a friendly game of rugby, learn the haka and share some wonderful traditional Maori food.

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Hawke's Bay – Napier

• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (24 Sep) Ahuriri Estuary. Free. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz. The Great Living Legends Muck-In is 17 native tree-planting projects around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011. This planting site is dedicated to a New Zealand rugby icon Ian Macrae.
• Hawke’s Bay Regional Signature Dish 2011 (28 Sep) Various participating restaurants and cafés in Napier, Hastings and Havelock North. Bookings recommended. Brings together our finest restaurants and cafés producing a ‘Signature Dish’ using Hawke’s Bay ingredients matched with a Hawke’s Bay beverage.

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Hawke's Bay – Hastings

• Game On – A Selector’s Choice of Contemporary New Zealand Artists (To 2 Oct) Hastings City Art Gallery. Free. A national art and design exhibition in Hawke’s Bay that uses the game of Rugby as a device to explore a New Zealand identity.
• Takitimu Festival (14 – 18 Sep) Hawke’s Bay Opera House. A variety of musical performances, art exhibitions, wananga, theatre, food stalls, speakers and workshops from each of the Pacific nations and iwi connected to the Takitimu Waka.
• Hastings Blossom Festival (15 – 25 Sep) Highlights include the Hastings Blossom Parade which dates back to the 1950s and is very much a part of the region’s identity; and Hot Pink, a charity event that features Hawke’s Bay rosé wines.
• Oranges at Halftime (19 & 20 Sep) CBD Mall beside Farmers. Free. The Oranges at Halftime exhibition celebrates the grassroots origins of Rugby in New Zealand; white shorts and muddy paddocks, Dad on the sidelines and Mum serving pies.
• Rugby, Haka, Hangi Festival (19 & 20 Sep) Farndon Park. Free. Join in a friendly game of rugby, learn the haka and share some wonderful traditional Maori food.
• Rugby, Haka, Hangi Festival (23 & 24 Sep) Te Aute College, State Highway 2. Free. Join in a friendly game of rugby, learn the haka and share some wonderful traditional Maori food.
• New Zealand Olive Festival (24 Sep) Hawke’s Bay Racecourse. Entry $5, children under 15 free. A day to celebrate all things olive at Sileni Estates Winery in Hawke’s Bay.
• Le Jeu ‘n’ Urlich (24 Sep) Hawke’s Bay Opera House. Tickets: www.ticketdirect.co.nz. Per person $150, tables of 10 people $1,500. The Peter Urlich Sextet band entertains over dinner – a night of top quality entertainment in an iconic, art deco Hawke’s Bay venue.
• 2011 Hawke’s Bay Agricultural & Pastoral Show (19 – 21 Sep) Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds. Adult $16, seniors $8.50, child
  (5 – 13 yrs) $8.50, Family Pass $35. A myriad of trade sites selling everything from tractors to teaspoons, plus top class New Zealand show jumping and livestock competitions for sheep, cattle and alpacas.

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Hawke's Bay – Te Awanga

• Hawke’s Bay Wine and Food Festival (13 – 15 Oct) Elephant Hill Estate Winery. Top Hawke’s Bay producers will display their wine and food in the relaxed surrounds of the picturesque Elephant Hill Estate Winery. And you can take in the panoramic views of the Te Awanga Coast, while listening to local music.

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Hawke's Bay – Dannevirke

• Rugby, Haka, Hangi Festival (23 & 24 Sep) Dannevirke Rugby Park, Gertrude Street. Free. Join in a friendly game of rugby, learn the haka and share some wonderful traditional Maori food.

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Taranaki – New Plymouth

• It’s Not Just A Game: Whanau. Whakapapa. Whutupaoro (To 13 Nov) Puke Ariki. Free.
• World of WearableArt™ Icons on Tour (1 Sep – 13 Nov) Puke Ariki. Free. See iconic WOW garments designed by ordinary New Zealanders.
• Taranaki International Village (9 – 11, 15 – 18, 24 – 26 Sep) Puke Ariki Landing. Free. Experience the legendary hospitality and culture of Taranaki Maori and local food, arts and crafts, performances and workshops.
• Len Lye Exhibition (10 Sep – 27 Nov) Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. Free.
• Light by Night – Pukekura Park Light Trail (10 – 30 Sep) Pukekura Park. Free. Lit up with colourful lighting.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (17 Sep) Coastal Revegetation Project site. Free. www.livinglegends.co.nz

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Whanganui & Manawatu – Whanganui

• The REAL Whanganui Festival (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Various locations around Whanganui. Showcase of the arts and history of the region – including art, music and exhibitions.
• The River Traders (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Whanganui’s Market by the River. Free. More than 100 stalls including local art, produce and foods.
• Whanganui Festival of Glass (16 – 25 Sep) Various locations around Whanganui. Free. Stunning new glass works by local artists, hot glass demonstrations, open studios with glass artists, and workshops.
• Maori Whanau Variety Concert (8 Oct) Whanganui War Memorial Hall. Gold coin donation.

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Whanganui & Manawatu – Palmerston North

• New Zealand Rugby Museum: Revel in Rugby (Daily) NZ Rugby Museum. Adults $5, children $2. Explore the history and folklore of our national game, bring to life its magic moments, try out your ball-handling skills and learn something new.
• Te Manawa Free. Two special new exhibitions for Rugby World Cup 2011: Manawatu People – Manawatu Stories and Tangata Whenua.
• Our People, Our Place Festival 2011 (3 Sep – 23 Oct) Various venues. Free. Cultural, music and sporting festival celebrating the region.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (29 Sep – 1 Oct) Free.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (1 Oct) Manawatu Gorge. Free. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz. This planting site is dedicated to NZ rugby legend Sam Strahan.

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Whanganui & Manawatu – Taihape

• Gumboot Jam – Taihape Dance and Music Festival (17 Sep) Taihape Town Hall. Tickets: Taihape Information Centre. Fun activities and country spirit; join in the festivities taking place in the gumboot capital of the world!

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Wellington

• Oceania Exhibition (To 6 Nov) Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. GA $10, concession $8. Two memorable exhibitions traverse the Pacific region, journeying into the history, art and soul of Oceania.
• Hard on the Heels: Capturing the All Blacks – Peter Bush (To 30 Nov) Museum of Wellington. Free.
• World of WearableArt™  Icons on Tour (1 Sep – 23 Oct) Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Get up close to historic, iconic WOW garments.
• The Black Boot Legends Gallery (To 1 Nov) Wellington Waterfront. Free.
• Four Flat Whites in Italy (3 Sep – 8 Nov) Circa Theatre. Tickets: www.circa.co.nz. Two typical Kiwi couples take off on an Italian trip of a lifetime, with many comical calamities!
• Laying Down the Challenge (3 Sep – 21 Oct) Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Free. Explores the haka and what it means for NZ.
• I, George Nepia (7 – 16 Sep) Circa Theatre. Tickets: www.circa.co.nz.
• Monster Burlesque (8 – 10 & 15 – 17 Sep) Paramount Theatre. Tickets: www.eventfinder.co.nz. GA $45, Concession $35, VIP $90. Plus booking fees. Comedy, dance, theatre and circus.
• New Zealand On Screen 2011 (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Wellington Waterfront. Free.
• Give It a Try (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Capital E. Tickets: $8 per person. An interactive digital rugby experience.
• Gerard Gargouil (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Wellington Town Hall. Free. French caricaturist Gerard Gargouil draws portraits of the French Rugby team and the All Blacks.
• A Game of Two Halves – The Art of the Cliché Exhibition (10 Sep – 16 Oct) Academy of Fine Arts Gallery. Artists and visitors are invited to engage in all manner of clichés.
• Under the Carter Stars (11 Sep – 9 Oct) Carter Observatory. Stories of navigation and migration.
• Black Grace presents Verse 2 (12 & 13 Sep) Wellington Opera House. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. $25 – $45.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (12 – 18 Sep) Civic Square. Free.
• Te Radar’s Eating The Dog (13 Sep – 1 Oct) Downstage, Corner of Courtenay Place & Kent Terrace. Tickets: www.downstage.co.nz. Part history lecture, part stand-up comedy, Te Radar’s take on NZ history is entertaining and insightful.
• Kowhiti Dance Showcase 2011 (15 – 17 Sep) Wellington Opera House. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. Maori and Pacific Island contemporary dance.
• Festival of Sails (17 Sep – 10 Oct) Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. Spectators free. Participants $40. Sailing events including opportunities to go sailing on Wellington’s beautiful harbour.
• New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Odes to Joy (22 Sep) Michael Fowler Centre. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. Adult $29 – $115 plus booking fees.
• Illuma (23 Sep – 9 Oct) Wellington Waterfront. Free. Buildings and structures around the waterfront area will be transformed with incredible light and colour.
• Village at the Park (23 Sep – 23 Oct) Village at the Park Retirement Complex. Free. Relive history or discover what made this ground so special in an evocative exhibition.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (25 Sep) Berhampore Golf Club. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz.
• New Zealand in Watercolour (29 Sep – 10 Oct) Michael Fowler Centre. Features watercolour paintings in a wide range of styles. Paintings are available on a ‘cash and carry’ basis.
• Miromoda Fashion Extravaganza (30 Sep) Queens Wharf Arena. Contemporary catwalk show featuring pieces by Maori fashion designers, Maori models and make-up artists alongside Maori music, art, jewellery and performing arts.
• REAL New Zealand Rural Sport 2011 Competition (1 & 2 Oct) Wellington Waterfront.
• Dancing in the Street (1 – 9 Oct) Wellington CBD. Free.
• INSIGHT: An Open Rehearsal at the New Zealand School of Dance (4 – 7 Oct) Te Whaea: National Dance and Drama Centre. Donation.
• An Evening with Cole Porter (7 Oct) Wellington Town Hall. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. $35 – $50, students $15, plus booking fees.
• New Zealand Rugby Foundation and the Centurions Charity Golf Day (7 Oct) Royal Wellington Golf Club. Entry fee: team of 4 $600, individual payers $150. Club hire is available. Register online.
• Arohanui – The Greatest Love (7 – 9 Oct) Wellington Opera House. Tickets available at: www.ticketek.co.nz.
• Brahmissimo! A Complete Brahms Experience (12 – 15 Oct) Michael Fowler Centre. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz.
• Sex Drive (15 Oct – 12 Nov) Circa Theatre. Tickets: www.circa.co.nz. Fast-paced comedy about three women in the Pack ‘n’ Pullet Poultry Factory.
• Diwali: Festival of Lights (16 Oct) Queens Wharf. Free.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Porirua

• The Migrating Kitchen at Pataka (To 27 Sep) Pataka Museum. Free. Ethnic communities showcase their culture, stories and cooking.
• Porirua City Festival (6 Sep – 16 Oct) Various locations around Porirua City. Free and ticketed events. Events include netball championships, concerts and the MAORI ART MARKet.
• MAORI ART MARKet (6 – 9 Oct) Te Rauparaha Arena. Tickets: www.maorimarket.com. New Zealand’s largest collection and sale of contemporary Maori art.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Upper Hutt

• Festival Trentham (7 Oct) Trentham. Free. Enjoy a celebration of racing alongside a festival of New Zealand music, culture, food and beverage.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Waikanae

• Small & Beautiful Takeaways (To 13 Nov) Mahara Gallery. An exhibition with live performances and art and craft showcasing the creativity of this beautiful coastal community.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Otaki

• Rahui Football Club: A Cultural Experience (24 Sep) Otaki Domain. Adults $5, family pass $10, children free. Rahui Football Club throws open its doors and turns on fabulous local hospitality with entertainment, kai (food) and Rugby. Featuring the Kapiti vs East Coast Heartland Championship game.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Wairarapa

• Wairarapa Spring & Rugby Festival (10 Sep – 9 Oct) Various locations around Wairarapa. Free and ticketed events. Showcasing country activities.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Masterton

• Wairarapa Vintage Wings & Wine (8 & 10 Oct) Hood Aerodrome. GA $155. Journey through aviation history while sampling the best of Wairarapa wine and food.

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Wellington & Wairarapa – Martinborough

• Martinborough Unmasked (10 & 11 Oct) Various locations. Free. Meet the people responsible for some of the region’s luxury food and wine.

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Marlborough – Blenheim

• Knights of the Sky (Daily) Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. Guided tours available. Individual tickets available at door. The world’s largest collection of World War One aircraft and rare memorabilia. The exhibition has been brought to life by Sir Peter Jackson (director of Lord of the Rings films) and the multi-award-winning Weta Workshop.
• Art Marlborough – Toi Wairau (7 Sep – 26 Oct) Millennium Art Gallery. Sourced from Marlborough collections, Art Marlborough is a unique opportunity for locals and visitors to learn the stories of Marlborough’s people, places and events through a wide range of art.
• Indulge Marlborough (30 Sep) Stadium 2000. Tickets: www.indulgemarlborough.co.nz. Limited to 2,000 tickets. Showcases New Zealand food, wine and fashion with a focus on the Marlborough region. Brings together fine cuisine, music from J. Williams, and three of New Zealand’s hottest fashion designers, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Kate Sylvester and Kathryn Wilson, who will showcase their latest collections (fresh from New Zealand Fashion Week) on the catwalk.

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Marlborough – Picton

• Cruise Into Picton (9 Sep – 24 Oct) Township and Foreshore London Quay. Free. Picton is an idyllic spot for kicking back and cruising. For six weeks over September and October, Cruise Into Picton gives you the opportunity to do just that with a full programme of events.
• Picton Spring Fest (17 & 18 Sep) Township and Foreshore London Quay. Free. A free, two-day event featuring Marlborough wine and seafood, hospitality, family activities, multi cultural entertainment, cooking demonstrations with celebrity and local chefs and a finale jazz soiree on Sunday evening. Top New Zealand bands including Cornerstone Roots, Rio Hemopo, Dukes and LA Mitchell will be playing.

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Nelson

• World of WearableArt® Museum and Icons on Tour (Daily) World of WearableArt® & Classic Cars Museum. Adults $22, children $8, seniors $16. Family concessions available. Step into the fantasy World of WearableArt® Gallery, where art is taken off the walls to adorn the body in wildly wonderful ways, and visit the Classic Car Gallery.
• Rugby – Celebrating Grassroots and All Blacks (To 31 Oct) Nelson Provincial Museum. Donation. Exhibition using images to celebrate our ongoing love of the game of Rugby.
• New Zealand On Screen (16 & 17 Sep) 1903 Square Trafalgar Street. Free.
• New Zealand Italian Festival (17 & 18 Sep) Air Nelson Hangar. Adults one-day pass $10, adults two-day pass $16, children (under 10 yrs) free. CiboArte Tickets: from $25. La Bella Italia presents a two-day extravaganza celebrating the best of Italy: food, wine, design, art, music and a spaghetti-eating competition.
• Wanderers Rugby Club Welcome (19 Sep) Wanderers Rugby Club. The Wanderers Senior Rugby Team plays an exhibition match against the Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club.
• Birthplace of Rugby in New Zealand – 1870 (20 Sep) Botanics Reserve. Free. A re-enactment of New Zealand’s first-ever game of Rugby will be a great occasion. The game will be followed by a procession through the oldest suburb in Nelson to Trafalgar Park for the Italy vs Russia Rugby World Cup 2011 match.
• New Zealand Rugby Foundation and the Buccaneers Charity Golf Day (23 Sep) Nelson Golf Links. Team of 4 $400, individual players $100. Club hire available. Register online.
• Oi You! 2011 (23 Sep – 24 Oct) Founders Heritage Park. Donations. A showcase of the best of Urban Art – the best from around the world, the best from NZ and the best from up-and-coming artists. For the first time in this country, 23 works by Banksy will be on display.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (24 Sep) Whakapuaka Wildlife Reserve. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz. The Great Living Legends Muck-In is 17 native tree-planting projects around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011. This planting site is dedicated to New Zealand rugby icon Todd Blackadder.
• The Nelson First XV Wine Competition and Events (25 –
  28 Sep) Various locations around Nelson. Various ticket prices. Blind tasting of aromatic wines from Italy, USA and the New Zealand region of Nelson – accompanied by a degustation dinner and other tasting events.
• Strange Resting Places (26 Sep) Whakatu Marae. Tickets: from Everyman Records. A play about the Maori Battalion and a commemoration of all those who died in World War II. It features the three universals that Maori shared with the Italians: whanau (family), food and song.
• Piki Mai – Digital Installation (7 – 24 Oct) Nelson Cathedral. Free. Piki Mai is a digital installation projected onto Nelson’s Cathedral. This visual spectacle will create illusion on a grand scale to tell Nelson’s story.
• Nelson Arts Festival (7 – 24 Oct) Upper Trafalgar Street. Prices vary. Book at www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz. For 14 years, the Nelson Arts Festival has offered locals and visitors 17 days of top national and international theatre, dance, cabaret, music and talks.
• Isel in Bloom (9 Oct) Isel Park. Free. A day of live music and dancing, stalls with delicious food, local crafts and produce and the chance to wander around the gardens and view some of the treasures inside historic Isel House.

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Nelson – Richmond

• The Richmond Festival (25 – 27 Oct) Richmond Town Centre. Free. A three-day celebration of cultural diversity and the sharing of differences and similarities, as the Nelson township of Richmond welcomes the American rugby team and fans.

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Nelson – Murchison

• New Zealand on Screen (15 Sep) Murchison Recreation Centre. Free. An engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience using a converted caravan as a storytelling vessel, celebrating screen icons
  that embody our stories.

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West Coast

• West Coast Whitebait Season Festival (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Various locations around the West Coast. The West Coast is famous for its stunning landscape, culture and warm hospitality, and what better way to experience all of these than by visiting during the whitebait season and tasting the local fare.
  
• The West Coast Whitebait Menu Challenge (9 Sep – 28 Oct) Various locations around the West Coast. Bookings may be necessary at some restaurants. The West Coast is the heart of whitebait territory and visitors to Rugby World Cup 2011 will have the challenge (and the pleasure) of becoming world-famous whitebait judges as restaurants and eateries present special menus featuring the much-loved New Zealand delicacy.

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West Coast – Hokitika

• WHITEBAIT! The Story of New Zealand’s Favourite Fish (9 Sep – 14 Nov) Hokitika Museum. Catching whitebait has been described as more addictive than searching for gold. This exhibition explores the world of this tiny fish, the people who catch them and the almost legendary culture that has grown around it.
• New Zealand On Screen (21 Sep) West Coast Historical Museum, 17 Hamilton Street. Free. An engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience using a converted caravan as a storytelling vessel, celebrating screen icons that embody our stories and the Kiwi spirit.

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West Coast – Punakaiki

• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (1 Oct) Coastal Restoration Project site. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz The Great Living Legends Muck-In is 17 native tree-planting projects around New Zealand during Rugby World Cup 2011. This planting site is dedicated to New Zealand Rugby icon John Sturgeon.

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West Coast – Westport

• New Zealand On Screen (18 Sep) NBS Theatre, 105 Palmerston Street. Free. A converted caravan becomes a storytelling vessel, celebrating screen icons that embody New Zealand stories and the Kiwi spirit.

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West Coast – Greymouth

• New Zealand On Screen (19 Sep) Greymouth Railway Station. Free. Visit this converted caravan to sample an engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience  that celebrates Kiwi screen icons.

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Kaikoura

• Kaikoura Seafest (1 Oct) Takahanga Domain. Bookings essential. Annual festival of local wine and food and a celebration of the abundance of the ocean and all it represents for the Kaikoura region on the northern Canterbury coast.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Christchurch

• Hard on the Heels: Capturing the All Blacks – Peter Bush (To 6 Nov) Robert McDougall Gallery at Canterbury Museum. Drawn from rugby photographer Peter Bush’s vast library of photographs.
• Christchurch Arts Festival (To 2 Oct) Various locations. Tickets available at: www.artsfestival.co.nz. A showcase of the best theatre, dance and music from Canterbury, from around New Zealand and overseas.
• World of WearableArt™ Icons on Tour (1 Sep – 23 Oct) Canterbury Museum. Get up close to an historic  iconic WOW garment, inspired by New Zealand stories, landscape, history and culture. The Christchurch garment featured is Rattle Your Dags by Paula Coulthard and Ursula Dixon. Artist backdrop is Hawkduns by Grahame Sydney.
• Christchurch Fanzone (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Events Village, North Hagley Park. Free. The centrepiece of Rugby World Cup 2011 in Christchurch is the Official Fanzone at Events Village in North Hagley Park. The Fanzone is made up of ‘The Ruck’ and ‘Stadium Christchurch’, including big screens, bars, local bands, live performances, food vendors and a stage for entertainment. It will be operating for the duration of the Tournament with all 48 matches screened live.
• Fanzone Florals and Topiary Animal Sculptures (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Hagley Park. Free. Throughout the tournament there will be a range of festival performances and community entertainment for locals and visitors to enjoy as well as the rugby.
• Eastern Suburbs Community Fanzones (10, 17, 24 Sep & 2 Oct) Eastern areas of Christchurch that were badly affected by the February 22 earthquake. Each weekend of Pool Play, a mobile fanzone will travel to an east Christchurch venue with music, entertainment and rugby.
• Phoenix Foundation (16 & 17 Sep, 10pm) TelstraClear Club, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. A glorious factory of a band that keeps churning out exceptional music, Phoenix Foundation has carved out a niche as one of the most loved bands in New Zealand with their innovative, melodic pop-rock gems.
• Strange Resting Places (17 Sep) Nga Hau E Wha Marae. Tickets:
  www.artsfestival.co.nz. A play about the Maori Battalion and a commemoration of all those who died in the war.
• Royal New Zealand Ballet: Tutus on Tour (17 Sep, 7:30pm & 18 Sep, 2:30pm & 7:30pm) Villa Maria College Auditorium. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. The Royal New Zealand Ballet presents a full length production of Pinocchio together with Verdi Variations. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• SALON (20 Sep – 1 Oct) Ginger Meggs Salon, Avonhead, Christchurch. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. A site-specific theatre production set in a real hair salon. Head stylist Hugh has ridden the highs and lows of the world of hair design and tonight’s after-hours session will change his life forever. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• C’mon Black (22 Sep, 6:30pm) Aranui High School Theatre. Tickets: $20,
  www.artsfestival.co.nz.
• Fathers and Sons (23 Sep, 6:30pm & 24 Sep, 7:30pm) TelstraClear Club, Events Village, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20. www.artsfestival.co.nz. Passing the mantle of one’s trade to the younger generation is one of the most poignant passages in the relationship between father and son. The audience are invited into the exchanges between some of NZ’s most creative souls. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• Richard Nunns (24 Sep, 1pm) TelstraClear Club, Events Village, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. One of New Zealand’s most remarkable musicians, Richard Nunns is a living authority on taonga puoro – Maori traditional instruments.
• C’mon Black (24 Sep, 6:30pm)] Elmwood Community Auditorium. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz.
• Footnote: Made in New Zealand (24 Sep, 7pm & 25 Sep, 6:30pm) Geo Dome, Events Village, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. Fresh from London and Antwerp, Footnote Dance brings a new Made in New Zealand programme to the Festival featuring work from leading Kiwi creatives Julia Milsom, Lyne Pringle, Malia Johnston and Victoria Columbus. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• Mike Nock Trio (25 Sep, 1pm) TelstraClear Club, Events Village, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. Christchurch-born pianist and composer Mike Nock is at the forefront of Australasian jazz. He is joined in this concert by two of Australia’s elite young musicians, bassist Ben Waples and drummer James Waples.
• C’mon Black (25 Sep, 6:30pm) TelstraClear Club, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz.
• The Body Festival of Dance and Physical Theatre [23 Sep – 16 Oct] Hagley Park. Christchurch’s annual dance festival. For 2011, a highlight will be an outdoor cultural spectacle.
• DanceSport New Zealand and IDSF International Open Championships (24 & 25 Sep) CBS Canterbury Arena. Top-ranked ballroom dance couples from Europe, Australia and New Zealand will showcase the diversity, athleticism and glamour of ballroom dance.
• Christchurch Memorial (25 Sep) Air Force Museum, Wigram. Tickets: General Admission $20. www.artsfestival.co.nz. Christchurch Memorial is a stirring brass band and percussion concert in commemoration of all that Canterbury has experienced.  The concert will feature top New Zealand brass band, Woolston Brass Band, and premiere percussion group, Strike. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• Footnote Dance – Roll Out the Red Carpet (25 Sep) Hagley Park Fanzone. Free. Six dancers from Footnote Dance will spontaneously ‘roll out the red carpet’ in a public space.
• New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Odes to Joy (27 Sep) CBS Canterbury Arena. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz.
• The Bellbirds (30 Sep, 6:30pm) TelstraClear Club, Events Village, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. A collaboration of top New Zealand musicians Victoria Kelly, Sandy Mills, Sean Donnelly (SJD) and Don McGlashan. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• Songs to Leave Behind (1 & 2 Oct, 10pm) TelstraClear Club, Events Village, Hagley Park. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. Three of New Zealand’s finest singer songwriters, Don McGlashan, Anna Coddington and Julia Deans lay their hearts and voices on the line. Part of Christchurch Arts Festival.
• New Zealand On Screen (8 – 23 Oct) Hagley Park. Free.
• C’mon Black (23 Sep) Elmwood Auditorium, Merivale. Tickets: $20,
  www.artsfestival.co.nz. 

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Darfield

• Darfield Artweek Festival – A Trio of Art Exhibitions (8 – 27 Oct) Various locations around Darfield. This year Darfield Art Week celebrates its 30th birthday with two special exhibitions at Selwyn Gallery, as well as the traditional showcase of nearly 400 works from local artists at the Darfield Recreation Centre.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Rangiora

• New Zealand on Screen (13 Sep) Rangiora Service Centre, High Street. Free.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Kaiapoi

• Kaiapoi Heritage Week (10 – 16 Oct) Various locations around Kaiapoi. Kaiapoi’s Heritage Week has a range of events including local auction house valuing heirlooms, an exhibition hockey match, a themed banquet, period street dressing, quizzes and a bone dig.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Arthur's Pass

• New Zealand On Screen (22 Sep) Arthur’s Pass Store, State Highway 73. Free.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Akaroa

• French Festival 2011 (28 –30 Oct) Akaroa Streets & Recreation Ground. Free. Akaroa is New Zealand’s only French settlement. Celebrate Akaroa’s unique French connection with a street party, parade, powhiri, flag raising and all-day market day, a ball and open air movie, and cricket on the village green.
• C’mon Black (22 Sep) Gaiety Hall, Akaroa. Tickets: $20, www.artsfestival.co.nz. This brand new revival of C’mon Black! Features the stellar talent of Gavin Rutherford as rugby-mad South Island dairy farmer Dickie Hart on his ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trip to see the All Blacks win Rugby World Cup 2005. This performance is part of the Christchurch Arts Festival.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Methven

• Mt Olympus Back to Reality Festival (9 – 24 Sep) Various locations around Mt Olympus. The Mt Olympus Back to Reality Festival includes music, culture and sport with the Mel Parsons and the Rhythm Kings Alpine Concert, alpine curling and the Big Mountain Competition – free-skiing and boarding.
• Mt Hutt Spring Festival (8 – 16 Oct) Methven Town Centre. Free. An action-packed week of events up on the mountain and down in the town. Bookended by Methven Big Air and Peak to Pub mountain activities include the world record attempt at the largest number of snowboarders in a race; the comical Downhill Dummy Race; the Pro-Star Uphill/Downhill Race; and the infamous Pond Skim.
• Frost Buster 2011 (29 Oct) McLennans Bush Road & Rakaia Gorge Bridge. Held at the base of the Southern Alps in Mid Canterbury. Includes a Multisport and a Duathalon Concourse. The running/cycling legs run along the foothills of the Southern Alps, through dairy, sheep and crop farmland. The kayaking leg is on one of the largest braided rivers in New Zealand, the Rakaia.

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Christchurch & Canterbury – Timaru

• Art Rocks Festival (23 – 25 Sep) Te Ana Ngai Tahu Rock Art Centre. The Art Rocks Festival celebrates southern heritage, culture and creativity and is centred on the theme of Maori rock art.
• New Zealand On Screen (4 & 5 Oct) Timaru i-SITE Visitor Centre, 2 George Street. Free. An engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience using a converted caravan as a storytelling vessel, celebrating screen icons that embody the Kiwi spirit.

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Mount Cook & Mackenzie – Tekapo

• Mt John Observatory and Champagne Under the Stars (Sep – Oct, daily) Mt John, Godley Peaks Road. www.newzealandsky.com. Lake Tekapo is renowned as having one the most spectacular night skies in the world and may soon be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join a Sunset and Stargazing Tour and toast the beauty of the starlit sky with a complimentary glass of Champagne.

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Dunedin & Otago – Dunedin

• Hard on the Heels: Capturing the All Blacks – Peter Bush (To 9 Nov) Otago Museum. Free.
• Play Off (To 1 Oct) Blue Oyster Art Project Space. Free. NZ artists examine the culture of Rugby in New Zealand.
• World of WearableArt™ Icons on Tour (1 Sep – 23 Oct) Otago Museum. Free.
• Celebrate Hidden Dunedin (9 Sep – 7 Oct) Various locations around Dunedin. Free and ticketed events. Celebrate the unique aspects Dunedin – from being a city of learning to a city that embraces food, fashion, wildlife, heritage, innovation and fun.
• Dunedin Celtic Arts Festival (10 Sep – 1 Oct) Various locations around Dunedin. Free and ticketed events. Celebrates Dunedin’s Celtic heritage through music, art, performance and culture in the Scotland of NZ.
• Southern Sinfonia – Last Night of the Proms (22 Sep) Dunedin Town Hall. Tickets: book at www.ticketdirect.co.nz. The acclaimed Southern Sinfonia presents traditional Proms items.
• Rural 7s and Country Fair Day (25 Sep) Middlemarch Showgrounds. Adults $5, children (under 15) free, train ride and entry $80. Watch the Heartland Sevens, while sampling local cuisine.
• The Great Living Legends Muck-In (25 Sep) Orokonui Scenic Reserve. Register online at www.livinglegends.co.nz. This planting site is dedicated to NZ Rugby icon Kees Meeuws.
• New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Odes to Joy (28 Sep) Dunedin Town Hall. Tickets: www.ticketdirect.co.nz.
• Glenfalloch Spring Festival of Art (30 Sep – 2 Oct) Glenfalloch Woodland Garden. Adults $5, children free. Bookings essential for high tea: 03 476 1006. Contemporary indoor and outdoor artworks from the many artists in Dunedin. The works celebrate this garden of national significance.
• Strange Resting Places (1 Oct) Araiteuru Marae. Full $25, concession $20, child $15. Tickets: www.fortunetheatre.co.nz.
• Port Chalmers Seafood Festival (1 Oct) Port Otago. Brings the freshest, locally caught seafood and prepares it, right on the wharf, in contemporary and traditional ways.
• New Zealand On Screen (1 Oct) Port Otago, Beach Street. Free.
• New Zealand On Screen (2 Oct) George Street Festival Hub. Free.
• The Truth Game (7 – 29 Oct) Fortune Theatre. Tickets: www.fortunetheatre.co.nz. A fast-paced contemporary New Zealand drama about ambition, love, loyalty and betrayal.
• 2011 Autospectacular (14 & 15 Oct) A display of classic and rare vehicles.

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Dunedin & Otago – Central Otago

• Jazz ‘n’ Jocks – A Quintessential Central Otago Tour (16 & 17 Sep) Various locations around Central Otago. This two-day Central Otago festival features events ranging from a jazz soiree with local musicians, historic art deco, fine wines and great local produce to curling and Rugby.

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Dunedin & Otago – Alexandra

• Alexandra Blossom Festival (23 Sep – 15 Oct) Various locations around Alexandra. Tickets: www.centralotagonz.com, www.blossom.co.nz. Marks the arrival of spring with three weeks of fun and entertainment.
• The International New Zealand Merino Shearing and Wool Handling Championships (30 Sep – 1 Oct) Molyneux Park Stadium. Competition: free admission. Finals: door sales. Witness the skill, speed and athleticism of top Kiwi shearers and wool handlers as they compete against the clock, the sheep and each other.

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Dunedin & Otago – Cromwell

• New Zealand Gold Panning Championships and Markets (30 Oct) Old Cromwell Historic Precinct. Competitors $5 – $20, spectators free. Come along and try your hand at panning for gold, then enjoy an old-fashioned day at the fair in the of Old Cromwell.

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Dunedin & Otago – Roxburgh

• Scottish Week (10 – 18 Sep) Various locations around Central Otago – Roxburgh & Teviot Gallery. Free and ticketed events. Events include brass bands, pipe bands and bagpipes, a golf tournament where the wearing of kilts is encouraged, a Ceilidh with Gaelic folk music, Scottish country dancing and a Haggis Ceremony.

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Dunedin & Otago – Naseby

• Maniototo Museum: Sporting Heroes Exhibition (9 Sep – 9 Oct) Jubilee Museum. The Maniototo Museum’s Sporting Heroes Exhibition honours celebrated locals.

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Dunedin & Otago – Lawrence

• Daffodil Dayze & Carnivale (3 Sep – 30 Nov) Hart’s Black Horse Brewery, Weatherston. An old world carnival celebrating the region’s history and culture is the culmination of the three-month Daffodil Dayze daffodil display. REAL New Zealand Carnival Dayze on 25 September is a day of entertainment, food and fun.

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Dunedin & Otago – Oamaru

• The Janet Frame House (9 Sep – 23 Oct) Janet Frame House,
  56 Eden Street. Admission $5. Explore the Janet Frame House in Otago, where this remarkable New Zealand writer spent her formative years and first learnt to love the English language.
• Waitaki Golden Oldies Rugby Festival 2011 (30 Sep – 2 Oct) Centennial Park. Join former international and local Rugby players from New Zealand and abroad as more than 40 teams battle it out on the Rugby field.
• New Zealand On Screen (3 Oct) Tourism Waitaki i-SITE. Free. Engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience using a converted caravan as storytelling vessels, celebrating screen icons that embody our stories and the Kiwi spirit.

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Wanaka

• New Zealand On Screen (24 & 25 Sep) Wanaka i-SITE Visitor Centre, 100 Ardmore Street. Free. An engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience using a converted caravan as a storytelling vessel, celebrating screen icons that embody our stories and the Kiwi spirit.
• Wanakafest (19 – 23 Oct) Pembroke Park, Wanaka. Free. Wanakafest, in the beautiful Otago lakeside town of Wanaka, is a fun family festival providing a jam-packed programme of events with something for everyone.
• Wanaka Wine & Food Festival (22 & 23 Oct) Pembroke Park, Wanaka. Free, wine and beer glasses are $20 for four tastings. The Lake Wanaka community invites you to a two-day celebration of delicious local wine and food, set against the stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains and a shining lake.

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Queenstown

• Queenstown Festival: Matches Made in Heaven (1 Sep – 23 Oct) Various locations around Queenstown. A range of events featuring wine, food and art with developed organisations and operators in the Queenstown area whose passion is to give you an experience you’ll never forget.
• Classic All Blacks vs French Classics match (18 Sep) Queenstown Recreation Ground. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. Grandstand tickets $25, General Admission $12, plus booking fees. Revel in the passion, the flair and the inevitable blood, sweat and tears as Classic All Blacks take on the French Classics in Queenstown. The Classics team comprises former All Blacks, many still playing overseas.
• Central Otago Pinot Experience (22 Sep) Gibbston Valley of Vines. Tickets: www.ticketek.co.nz. An amazing Central Otago Pinot Noir wine experience all packed into one day. Meet winemakers and take part in a grand tasting of pinot noirs with winery lunches in the picturesque Gibbston Valley.
• New Zealand On Screen (26 & 27 Sep) Earnslaw Park, 78 Beach Road. Free. An engaging, surprising (and fun!) interactive experience using a converted caravan as a storytelling vessel, celebrating screen icons that embody our stories and the Kiwi spirit.
• Queenstown Festival: Taste Queenstown (8, 9, 15 & 16 Oct) Earnslaw Park. The Queenstown Lakes region in Otago is a Mecca for creative New Zealanders. Taste Queenstown, a mini food, wine and art festival, is a celebration of the riches of this creative community.
• Queenstown Festival: Queenstown JazzFest (21 – 25 Oct) Various locations around Queenstown. Tickets: www.queenstownjazzfest.co.nz. A five-day live music celebration featuring a sensational line up of bands and performers from both New Zealand and overseas with a programme of cool blues, big band swing, funky R&B, vibrant Latin sounds, Dixie bands and jazz-influenced dance music.

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Southland – Invercargill

• World of WearableArt™ Icons on Tour (1 Sep – 23 Oct) Southland Museum and Art Gallery. Free. Get up close to an historic, iconic WOW garment, inspired by New Zealand’s authentic stories, landscape, history and culture. The Invercargill garment will be Huia by Andrea Clinton. Artist backdrop is Huia & Egg by Sally Burton.
• A Taste of Southland (8 – 18 Sep) Invercargill City Centre. Free. The streets of Invercargill come alive with music, theatre, markets and delicious local produce including, naturally, the world-famous Bluff oysters.
• New Zealand On Screen (28 & 29 Sep) Wachner Park. Free.

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Southland – Bluff

• Savour Bluff Oysters (9 Sep to as long as the oysters last!) Bluff, Southland. Tickets available at: www.southlandnz.com.

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Southland – Gore

• Vintage Aircraft Adventure (Daily) Old Mandeville Airfield. See: www.croydonaircraft.com for details. Mandeville Airfield is New Zealand’s oldest aerodrome and has planes from the 1930s era, open workshops and acrobatic joy rides.
• The People’s Republic of State Highway 94 (1 Aug – 23 Oct) State Highway 94, from Gore to Te Anau. Adults $15 per trail pack (including RWC 2011 Passport). An arts and heritage trail from Gore to Queenstown bringing out the quirky and endearing stories of local inventors, prospectors, bootleggers, artists, shearers and aviators.
• New Zealand On Screen (30 Sep) Triangle/Brown Trout Reserve. Free.

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