New Zealand's interesting events

Like most countries, New Zealand has its share of religious festivals, even if Christmas comes in the height of summer and Easter in the autumn. There are, however, several festivals more in tune with New Zealand’s seasons and its vibrant rural sector. Spring shows are held round the country from October to February, flower shows in the spring and wine festivals to mention a few. But there are a few unusual ones that are worth an introduction.

To begin with, for the adventurous gourmand, there is the perennially favorite Wild Food Festival, held every year in March in the south island town of Hokitika. The festival is now in its 16th year. As the name would suggest, stall line up and offer wild if not downright weird food that you would normal never see. Of course the traditional Maori dish of succulent huhu grubs are on offer BBQ’d or raw but also rabbit testicles on pigs ears, bull seamen shots, worm sushi to name a few. Of course as the festival is in New Zealand there are lamb dishes, venison and abalone in the more normal line of delicacies. For a small town of only 3500 people, the hugely popular festival has become over whelming as more than 20,000 people have turned up for the culinary adventure. This year numbers will be limited and accommodation can be hard to find so it will be best to get in early for this year’s festival on Saturday the 12th of March.

If wild bush food is not your thing then maybe more artistic tending festival would be of interest, the Napier Art Deco Weekend and the World of Wearable Art Show are two of the well known ones.

The Art Deco was the hot thing in the 30s and made its mark on Architecture. When an earthquake decimated much of Hawke’s Bay in 1931, it is not surprising that much of the province was rebuilt the style du jour. Napier was especially hard hit by the earthquake and was almost completely rebuilt in Art Deco style. To celebrate the style and flavour of the 30s and its stunning Art Deco buildings, Napier hold the Art Deco Weekend every year in February, this year from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th. Vintage cars, low waistlines, bob cuts, fox trotting, all the style of the 30s come out to enjoy the Hawke’s Bay sun.

The Wearable Art Show has been growing in popularity and size since it began in 1987. So much so that it will move from its original home in artistic Nelson to Wellington this year where larger venues can cope. Well known as a fashion event overseas it draws entries from Australia, Thailand and many Pacific Rim countries. The awards are a fashion show but only because the exhibits must be worn, the materials are as diverse as the any modern sculpture might use, grass, glass, rubbish, plastic, circuit boards anything really, even things sewn onto the Prime Minster sashayed down the runway. This year’s awards - Wellington, September 23rd to 25th and again 30th to October 2nd.

The last event that gets a mention here is another unique sort of contest with an emphasis on fun but with fierce competition nonetheless. The Perfect Woman Contest held in Wanaka 22nd and 23rd of October is just that the search for the perfect Kiwi woman, this is no beauty contest though the contests might be beautiful. In a country of sheep the skills the ideal woman must have are more practical than beauty tips, try fence post hole digging, attaching snow chains, running sheep dogs round a flock of sheep, opening a bottle of the local beer with their teeth and other such skills that any South Islander needs in their everyday life.