Tag Archives: New Zealand

Top Two Festivals to Experience the Flamboyance of New Zealand Winters

One of the world’s most exciting holiday destinations, New Zealand packs in hordes of natural wonders which tempt global vacationers to look for air tickets to the destination. The country even hosts a wide assortment of festivals and events which truly exhibit the most authentic charm of the country. No wonder, the winter festivals of New Zealand top the popularity charts of vacationers netting flights tickets to the kiwi land. Below is a quick window to the top winter festivals of New Zealand, which are certainly worth being a part.

Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival, July

New Zealand’s stunning holiday destination, City of the South gets covered with a chocolate coating in the month of July when the metropolis celebrates Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival, a week long gala event. This tempting festival lures merrymakers of all age groups and delights them with a week of appealing chocolate events including chocolate decorating, chocolate tours, chocolate painting, chocolate facials as well as the much renowned and iconic, Cadbury Crunchie Train. However, it is the Cadbury Jaffa Race that sets visitors on a mad quest. The favourite of kiwis, Jaffas are tantalizing balls of orange sugar-coated chocolate.

The North Face Freeski Open of New Zealand, September

Yet another compelling winter festival of New Zealand that catches the fancy of one and all is the North Face Freski Open. Popularly famed as the largest multi-discipline open Freeski event in the Southern Hemisphere, the carnival tempts keen skiers from all corners of the world to grab flights tickets to New Zealand. During the event, skiers compete with each other in different races organized at varied venues including Queenstown’s Remarkables ski field and Snow Park NZ. Family vacationers making their way to the festival can make the best of their holidays by partaking in skiing organized at many snowy terrains that are specially designed for the beginners.

Enjoy New Zealand Holidays during the Famous Matariki Festival in July!

New Zealand Dance by New Zealand Dance/ CC BY

New Zealand Dance by New Zealand Dance/ CC BY

Holidays to the thrilling holiday destination, New Zealand is suddenly getting popular and hotter than ever before. And the entire credit goes to the fast approaching Matariki Festival. This amazing international festival is already underway from 28th June 2014 but travellers are still scrambling for deals on flight tickets to New Zealand to at least enjoy the final part of it that takes place in July end. This much renowned event of New Zealand is celebrated with utmost excitement and zeal as it marks the beginning of Māori New Year. The distinct belief behind this extravagant gala event is that during this time of the year the star cluster Matariki, better known as the Pleiades, appears in the dawn sky above Aotearoa New Zealand. However, Matarik has now revived as a celebration of culture, people, language, history and spirituality.

The theme for this year’s edition is ‘kaitiakitanga’ (guardianship), which gives the visitors an amazing opportunity to think about their individual roles. The Matariki Festival, often famed as one of the best cultural festivals of New Zealand, will see the city come alive with some incredible live music performances, poetry, family events, Kapa Haka, theatre, dance and art. All these events are sure to leave holidaymakers gloating over their decision to grab air tickets aboard flights to be in New Zealand just in time. Moreover, the celebrations of this festival are not only restricted to just one region or city rather it is celebrated throughout kiwi land with same enthusiasm. Wellington’s famous museum, Te Papa hosts Matariki celebrations, featuring 25-day programme that includes talks, astronomy sessions and concerts.

The Puaka Matariki Festival, a prominent carnival of the South Island is held in Dunedin in the month of July. The fest witnesses many spellbinding celebrations and events that include storytelling, lantern parades, contemporary dance, whānau ‘have a go’ sessions and a midwinter carnival. Other renowned performances that promise to keep the visitors entertained are Matariki on The Move, He Wai, Tree Planting, Mana Wahine, Vessels of New Life, Hike Bike Auto and Mata Ariki. Matariki is all about exhibiting your best and getting involved!!