New year, new line-up of events. Here’s a rundown of some of the best events and festivals around New Zealand for your 2025 plans, writes Mauriz Coronel.
January
SOUNDSPLASH
When: January 17 to 19, 2025
Where: Wainui Reserve, Raglan
Your guide to New Zealand's best 2025 events
Fill your calendars with fun and meaningful events around New Zealand this 2025. Photo / Laneway Festival NZ
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Start the year at the best family-friendly summer music festival, Soundsplash. Known for its eco-conscious ethos, Soundsplash combines great music with a laid-back coastal vibe, perfect for those who want a fresh start to the year. The three-day event is jam-packed with talented performances, art, workshops, games, delicious food, and classic camping fun. - soundsplash.co.nz
TOAST MARTINBOROUGH
When: January 19, 2025
Where: Multiple wineries in Martinborough
Toast Martinborough - previously held in November - is making an iconic summer comeback this January to bring a new and refreshed experience to the wine scene. The premier wine and food festival set in the beautiful wineries in of Martinborough celebrates the region’s exquisite wines, paired with gourmet food and vibrant live music. Apart from its delicious offerings, Toast 2025 is introducing a new attraction to its guests: the Festival Road, a picturesque, 2.5km walkable route connecting the festival’s six key winery sites: Ata Rangi, Tirohana Estate, Poppies, Moy Hall, Luna, and The Runholder. This traffic-free road grants access to walk from one vineyard to another, exploring flavours and scenery. Only 6000 tickets will be available for Toast Martinborough 2025, so don’t miss out. - toast martinborough.co.nz
AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY DAY REGATTA
When: January 27, 2025
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Where: Waitematā Harbour
As an ode to the city’s maritime heritage, the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta is a must-see event for sailing enthusiasts. The Auckland Regatta is one of the world’s largest and most historic single-day regattas, featuring tall ships, gaff riggers, classic yachts and launches, modern keelers and multihulls, sailing dinghies, radio controlled boats, waka ama, dragonboats and tugboats racing throughout the day. The 2025 is an extra special celebration, as it marks the 185th edition of the festival. regatta.org.nz
February
LANEWAY FESTIVAL
When: February 6, 2025
Where: Western Springs, Auckland
Every summer, Laneway Festival serves up a one-day extravaganza for music lovers. The festival features a mix of indie, pop, and electronic acts, with global icons such as Charli XCX, indie star Beabadoobee, and alternative pop artist Clairo. This year’s event is also giving a stage to emerging talents like British neo-soul artist Olivia Dean and electronic duo BICEP with their dynamic DJ set. The Laneway festival promises a full day jam-packed with exciting performances. - lanewayfestival.com
MARLBOROUGH WINE AND FOOD
When: February 8, 2025
Where: Renwick Domain, Marlborough
Summer is almost synonymous with good wine and food, and when you talk about the best wines in the country, Marlborough Wine and Food Festival will always find its way into the conversation. Often billed as New Zealand’s premier wine event, Marlborough Wine and Food Festival is the quintessential celebration of the region’s finest wines and cuisine. From sampling local wines and meeting the experts behind each blend, to learning about wine and food pairings at a masterclasse, this event is a classic summer staple for wine enthusiasts. - marlboroughwinefestival.com
NAPIER ART DECO FESTIVAL
When: February 13-16, 2025
Where: Multiple locations in Napier
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Step back in time at Napier’s iconic Art Deco Festival, where the streets of Hawke’s Bay come alive with 1930s elegance. The Art Deco Festival is world-renowned for its iconic vintage style, but more than its aesthetics, the festival is a testament to the resilience and spirit of its community after the 1931 earthquake. With it, a time travelling festival is born, showcasing signature aesthetics of the era. The four-day festival is packed with a ton of activities, from vintage cocktail evenings and world-class jazz performances to classic film showings, as well as Art Deco dining and vintage car displays. - artdecofestival.co.nz
March
WILDFOODS FESTIVAL
When: March 8, 2025
Where: Cass Square, Hokitika
Quite possibly the only event that gives weird and wonderful food a highlight, the Wildfoods Festival in Hokitika is an annual event that showcases the West Coast’s unique culinary offerings and adventurous spirit. There are three stars in this festival: the uniquely weird cuisine, live performances from local talent, and an entertaining feral fashion show where festival goers wear their wildest outfits. From huhu grubs to venison and edible plants found in the bush, this one-of-a-kind event is a chance to sample New Zealand’s untamed flavours. - wildfoods.co.nz
WOMAD
When: March 14-16, 2025
Where: Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park, New Plymouth
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Featuring artists from across the globe, WOMAD is an internationally renowned festival that blends musical performances, workshops, and cultural exchanges of artists from around the world together for a weekend. WOMAD is dedicated to bringing experiences from multiple countries and cultures together, in a setting where everyone respects and celebrates the craft that each individual brings. Attendees can participate in interactive activities like artist-led workshops, or experience the Global Village where authentic cuisine, art and fashion is showcased from all over the world. - womad.co.nz
BALLOONS OVER WAIKATO
When: March 18-22, 2025
Where: Innes Common Hamilton
Hamilton’s skies come alive with colour during the annual event, Balloons Over Waikato. This free festival showcases magnificent hot air balloons, including special shapes, set against scenic backdrops. The 2025 rendition of the event offers two ways to enjoy the craft of hot air ballooning: the morning flying events at Innes Common Hamilton, and the annual highlight, the Zuru Nightglow at Claudelands Oval, which showcases illuminated balloons, live music, and a fireworks display. - balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz
April
The Food Show 2025
When: April 4-6, 2025
Where: Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch
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April provides an exciting headstart to food shows that will populate NZ throughout the year. Starting in Christchurch in April, New Zealand’s premier food event, The Food Show, tours the country in 2025, showcasing culinary innovations and local flavours. It then moves to Auckland from July 24-27 at Auckland Showgrounds and then to Wellington from August 29-31 at Sky Stadium, bringing cooking demonstrations, gourmet products, and kitchen essentials. Meet local and international chefs and indulge in their creations at this ultimate foodie event. - foodshow.co.nz
May
AUCKLAND WRITERS FESTIVAL
When: May 13-18, 2025
Where: Aotea Centre, Auckland CBD
Bookworms, unite. Literature enthusiasts will gather in Auckland for the Auckland Writers Festival, bringing together acclaimed contemporary fiction and non-fiction authors, scientists, economists, poets, journalists and thinkers from New Zealand and beyond for discussions, workshops, and book signings. Get ready to explore diverse themes and engage with literary legends. - writersfestival.co.nz
STEAMPUNK NZ FESTIVAL
When: May 29 to June 02, 2025
Where: Oamaru, NZ
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Come one, come all! The annual Steampunk NZ Festival is ready to amaze its participants with this year’s theme, “Circus in Time”. Dive into the world of riotous colour, unleash your creative side, and swap trinkets on this four-day event at Oamaru. You can create your own cabinet of curiosities, concoct miracle potions, and strut your steampunk stuff at the festival’s fashion show. Tune in to their website for more announcements on their main programme and major events. – steampunk.org.nz
June
GAZLEY VOLKSWAGEN WELLINGTON MARATHON
When: June 29, 2025
Where: Sky Stadium, Wellington
Runners, start your engines as the capital city’s favourite foot race commences in June at the Sky Stadium. Around 4000 runners and walkers from different places line up to catch a glimpse of Wellington’s breathtaking waterfront view and tackle a 42k, 21k, or 10k run. If you have kids, they can also feel the joy of running and participate in the Kids’ Magic Mile. – wellingtonmarathon.co.nz
July
NZ International Film Festival
When: TBA
Where: TBA
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NZIFF returns for another glorious year of uniting the world through film. Featuring national and international masterpieces from seasoned and aspiring filmmakers all around the world, NZIFF 2025 is still in the works but here’s a recap of NZIFF 2024 to know what to expect. NZIFF 2024 screened 83 feature films and 17 shorts films across ten cities in Aotearoa. For five weeks, a total of 90,000+ cinema-goers enjoyed free talks, events, workshops, and panel discussions as part of the NZIFF Engage programme. For next year’s film festival, the NZIFF organisation is looking to add more locations. – nziff.co.nz
MARLBOROUGH BOOK FESTIVAL
When: July 18 to 20, 2025
Where: TBA
Gather up, bookworms! The Marlborough Book Festival returns to continue its annual literary get-together. Meet some of New Zealand’s finest authors, engage in a myriad of literary perspectives and participate in insightful discussions. This coming winter, enjoy a warm and cosy gathering where the readers are the main characters. More information will be available on the website soon. – marlboroughbookfest.co.nz
GREAT NZ FOOD SHOW
When: July 5-6, 2025
Where: Claudelands Events Centre, Hamilton
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Indulging in good food is always a great time. Catch the latest products, from gourmet dishes to exquisite wines and spirits. Meet talented local chefs and immerse yourself in hands-on culinary experience from industry experts. - greatnzfoodshow.co.nz
August
WELLINGTON ON A PLATE
When: TBA
Where: TBA
Full details for Visa Wellington On a Plate 2025 are yet to be served, so here’s a glimpse of the 2024 event with the theme, “Play with your Food”. Foodies across Greater Wellington had fun letting their palates play around with different tastes and exquisite dishes–especially in the much-anticipated Burger Wellington competition. Expect more details on their website soon. – visawoap.com
September
ALEXANDRA BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
When: September 26 to 28, 2025
Where: Alexandra, Central Otago, NZ
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New Zealand’s longest-running festival will return next spring. Catch the 68th Blossom Festival and marvel at the spectacular springtime scenery in Alexandra–from colourful parades, a race around the clock on a hill, to cheering for princes, princesses, and veteran queens. – https://www.blossom.co.nz/
October
WORLD OF WEARABLE ART
When: September 18 to October 05, 2025
Where: TSB Arena, Wellington
Be amazed and exclaim “WOW!” to an experience of a lifetime, where art knows no bounds. There are always six section themes; Aotearoa, Avant-garde and Open, plus three unique themes which will be announced nearer the time. Immerse yourself in a world like no other, featuring fashion, theatre, music, and performance all in one. Don’t miss New Zealand’s quintessential gathering of creatives and enthusiasts. – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/
NELSON ARTS FESTIVAL
When: TBA
Where: TBA
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October is a rich month for creatives as Nelson holds its own annual arts festival during this time. Witness the awe-inspiring, audacious, and accessible works of over 200 artists displayed and performed across the city for 10 to 12 days. Enjoy local and international acts and works featuring the diverse communities. It’s a “pay what you can” system, so be sure to show your appreciation. – nelsonartsfestival.nz
November
TARANAKI GARDEN FESTIVAL
When: Dates TBC
Where: Plymouth International Hotel & surrounds
Welcome spring with open arms by indulging in a relaxing walk amongst the glorious gardens at the Taranaki Garden Festival. Visitors can celebrate spring for ten days by enjoying diverse landscapes, from serene native sanctuaries to urban food forests and tropical oases. Guests will meet the owners and gardeners who have honed their craft and discuss the beauty of gardening. Aside from guided tours, the festival also offers enriching workshops, botanical masterclasses, gardening sessions, and charming high teas. - gardenfestnz.co.nz
December
RHYTHM AND VINES and RHYTHM AND ALPS
When: December 2025
Where: Gisborne and Cardrona Valley
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What better way to welcome the new year than by pumping it up at these year-end epic music festivals. Every year, Kiwis and visitors from other parts of the globe groove into the rhythm and say cheers to the new year. Catch Rhythm and Vines at Gisborne, and Rhythm and Alps at Cardrona Valley. Stay tuned for a roster of amazing performances and banger line-ups. – rhythmandvines.co.nz and rhythmandalps.co.nz
