Enjoy the joy of the season in Whanganui with our detailed event guide. For those who breathe Whanganui air daily and those just sampling it, our guide brings holiday magic to life.
Popular Events: Kick off your festivities at the Mainstreet Whanganui Christmas Parade, where local floats and community spirit create a delightful spectacle for all. Then, immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Christmas at the Races Night Market, featuring unique stalls, delicious food, and exciting races. And don't forget Tauranga Christmas at the Races, offering a perfect blend of festive cheer and exhilarating horse racing action. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
Please contact us if you have suggestions or corrections!
Join the Whanganui Discussion!
Top Holiday Events In and Around Whanganui
- Mainstreet Whanganui Christmas Parade
- Christmas at the Races Night Market (Trentham)
- Wanganui Christmas at the Races (Wanganui)
- Christmas at the Races hosting Rangitikei RC (Wanganui)
- Waipukurau JC at Hastings Christmas at the Races (Hastings)
- Tauranga Christmas at the Races (Tauranga)
- LawnMaster Christmas At The Races (Trentham)
- Noble & Lee Matamata Christmas at the Races (Matamata)
- RSN Roofing Christmas at the Races (Ruakaka)
- Cromwell Christmas at the Races (Cromwell)
See these and even more events listed below!
Whanganui Holiday Markets and Shopping
Christmas at the Races Night Market
What to Expect:
Vibrant community event with artisan crafts and diverse food options.
Description:
The Upper Hutt Night Market at RACE Trentham offers an exciting evening of entertainment, artisan crafts, and delectable food options for attendees of all ages. Over 80 artisan craft stalls showcase local talent, while 20 food trucks provide a diverse range of culinary delights. The event features live music by The Shenanigans, ensuring a memorable night filled with music and joy.
Where: Trentham | More Info: Christmas at the Races Night Market
Marton Market Day
What to Expect:
Vibrant street festival with mini inflatable world and diverse food trucks.
Description:
Marton Market Day is Rangitikei's largest event, featuring over 200 stalls with a variety of goods, including garden art, children's toys, furniture, jewelry, pottery, food, plants, and body products. The event transforms Marton Park into an inflatable world for kids and offers diverse food trucks from around the globe.
Where: Marton | More Info: Marton Market Day
Makers Market
What to Expect:
Showcasing local artisans and their unique handmade products.
Description:
Makers Market showcases local artists, crafters, bakers, and growers from Rangitikei, Whanganui, and Manawatu. The event features a variety of handmade items, including jewelry, knitted and crocheted goods, glassware, and more.
Where: Marton | More Info: Makers Market
Whanganui Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Tauranga Christmas at the Races
What to Expect:
Combines horse racing with holiday festivities.
Description:
Tauranga Christmas at the Races is a unique event combining horse racing with holiday cheer. Featuring the Group 2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes race, it offers a thrilling day of thoroughbred racing and festive celebrations.
Where: Tauranga | More Info: Tauranga Christmas at the Races
Whanganui Other Holiday Activities
Mainstreet Whanganui Christmas Parade
What to Expect:
Community-driven Christmas celebration with festive activities.
Description:
The Mainstreet Whanganui Christmas Parade is a community celebration where people come together to share the Christmas spirit and create lasting memories.
Where: Whanganui | More Info: Mainstreet Whanganui Christmas Parade
Waipukurau JC at Hastings Christmas at the Races
What to Expect:
Family-friendly racing event with children's activities.
Description:
Waipukurau JC at Hastings Christmas at the Races offers a fun-filled day with thoroughbred racing, delicious food, and family entertainment.
Where: Hastings | More Info: Waipukurau JC at Hastings Christmas at the Races
Christmas at the Races hosting Rangitikei RC
What to Expect:
Electric atmosphere with festive entertainment and thoroughbred racing.
Description:
Join Wanganui Jockey Club for their Christmas at the Races event, featuring festive entertainment, delicious hospitality, and thrilling thoroughbred racing. This is a perfect day to celebrate the end of the year with friends, family, or colleagues.
Where: Wanganui | More Info: Christmas at the Races hosting Rangitikei RC
Wanganui Christmas at the Races
What to Expect:
Historic horse racing event with festive atmosphere.
Description:
The Wanganui Christmas at the Races is a premier event featuring the 176th running of the Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup. Enjoy thrilling horse racing and festive atmosphere at the historic racecourse.
Where: Wanganui | More Info: Wanganui Christmas at the Races
Cromwell Christmas at the Races
What to Expect:
Thoroughbred racing with festive food and live entertainment.
Description:
Celebrate Christmas in style at Cromwell Christmas at the Races, featuring fine festive food, live entertainment, and exciting thoroughbred racing.
Where: Cromwell | More Info: Cromwell Christmas at the Races
RSN Roofing Christmas at the Races
What to Expect:
Live music and festive atmosphere.
Description:
Celebrate the end of the year with RSN Roofing Christmas at the Races at Ruakaka, featuring live music and thrilling thoroughbred racing.
Where: Ruakaka | More Info: RSN Roofing Christmas at the Races
Noble & Lee Matamata Christmas at the Races
What to Expect:
Thoroughbred racing with festive atmosphere.
Description:
The Noble & Lee Matamata Christmas at the Races is a thrilling event combining thoroughbred racing with delicious food and beverages in a laidback summer setting.
Where: Matamata | More Info: Noble & Lee Matamata Christmas at the Races
LawnMaster Christmas At The Races
What to Expect:
Thrilling horse racing with festive hospitality.
Description:
Join the Manawatu Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse for LawnMaster Christmas At The Races, featuring thrilling Group 2 and Group 3 races, including the Manawatu Challenge Stakes and Manawatu Cup. Enjoy live music, delicious feasts, and hospitality options to suit all racegoers.
Where: Trentham | More Info: LawnMaster Christmas At The Races
The Christmas Cup
What to Expect:
Thrilling horse racing with multiple benchmark races.
Description:
Celebrate the festive season at The Christmas Cup, featuring thrilling horse racing and a variety of hospitality options to suit all racegoers.
Where: Trentham | More Info: The Christmas Cup
Christmas at Tauherenikau Races
What to Expect:
Unique blend of racing and holiday festivities.
Description:
Celebrate the holiday season at Tauherenikau Races with festive events, live music, and exciting racing.
Where: Tauherenikau | More Info: Christmas at Tauherenikau Races
Up The Garden Path
What to Expect:
Self-guided garden tour with unique gardens and market stalls.
Description:
Explore a curated selection of gardens in northern Rangitikei, featuring renowned gardens and boutique market stalls.
Where: Marton | More Info: Up The Garden Path
Hunterville Shemozzle
What to Expect:
Grueling race for Shepherds and their Huntaway dogs.
Description:
The Hunterville Shemozzle is an iconic event featuring the 26th annual Shepherds Shemozzle, a grueling race for Shepherds and their Huntaway dogs, along with many other competitions, events, and activities for all ages.
Where: Hunterville | More Info: Hunterville Shemozzle
Kiwiburn
What to Expect:
A community-driven celebration of art, music, and self-expression.
Description:
Kiwiburn is New Zealand's regional Burning Man event, celebrating principles like inclusion, radical self-expression, and gifting. The event features a unique theme each year, with 2024's theme being "Decadance," a mashup of decades and dancing.
Where: Hunterville | More Info: Kiwiburn
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Palmerston North (42 miles)