Festivals & Things to do in Queenstown

Otago is the second most southerly region in New Zealand, and arguably the most diverse with a well defined mountainous region, open plains, deserted sandy beaches pounded by the Southern Oceans big surf and glacier-fed rivers. Major cities include Dunedin, the regions capital, and the popular tourist centers of Queenstown and Wanaka. This all makes for some diverse Otago Festivals.

Each year Otago’s various community’s host a variety of Festivals & Lifestyle Events celebrating their regions cultural diversity and traditions. Here is a comprehensive list of Otago Festivals…

Queenstown and Otago Festivals

Festival Name	Date	Category
Thyme Festival	9 – 17 Nov	Environment
Victorian Heritage Celebrations	14 – 17 Nov	Adventure
Festive Fete	7 Dec	Christmas
Rhythm and Alps	30 – 31 Dec	Music
Whare Flat Folk Festival	30 Dec – 3 Jan	Entertainment/workshops/music
Summerdaze Festival	31 Dec – 31 Jan	Entertainment
Summer Times Festival	31 Dec – 31 Mar
Cromwell cherry festival	4 Jan	Food/entertainment
Challenge Wanaka	18 Jan	Active
Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration	30 Jan – 1 Feb	Wine
Rippon Festival	1 Feb	Music
Festival of Flowers	8 Feb – 2 Mar	Flowers
Shotover Sunshine Festival	9 Feb	Music
Dunedin Fringe Festival	14 – 24 Mar	Entertainment
Oamaru Winefood Festival	16 Feb	Wine/food
Ranfurly Art Deco Festival	22 Feb	Art Deco
Queenstown Bike Festival	12 – 20 Apr	Active
Warbirds over Wanaka	18 – 20 Apr	Planes
Arrowtown Autumn Festival	25 Apr – 4 May	Entertainment/cars/art
Queenstown Winter Festival	20 – 29 Jun	Entertainment/active
Dunedin Midwinter Carnival	21 June	Entertainment
NZ Mountain Film Festival	4 – 11 Jul	Film/expeditions
International Science Festival	5 – 11 Jul	Science
Cadbury Chocolate Festival	12 – 18 Jul	Food/active
Otago Festival of Arts	Oct	Art

For other Regional New Zealand Festivals

Auckland Festivals	Bay of Plenty Festivals
Canterbury Festivals	Hawke’s Bay Festivals
Marlborough Festivals	Manawatu Festivals
Northland Festivals	Queenstown / Otago Festivals
Southland Festivals	Tasman / Nelson Festivals
Taranaki Festivals	Waikato Festivals
Wellington Festivals	West Coast Festivals

Activities & Excursions available in Queenstown and the Dunedin Area

If one of these Otago festivals coincides with you New Zealand and you would like to incorporate it into a self-drive holiday or a privately guided tour of New Zealand, then please feel free to contact First Light Travel – We would love to help.