Choosing the best of the Kiwi festivals for 2017

The Hot 8 Brass Band. Photo / Derek Bridges

Leila George looks at the best of the Kiwi festivals for 2017.

Don't let the back-to-work blues kill your holiday vibe. Travel has run an eye over the Kiwi festivals coming up in the year ahead and offers these tantalising events for you to look forward to.

MUSSEL FESTIVAL - COROMANDEL
February 5
This year's line up features: mussel fritters, mussels steamed with sauces, grilled half-shell mussels, mussels in chowder and crowd favourite: battered mussels. Oh and there's some music playing too ...

NORTH CANTERBURY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL - WAIPARA
March 12

Explore one of New Zealand's most-loved wine and food regions for the chance to meet local winemakers and harvesters and take in fabulous entertainment, food and drink.

The North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival. Photo / Derek Bridges

WOMAD - NEW PLYMOUTH
March 17-19
Taranaki locals are adamant their annual celebration of music from around the globe gets the country's best weather. This year's line-up includes ska heroes the Specials, Brazil's Bebel Gilberto, the Hanoi Masters and the fantastic Hot 8 Brass Band, from New Orleans.

SOUTHERN LAKES FESTIVAL OF COLOUR - WANAKA
April 4-9
The Southern Lakes biennial celebration of the arts brings a series of performances, lectures and exhibitions to one of our most beautiful regions.

BEERVANA - WELLINGTON
August 11-12
We're still not convinced the concourse of the capital city's Cake Tin stadium is the best place to host a major event, but Beervana pretty much pulls it off. The country's leading beer festival caps a busy week of hop celebration in Wellington, with the Road to Beervana bringing a series of tastings, pop ups and takeovers to the town.

CHRISTCHURCH ARTS FESTIVAL
August 30-September 17
The Christchurch Arts Festival is a terrific reason to head south for a taste of arts and entertainment by international and New Zealand performers and artists.

The Wanaka Festival of Light and Colour. Photo / Derek Bridges

TOAST MARTINBOROUGH
November 19

One of our prettiest little towns hosts one of our best established festivals with local wineries and food producers from around New Zealand.