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 1920′s costume for our Art Deco Festival or ‘go country’ at the Waipiata Country Ute Muster. Maniototo Curling International hosts many curling events and test your ‘brass’ at the mid winter Brass Monkey motorbike rally in Oturehua.
Maniototo Events Calendar 2010
Maniototo Events Calendar 2011
Maniototo Events Calendar 2012
Maniototo Events Calendar 2013
February Events
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. The A & P Association will also be hosting the Golden Fleece Awards in 2012.
Ranfurly’s Art Deco Weekend
Celebrated over the last weekend of February each year. The 2011 Art Deco Festival will be held on the 25th & 26th of February. Dress to impress, wander the markets and food stalls, enjoy a Central Otage wine out on the street and celebrate Ranfurly’s colourful history (more)
April Events
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 major fundraiser for our local community radio station and supports many community groups. Call (03) 444 9729 to book your stall.
Bards, Ballads & Bulldust
The annual Easter weekend event, Bards, Ballads & Bulldust festival is the only one of its kind in the country, where the emphasis is on the spoken word in the form of bush poetry. Bush balladry has been an integral part of our national heritage since the 1890s, but its profile has remained small, going largely un-noticed and un-recognised until the birth of Bards Ballads & Bulldust …. (more)
May Events
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.
June Events
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. 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 Events
Naseby Ice Festival
SLIDE into the school holidays & enjoy a combination of free and low priced ice events such as curling in the indoor rink, ice skating, luging and snow park excitement. Take a ticket in the exciting luge ball race. Stay the night and experience the Maniototo in it’s true wonder. Music, giveaways and ice adventure is all here for you to explore ….. (more)
August Events
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 Events
Jazz ‘n Jocks - A Quintessential Central Otago Tour
Hosted by 2 Central Otago communities, Maniototo and Cromwell, Jazz ‘n Jocks is a celebration of our way of life and we encourage you to plan your Rugby World Cup experience around our all encompassing event. Whether you’ve just caught the Scotland vs. Europe match in Dunedin the week before or you’re travelling through to the Classic All Black match in Queenstown … (more)
October Events
20 years of radio in Ranfurly!
Labour Weekend 2011 will see the celebrations of a huge achievement – 20 years of independent, volunteer based radio in the Maniototo. To compliment the usual Maniototo Markets on the Saturday morning run by the station, they will also be launching the innaugral ‘Burn 729am Community Cup’. …
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)!
