Queenstown offers entertainment year-round with a range of incredible annual events
Discover the major annual events held in Queenstown, from music festivals to sporting events and everything in between. We celebrate the seasons, the landscapes and all the things that make Queenstown unique.
For the music lover, don't miss the annual Gibbston Valley Summer Winery Concert. For sports lovers, make sure to make a trip for the Winter Games NZ, the New Zealand Golf Open, the Queenstown Marathon and the iconic Motatapu off-road event. Or celebrate all things food, wine, people and colour at the Arrowtown Autumn Festival, LUMA Southern Light Project and Winter Pride Festival.
Explore the best annual events below.
Summer
December
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New Years Eve: Bring your friends and family and join us by the lakeside at Queenstown Bay to bring in the new year with a bang as fireworks light up the sky.
February
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Shotover Moonlight Marathon: Experience the challenging and diverse terrain of Ben Lomond Station. Choose from the ultra (56km), marathon, 30km, half marathon or 10km option.
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Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert: Set against the stunning backdrop of Gibbston, the vibe at this concert is something to behold with an exciting new lineup of acts every year.
Autumn
March
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Motatapu: Held on one epic day, this is your one chance a year to traverse the breathtaking high-country terrain between Wānaka and Queenstown. Choose from the 47km Mountain Bike Race, 15km Miners Trail, 42km Off-Road Marathon and 52.5km Ultra Run.
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NZ Golf Open: An iconic event on the New Zealand sporting calendar, the New Zealand Open is held at Millbrook Resort and includes a full field of players from the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Asian Tour and the Japanese Tour.
April
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Arrowtown Autumn Festival: Enjoy Arrowtown's beautiful autumn colours, sample local cuisine, watch the parade, partake in a workshop or even do some native tree planting. The six day festival brings a host of great events and workshops to this stunning historic gold mining town and fun for the whole family.
Winter
June
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LUMA Southern Light Project: Held over King's Birthday weekend, LUMA is a sensory experience bringing together illuminated art, light sculpture, performance and community over five nights in the Queenstown Gardens.
August
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Winter Games NZ: New Zealand's most elite free-ride and freestyle snow sports competition. Hosted at The Remarkables and Cardrona, this 14-day athlete show-down is not to be missed.
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Winter Pride: The most popular Winter Pride Festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Held over 10 days from late August to September with over 40 events, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Spring
September
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Peak to Peak: A scenic one-day multisport race that challenges competitors to test both their physical and mental strength. Peak to Peak is New Zealand’s longest-running winter multisport race incorporating an exciting lineup of five race stages.
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Snow Machine Festival: Snow Machine is a four-day alpine music festival that fuses the hottest musical talent, snow-capped mountains, arts and après madness to create an ultimate Queenstown ski holiday and festival experience all in one.
October
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Cyclorama: New Zealand’s first e-Bike festival. Held in Arrowtown, there are curated rides themed for wine, beer, food, art or bird watching and plenty of unique experiences on offer.
November
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New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty Queenstown Marathon: Known as the 'world’s most beautiful marathon' incorporating 42.2km, 21km, 10km and 3km kids run options, taking in the highlights of the Queenstown Lakes region.