Weekly
The Eventfinda website has information about most weekly events occurring in the Waikato region.
An increasingly popular food event is Gourmet in the Gardens, held in Hamilton and Te Awamutu.
Waikato-Tainui hold regular events such as Poukai, an audience with the Maori King.
Click here to view the events calendar
MONTHLY
Gordonton Country Market
Second Saturday of every month (September - May) www.number8network.co.nz
Gordonton Market Facebook page
Pokeno Franklin Country Market
Sundays from 8am www.franklinmarkets.com
Raglan Creative Market
Second Sunday of the month
Tamahere Country Market
Third Saturday of the month
Annual
January - March
Waka Ama National Sprints – January
Raglan Arts Weekend – Art sale at the Old School Arts Centre – last weekend in January
Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival – February
Turangawaewae Royal Regatta – annual event in March every year
www.turangawaewaeregatta.co.nz
Huntly Half Marathon – approximately March
Te Kauwhata Lions Cycle Race - March
Balloons over Waikato (Hamilton Lake and University of Hamilton) - late March
Raglan Arts Film Festival
April - June
Art at the Port, Port Waikato - approximately April
Matariki (Māori New Year) – May/June
National Agricultural Fieldays, Mystery Creek, Hamilton – June
October - December
Te Kauwhata A&P Show - December
District-wide Christmas Parades - December
CULTURAL
Matariki
Matariki is the Māori name for the star cluster known as the Pleiades. Traditionally for Māori when it appeared just before dawn in late May or early June, it signalled the start of the Māori New Year. For some tribes, the rising of Puanga (Rigel in Orion) signals the start of the New Year. In the early 2000s Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission), the Ministry of Education and the Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa) became involved in the revival of Matariki celebrations. Different tribes celebrated Matariki at different times. For some it was when Matariki rose in May/June. For others it was celebrated at the first new moon, or full moon, following the rising of Matariki. In the 21st century it is the new moon following the rising of Matariki that signals the New Year.
Visit the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.
Turangawaewae Regatta – March
The regatta had its beginnings in March 1896 when the Ngāruawāhia community held an official carnival on the banks of the Waikato and Waipa rivers. Earliest regattas were held at the Point, the confluence of the two rivers. The regatta is now staged permanently from Turangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia.
The regatta aims to encourage aquatic sports and Māori customary river activities, with particular emphasis on the preservation of ancient customs and traditions.
Visit the www.turangawaewaeregatta.co.nz website.
SPORTING
Huntly Half Marathon – May
This is one of New Zealand’s largest half-marathon events with approximately 3000 participants each year.
Visit the www.huntlyhalf.co.nz website
Other
TUAKAU SALEYARDS
Latest Tuakau Saleyards Schedule
Visit the www.agonline.co.nz website
- SCHEDULE |
||
|
Class |
Day |
Time |
|
Sheep |
Mondays |
10.30am |
|
Feeder Calves |
Mondays |
11.00am |
|
Dairy cattle |
Mondays |
12 noon |
|
Prime cattle |
Wednesdays |
11.30am |
|
Store cattle |
Thursdays |
12 noon |
Hampton Downs Race Track - year round
This 185 hectare motorsport park is based around a new 2.8km international race circuit. The facility includes a convention centre, hospitality facilities, purpose-built skid pan and industrial units. Eighty luxury apartments overlook the circuit with 27 available for hire during events.
View the Hampton Downs events calendar here
Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival – February
Two weeks of outstanding performance – theatre, dance, music, sculpture and much more – in unique outdoor settings in Hamilton’s world class gardens.
Visit the www.hamiltongardensartsfestival.co.nz here
Zuru Balloons over Waikato, Hamilton - March
Experience the amazing sight of balloons ascending through the Waikato sunrise at 7:30am every morning. Don't miss the Night Glow at Waikato University, where the balloons glow to orchestrated music finishing with a massive fireworks display. The Event runs for five days in mind to late March at Innes Common, Hamilton Lake and The University of Waikato and is a free event enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
Visit the www.balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz website here
Fieldays, Mystery Creek, Hamilton - June
The largest Agribusiness Expo in the Southern Hemisphere. Fieldays received over 130,000 visitors in 2016 and contiunes to grow every year. The event is the largest single-event contibutor to economy in the Waikato region and had a media audience of 29.5 million people worldwide in 2016.
View the Fieldays highlights video here
Visit the official Fieldays website www.fieldays.co.nz here
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