ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Martinborough has a fantastic events calendar throughout the year, including food and wine, cycle and walking challenges, markets, and concerts featuring top local, national and international performers. This popular destination attracts runners, cyclists, craft, food and wine enthusiasts and is the location of choice to host a wide range of national and regional events in the Greater Wellington region.
Whatever your interests, the Everland Retreat is a great base to enjoy these fantastic and exciting annual events as well as the attractions that are available in our region for you to enjoy every day. Martinborough is also close enough to visit events in nearby towns including Tauherenikau Races, Ngawi Fishing competitions, and jet boat sprint races
Whatever your interests, the Everland Retreat is a great base to enjoy these fantastic and exciting annual events as well as the attractions that are available in our region for you to enjoy every day. Martinborough is also close enough to visit events in nearby towns including Tauherenikau Races, Ngawi Fishing competitions, and jet boat sprint races
TOAST MARTINBOROUGH
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Each November, 10,000 hedonists throng to the internationally anticipated Toast Martinborough festival, a celebratory blend of outstanding wines, food and live music. Travel between the nine or so host wineries by free shuttle bus or en foot. Toast Martinborough’s popularity cannot be overstated, so move fast when tickets go on sale early October, and book your beds with us today.
toastmartinborough.co.nz |
Photo by Kylie and Rob (and Helen)
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MARTINBOROUGH FAIR
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The legendary Martinborough Fair is held on the first Saturday in February and March and attracts 25,000 craftspeople and other stall holders, food purveyors and shoppers.
martinboroughfair.org.nz |
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DISCOVER LOCAL VINEYARDS
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Explore lovingly tended local vineyards on foot or by bicycle, London cab or horse and carriage; more in nearby Greytown, Gladstone and Masterton. For one-stop shopping, taste the fruits of the winemakers’ labours at Martinborough Wine Merchants any day of the week. Buy a case and they’ll ship it home.
wairarapanz.com/see-and-do/wairarapa-wine |
Photo by Bell and Jeff
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EXPLORE THE SOUTH COAST
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Discover the natural world of the rugged south coast of New Zealand's North Island. See for yourself the astonishing Putanguirua Pinnacles cast in Sir Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Observe sea birds on Onoke Spit going about their business, the North Island’s largest colony of fur seals conducting theirs, and the resilient fishing and bach settlement of Ngawi. Fill your lungs with exhilarating salt air, your ears with thundering surf and your eyes with unbridled views across Palliser Bay to the South Island.
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Photo by Phillip Capper
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CAPE PALLISER LIGHTHOUSE
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To view the entire coast, climb some 250 steps to the working Cape Palliser Lighthouse, named one of the world’s Top 10 Flashiest Lighthouses by Lonely Planet. They said: “The 1897 Cape Palliser Lighthouse, resplendent in its wide red bands, is a cynosure to ships navigating the Cook Straight, off the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island. Inland it looks over fine wine-and-food country, so it’s a gourmet lightspotter’s paradise and, as you’d expect in New Zealand, the adventure activities in the region are many.” (Lightspotters should know that the Wairarapa also boasts New Zealand’s only other beam lighthouse, at Castlepoint.)
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Photo by Aidan
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PATUNA CHASM
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The Patuna Chasm Walk takes you through pine forest, native bush and farmland into a fabulous labyrinth of fossil-rich limestone caverns, tunnels and crystalline pools, home to eels and native birds. Even without swimming, you will get wet. Labour Weekend till Easter.
www.patunafarm.co.nz |
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STONEHENGE AOTEAROA
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Stonehenge Aotearoa is a full-scale working adaptation of Stonehenge designed by astronomers specifically for its location near Gladstone. The entertaining and enlightening lecture and tour of the fabricated stone circle combines modern scientific knowledge with ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Celtic, Polynesian and Maori starlore. Brilliant.
www.stonehenge-aotearoa.co.nz |
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THE VINTAGE AVIATOR
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Take the guided tour of the world’s biggest collection of airworthy WW1 fighter aircraft at the Vintage Aviator hangar at Masterton’s Hood Aerodrome. They’re deadly and beautiful and you’d be mad to miss them. (If you’ve seen Sir Peter Jackson’s King Kong, you’ve seen one of them already.)
thevintageaviator.co.nz |
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PUKAHA MT BRUCE
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We love Pukaha Mt Bruce, about 30km north of Masterton, the national wildlife sanctuary for native, endemic and endangered birds including iconic kiwi, kokako, kaka and takahe. Longfin eels and tuatara too.
www.pukaha.org.nz |
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GREEN JERSEY CYCLE TOURS
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Get on a bike and ride around the vines in Martinborough. Lycra-free riding. It is easy, predominantly flat terrain with plenty of fun along the way. Martinborough boasts quiet, wide streets with some of the best Pinot New Zealand offers.
www.greenjersey.co.nz |
Photo by Erina Wood Photography
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MARTINBOROUGH BREWERY
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The Brewery is boutique in size and is aimed at complimenting the vineyards Martinborough is renowned for.
Call in to see the Brewery team, the Tasting Room is open Thursday through to Monday from 11am – 7pm and is On and Off licence. Sit in the sun and enjoy the choice of 8 taps, tasting paddles, wine, cider and a small food menu designed around sharing plates. Our Brewery tasting paddles are popular with first time visitors, consisting of 4 choices of any of the 8 taps on offer, you get the chance to sample a number of options before deciding on your favourite. Table bookings are welcome and Brewery tours can be arranged. www.martinboroughbeer.com |
Photo by Erina Wood Photography
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CRUISE MARTINBOROUGH
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Cruise Martinborough is a classic and muscle car event open to cars and caravans from back in the day. Spread over several days in the sunny Wairarapa, just 90 minutes north of Wellington.
cruisemartinborough.co.nz |
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MORE ABOUT THE WAIRARAPA
Get all the most up-to-date information about what is happening in Wairarapa, right here! Whats on, trip ideas, things to see and do!
www.wairarapanz.com
www.wairarapanz.com
