Event highlights in Wairarapa
Wairarapa hosts a range of high quality, annual events so you are sure to find something that interests you.
Wings Over Wairarapa
In summer every two years
Wings Over Wairarapa is one of the largest New Zealand airshows, featuring spectacular aerial displays including vintage aircraft from Peter Jackson's personal collection of rare aircraft. Regular displays at Wings Over Wairarapa at Hood Aerodrome include demonstration of extremely rare WWI aircraft, as well as civil, military & agricultural aircraft and helicopters .
Golden Shears
Late February/early March annually
The best sheep shearers, wool pressers and wool handlers put it all on the line for the title in this Shearing and Woolhandling Championship. The three day event encompasses novice, junior, intermediate, senior and open shearing competitions along with junior, senior and open wool handling events and singles wool pressing competitions, as well as the coveted triathlon award.
Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival
March annually
At Harvest, vineyards pair up with regional restaurants and produce outstanding local festival dishes. You can sample wines from not only the larger, better known wineries but also from some of the smaller boutique wineries in the region. You'll even get the opportunity to meet the wine makers from the vineyards involved.
Toast Martinborough
Third Sunday of November annually
Martinborough celebrates its wines, wine-makers and stunning fresh produce with Toast Martinborough. NZ’s most popular food and wine festival. Toast has a magic that’s attracted people from around New Zealand and the world for over 25 years. It allows people to talk to the wine-makers, taste new releases or locate older vintages.