TSB Bank Festival of Lights - Taranaki
19 December 2009 – 7 February 2010
Pukekura Park, a 52ha domain with majestic trees, unusual planting, waterfalls and lakes provides a dramatic backdrop for this lighting festival in the heart of New Plymouth. Since 1993, the annual light festival has been attracting visitors to Taranaki but the origins of the festival date back to 1953 when a lighted fountain was installed to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth ll. This season’s entertainment highlight is the only New Zealand performance by Fleetwood Mac.
Festival of Lights

Rhythm & Vines - Gisborne, Eastland
29 December 2009 – 1 January 2010
This popular New Zealand festival is internationally famous as ‘the place to be’ for the dawning of a new year, Rhythm & Vines is held in a vineyard near Gisborne, on New Zealand’s east coast – the first place in the world to see the sun each day. A crowd of 20,000 gathers for the three-day outdoor festival to hear bands from all over the world and see the new year in. Top emerging and established rock, roots, jazz and dance artists perform on the Waiohika Estate’s four natural amphitheatres.
Rhythm & Vines

Black Barn Open Air cinema - Hawke’s Bay
27 – 30 December 2009 / 2 – 6 January 2010
One of New Zealand’s best known vineyards – Black Barn – in the foothills of Te Mata Peak, Hawke’s Bay, has become a popular outdoor venue where, for nine summer nights, a big screen shows popular movies. Movie-goers can relax on grassed terraces with a glass of wine, sample local fare provided by the in-house caterers or picnic with friends while they watch.
Black Barn

Parihaka International Peace Festival - Taranaki
8 – 10 January 2010
This festival celebrates the vision and example of Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi, the founders of Parihaka – a small Maori settlement on the Taranaki coast, 55km south west of New Plymouth. Situated in a volcanic landscape, the unassuming village is a site of major historical, cultural and political importance in New Zealand. The 2010 festival celebrates its fifth anniversary.
Parihaka Peace Festival

Waka Ama Sprint Nationals 2010 - Waikato
12 – 16 January 2010
Up to 3000 paddlers, from 7 to 70 years, will descend on Lake Karapiro, on the Waikato river, for the Waka Ama – or outrigger canoe event – that’s the biggest Waka Ama event in the world. There will be 320 races in distances ranging from 250m to 1500m. This is the venue for the world rowing championships from 31 October to 7 November 2010.
Waka Ama New Zealand

World Buskers Festival - Christchurch, Canterbury
21 – 31 January 2010
Street theatre, circus and comedy artists will perform more than 500 live shows, day and night, in Cathedral Square and the streets of Christchurch during the 18th annual buskers festival. The 10-day event which has a ‘expect the unexpected’ theme, attracts more than 300,000 visitors to Christchurch, New Zealand’s garden city. The 2009 festival boasts top acts from the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Japan, Israel, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.
World Buskers Festival

Under 19 Cricket World Cup - throughout New Zealand
Begins 10 January 2010
The 16-team ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup will be held throughout New Zealand with defending champions India starting against qualifiers Afghanistan at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Christchurch; Pakistan facing the West Indies in Palmerston North; 2008 runners-up South Africa taking on Ireland in Queenstown.

Teams will be split into four groups and based in Christchurch (Groups A and C), Queenstown (Group B), Napier and Palmerston North (Group D). As a build up to the World Cup, New Zealand and Pakistan Under-19 national sides will play a three-match, one-day international series in Blenheim in early January.NZ Black Caps - Under-19s

HRH Prince William - official NZ visit
17 – 19 January 2010
Prince William arrives in New Zealand in January on his first official overseas visit, his most important step yet towards becoming the future King of England. The 27-year-old prince will open the new Supreme Court in Wellington and enjoy some less formal events including a barbecue at Premier House. Prime Minister John Key wants the state dinner to have a true Kiwi flavour and has invited key All Blacks to share a lamb chop on the ‘barbie’ with the young prince.

Michael Hill NZ golf open - Queenstown
28 – 31 January 2010
The NZ Golf Open – New Zealand’s premier golf tournament – will be held at Michael Hills private course, The Hills, at Arrowtown near Queenstown. Co-sanctioned between the Australasian and Nationwide Tours, the event is set to attract a world-class field offering in excess of NZ$1 million in prize money. The dramatic course sits beneath the Southern Alps and always attracts large numbers of spectators.
New Zealand Golf Open

 

Waitangi Day - Waitangi, Northland
6 February 2010
New Zealand’s annual celebration commemorating the signing of the ‘Treaty of Waitangi’ will have added significance in 2010 as it is the year of the waka – to mark the restoration of the big Waitangi war canoe Ngatoki-mata-whao-rua. Up to 30 visiting waka from all over New Zealand will visit Waitangi for the 2010 celebrations and more than 400,000 people are expected to attend the four-day festival. The celebration centres on the Waitangi Treaty grounds in the Bay of Islands, Northland and includes an official ceremony as well as a performance and parade by the Royal New Zealand Navy and local cultural groups. The Waitangi festival is a family event that includes a variety of sports and cultural events.
Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Harvest Hawke’s Bay
6 – 7 February 2010
One of New Zealand’s biggest celebrations of wine and food where 26 wineries in the internationally famous wine-growing region of Hawke’s Bay showcase their wines, local food and entertainment. Thousands of visitors descend on the region for this popular summer festival which also includes wine workshops, a farmer’s market and art exhibitions.
Harvest Hawkes Bay

Marlborough Wine Festival
13 February 2010
New Zealand’s longest running and most successful wine festival set in the world famous Marlborough wine-growing region offers visitors the chance to sample select releases along with local gourmet delicacies. Wine tutorials with leading winemakers and viticulturists, a ‘Fashion in the Vines’ competition, and live entertainment by leading New Zealand musicians Liam Finn and Gin Wigmore are highlights of this summer festival in a highly picturesque setting.
Marlborough Wine Festival

Goldfields Cavalcade – Wanaka
27 February 2010
An annual pilgrimage across the dramatic, tussock-covered hills of Central Otago where thousands trek by foot, ride horses or wagons covering a picturesque trail that retraces the footsteps of New Zealand’s gold-mining, early settlers. The 2010 Cavalcade journey will end with a hoedown in Wanaka.
Goldfields Cavalcade