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Events

The Maniototo hosts many events throughout the year so plan your trip around one (or more)!  Celebrate our rural way of life at an annual Agricultural & Pastoral Show, enter one of many biking and endurance events, dress in 1930′s costume for our Art Deco Festival or enjoy one of our markets.  Maniototo Curling International hosts many curling events, hear the history of our high country at the Maniototo Bards, Ballads & Bulldust Festival and test your ‘brass’ at the mid winter Brass Monkey motorbike rally in Oturehua.

Maniototo Events Calendar 2013

Maniototo Events Calendar 2014

February

Agricultural & Pastoral Shows

A & P Shows are an intregal event in any rural community.  Amongst the traditional horse and sheep events, machinery displays and, always the favourite, the Grand Parade there’s candfloss, a variety of food and retail stalls, and, depending on the weather, a kids ‘slippery slide’.  A truly rural experience! Check out the Maniototo A & P Association on Facebook.

Ranfurly Art Deco Festival

Celebrated over the last weekend of February each year.  The 2014 Ranfurly Art Deco Festival will be held in conjunction with the arrival of the Goldfields Cavalcade.  This will be the biggest Cabaret & Grand Parade yet!  Dress up a little, wander the markets and food stalls, enjoy a Central Otage wine out on the street and celebrate Ranfurly and Central Otagos colourful history.  Full information and programme soon!

April

Maniototo Markets

On the Saturday of Easter and Labour weekends the Ranfurly Railway Station hosts the Burn 729am Maniototo Markets.  From locally grown products, traditional crafts, community raffles and baking to art and sculptures.  There could be live music or an auction too! This is a fundraiser for our local community radio station and supports many community groups in the area.  It’s a wonderful morning out and a fantastic opportunity to visit the Ranfurly Art Deco Gallery adjacent to the Railway Station.  Call (03) 444 9729 to book your stall or for more information.

May

Duck Shooting Season Opening Weekend

The first weekend of May is the official start to Duck Shooting Season.  It is a big weekend in the Maniototo.  Maimai’s are created, ponds are fed, decoys put out, committees formed, trophy’s engraved and the hunt for the duck begins.  A local tradition and many return from overseas or from around NZ to shoot.  Be sure to get your duck shooting license! This is a must for the lads!

The Maniototo Bards, Ballads & Bulldust Festival

This weekend long festival is the only one of its kind in the country.   The Maniototo Bards, Ballads & Bulldust Festival will be held over the 3rd weekend of May (Friday 17th – Monday 20th) with over 35 performers converging on the Maniototo. All day entertainment & miners breakfasts will create the best pub crawl ever!  Participating Maniototo establishments will have the home fires burning and delicious refreshments to warm you from the inside out! Performers will sing, recite and delight all weekend!So plan to visit Ranfurly Hotel, Danseys Pass Hotel, Patearoa Tavern, Oturehua Railway Hotel, Waipiata Country Hotel and The Royal Hotel and the Ancient Briton in Naseby all in one weekend! The main event will be the ‘Back in the Day Concert & Dance’ at the Maniototo Stadium in Ranfurly on the Saturday night. Everyone is encouraged to dress in the theme of ANY decade from the past 150 years …. (more)

June

Brass Monkey Motorbike Rally

Motorcyclists from all over New Zealand converge on a paddock in the Ida Valley expecting bitterly cold temperatures to attend the annual Brass Monkey Rally. Events include bike show with all the popular categories and great prizes, live music until late and daytime entertainment.Stand around massive bonfires, keep warm will a wee dram and ‘harden up’ – it’s a weekend out not to be missed. Cold enough to freeze the balls off a ….. (more)

July

Naseby Ice Festival 

SLIDE into the school holidays & enjoy a combination of  ice events such as curling in the indoor rink, ice skating, luging and snow park excitement.  There will also be an ice dance on the Saturday night.  Usually held ther second weekend of the July school holidays – this is a great opporunity to take the family to an ice filled adventure.  Stay the night and experience the Maniototo in it’s true wonder.  There’s nothing like a day surrounded by the Naseby forest surrounding yourself in that bright white ice and snow – plus the kids love it!  Music, giveaways and ice filled fun is all here for you to explore  ….. (more)

August

The Great Naseby Water Race

A unique New Zealand Ultramarathon event being  held in Central Otago.  Less than an hour from Alexandra, or an hour and a half from Queenstown, Naseby is a great jumping off point for a trip to the adventure playground that is the Maniototo.  This year, in the pre-dawn gloom at 6:00AM, runners in the 100km event will leave the start line and head through the forests around Naseby …  (more).

September

Waipiata Dirty Dozen and Critter Hunt

Usually aroung the first week of September, teams get together to ‘bag’ 12 animals over a weekend.  From pigs to ferrets – it’s all go with the coveted trophy up for grabs.

Kids and Junior Hunters also enjoy a weekend of looking for slaters, mice, rabbits and such.  Look out on the The Waipiata Country Hotel facebook page for details.

October

Naseby Car Show

Saturday 19th of October 2013, 10am – 4pm at Naseby Domain. Celebrate the history of the humble car and motorbike whilst surrounded by the quaint historic township of Naseby.  Classic cars, bikes and machinery.  Car boot sales, food stalls, activities for kids, spot prizes and awards … back up date of Sunday the 20th if weather inclement.  Contact Marilyn & Eric on (03) 444 9996 for further details.

Burn 729am Maniototo Markets

The Maniototo Markets will start Labour Weekend off from 9.30am – 1pm outside the Ranfurly Railway Station.  Regular stalls include Jewellery, Kids Toys, Sewing Equipment, Prenzel, Clothing, Wood Crafts, Cakes and Bennys Honey, Cheese Rolls & Sausage sizzle.  If you would like to take the opportunity to fundraise or sell your goods/products at the markets phone Quentin McIntosh (03) 4449 729 or email burn729am@scorch.co.nz to book a stall site for only $20.   Simply bring along your table and a gazebo (food stalls have the option of being up on the station veranda) and we’ll show you where to set up.  The more the merrier and you’ll be supporting Burn 729am – Maniototos community-run radio station.

November

Burn 729am Maniototo Community Cup

November 10th 2012 – 2pm at Waipiata Domain.  This ‘top town’ type event is  a lot of fun and is only in it’s second year.  First held at Labour Weekend 2011 in conjunction with the local radio stations 20th Anniversary celebration, it was hosted in Ranfurly.   The townships of the Maniototo enter teams to compete in different (and somewhat amusing) challenges of both physical.  GIMMERBURN took away the Maniototo Community Cup for 2011.  When Waipiata hosts in 2012 who will the winner be?

December

Oturehua Community Fair

The  Oturehua Community Fair will be held this year (2012) on Saturday the 1st of December.  Only 2 hours from Dunedin and just under an hour from Alexandra, this is the perfect spot for a day of sun, shopping and stunning views.  Country markets will gather beside the Oturehua Railway Hotel.  With a selection of food and accommodation options available why not make a weekend of it and explore the entire Maniototo.  Sites are $15 each plus a contribution to a hamper to raffle. For more information contact Ro McDiarmid on (03) 444 5865.  Funds raised this year will go towards a new community playground.

All Year Events

Maniototo Curling International

Naseby has an indoor curling facility open to all!  Come and ‘Have A Go!’  You’ll be surprise how quickly you will pick it up.  Any ability and age are very welcome (wheelchairs too)!