We’re polishing up our dance moves and sharpening our taste buds in preparation for a full calendar of events around the country.

Food & Wine

Highlights of the culinary calendar include Gindulgence in Wellington (January 28-29) and Christchurch (March 11-12), where the country's best artisan gin producers share the zesty goodness of their favourite tipples. Auckland gin-ophiles get their chance with the Auckland Gin Festival, February 3-5.

Feastival Taranaki (February 16-19) celebrates all the amazing produce that springs from the region’s rich volcanic soils or is created by its talented artisans. Events include everything from beers and barbecue to a five-course degustation dinner.

On March 5, the North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival brings the region’s harvesters, artisan producers and all kinds of drink-makers out in force so we can totally fall in love with everything North Canterbury has to offer.

For a taste of an absolute speciality right at its roots, head to the Havelock Mussel and Seafood Festival (March 11) in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds. Sample New Zealand greenshell mussel, king salmon and Pacific oysters with celebrity Chef Simon Gault, and rock out to perennial favourites Jordan Luck Band.

Hokitika Wildfoods Festival (March 11) is always a total hoot, with stalls full of weird and wonderful goodies, as well as a feral fashion show and wonderful West Coast beer. This year's music headliners are rock royalty Sir Dave Dobbyn, Zed and Greg Johnson.

Ripe: The Wānaka Wine & Food Festival (March 18) returns this year. Head south to the home of stunning vistas and vineyards, where you’ll find Central Otago’s best food and wine producers, breweries and distilleries – and they’ve got tasters.

Music

One Love returns to Tauranga Domain (January 28-29), with UB40, L.A.B, Sean Kingston, Katchafire, Stan Walker and Ardijah. Held in the 1900s replica township of Ferrymead Heritage Park in Christchurch, Nostalgia Festival (February 11) is a day to rock out to a lineup of New Zealand’s finest musicians, including Don McGlashan and Reb Fountain.

Tāpapakanga Regional Park’s Splore (February 24-26) always attracts a conscious crowd of party animals. Electric Avenue (February 25) is bringing Lorde, Flume, Fat Freddy’s Drop, L.A.B, The Black Seeds and many more to Christchurch's Hagley Park. It'll be packed with food trucks, carnival rides and interactive experiences all set to a non-stop 12-hour soundtrack of tunes across multiple stages, with over 30 bands peddling their best funk, house, hip hop, drum and bass, and rock bangers.

The Arts

Head to Wellington for NZ Fringe (February 17 – March 11), a cutting-edge arts festival of Aotearoa’s best and quirkiest performers.

The 2023 edition of Auckland Arts Festival (9-26 March) will feature over 70 events across 18 days and many genres, including waiata, kapa haka, dance, theatre, comedy, cabaret, aerial, jazz, opera, orchestral and chamber music, and visual arts.

Looking ahead, New Zealand audiences will get their first chance to see the multi award-winning musical Hamilton in Auckland in May and June. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, the musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. Tickets are on sale now.