A jam-packed summer of events is set to draw record visitor numbers to Taranaki.
And it’ll take the collective efforts of everybody involved to maximise the benefit for all.
With Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga (the National biennial Kapa Haka Festival) joining the region’s major events lineup from February, Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki GM Destination Brylee Flutey expects events will bring tens of millions of dollars into the Taranaki economy.
“This is a pivotal moment for local businesses and our community to make the most of the opportunity — be open, stock up, staff up, and extend the Taranaki manaakitanga we’re known for.”
Flutey says the success of any event comes down to a Team Taranaki approach, including courageous event producers and a welcoming, connected community.
“We encourage locals and businesses to embrace the vibrant atmosphere and unite around a collective commitment to make Taranaki a truly like no other experience.
“We’re thrilled to support events like Americarna, Te Matatini, and WOMAD through our facilitation of the New Plymouth District Council Major Events Fund. Each one is a platform to showcase our distinctive Taranaki offerings, encourages repeat visitation, and generates a compelling reason for people to visit.
“With our Team Taranaki collaborative approach, we aim to create a unique experience for all manuhiri (visitors).”
Americarna: 19 – 22 February
Americarna has become one of New Zealand’s premier celebrations of all things USA, especially American vehicles.
From classic cars to modern, pickup trucks, hot rods, motorbikes and more, it’s four days of touring the length and breadth of Taranaki, complete with daily themed dress ups, music, food and a buzzing atmosphere.
It attracts a huge number of enthusiasts from all over New Zealand and overseas, with participants eager to show off their vehicles, grow relationships and hopefully take home a prize or two.
Americarna Founder and Event Director John Rae says it’s split into two parts – the public component and the entry component.
“The entrants put on a show for the public, and you need both aspects to make a show. We’re different from a lot of events in that we’re free for the public, and displays are always well supported.”
New to the lineup in 2025 is a special Heritage train, bringing visitors up from Wellington and taking short trips from central New Plymouth during the weekend.
Rae has organised Americarna annually since 2007, and says he knows what needs to be done, but says he’s received advice from others from time to time.
“Over the years I’ve rung Suzanne from WOMAD to get ideas or ask about how she’s approaching various issues. We have an open dialogue.”
Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga: 25 February – 1 March
Te Matatini, New Zealand’s biennial kapa haka festival, is a behemoth of an event. It’s expected to attract upwards of 30,000 people to the Bowl of Brooklands over five days, with a TV and online viewing audience of up to 2.5 million.
For context, it added $22 million to the Auckland economy in 2022.
There are 55 groups in total, with a minimum of 3,000 performers. And they all need accommodation, food and transport.
“We’ve got teams staying right across the region, from Pātea to Mōkau,” says local festival manager Emere Wano.
“There’s a lot of resource sharing. For us, Team Taranaki means our councils, our communities, our iwi – everyone putting their hands up to make this successful.”
Unlike Americarna and WOMAD, Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga is a one-off event for Taranaki. It’s hosted by different regions every two years, and taps into the local events expertise and services in each host city.
Wano herself is a perfect example, having been WOMAD programme director for 20+ years.
“My history and knowledge helps with things like knowing the venue and being able to share insights of what works and what doesn’t. Knowing the people, the city and the region has been really helpful.”
WOMAD: 14 – 16 March
Another highlight of the Taranaki events calendar, WOMAD is three days of music, art and dance, with dozens of international and domestic artists performing across multiple stages at the Bowl of Brooklands.
The intense pack-in for WOMAD typically starts at Pukekura Park two weeks out. This year, that will coincide with the pack-out from Te Matatini at the same venue.
Event Director Suzanne Porter says both events are working together to coordinate the logistics.
“We’ve been talking a lot about where the overlays are, which will hopefully mean some cost savings for both parties. For example, things like fencing can go in for Te Matatini and stay up for us.”
Porter says having Te Matatini in Taranaki is a real coup, particularly as it builds out a diverse portfolio of local events over the summer periods.
“It appeals to a different demographic and a large group of people coming into the region. For the local economy, a travelling audience is fantastic for our retail, hospitality and accommodation sectors… the whole region really.
“The more events we have that can attract people here for the first time, the more we can put Taranaki on the map.”