ROCKER: Jordan Luck will lead The Exponents at the Classic Hits Winery Tour when it stops at Alana Estate, Martinborough.
La De Da - Daisybank Farm, Martinborough, to January 1.
Kick off 2014 with a bang with a camping trip with a group of good friends, featuring some hip hop, electronica and drum and bass, and a few glowsticks. The annual La De Da festival, held at Martinborough's Daisybank Farm, features a line-up of New Zealand and international acts and is one of Wairarapa's biggest musical crowd pleasers. This year's line up includes US rapper A$AP Rocky, Kiwi funk-soul diva Ladi6, ARIA-winning Australian electro artist Flume, and reggae-fusion six-piece Sons of Zion from South Auckland. Festival goers can park up a tent at Lullaby Lane, the official camping ground at Daisybank Farm, and buy food and alcohol on site.
For more information on ticket prices and camping options at Lullaby Lane, go to www.ladeda.co.nz. Early bird options for tickets and camping packages are sold out. Entry is R18.
An Arabian Night - King Street Live, January 31
King Street Live is bringing in 2014 Middle Eastern style, with an "Arabian Nights" themed party, featuring a Lebanese- BBQ dinner, an Arabian inspired "grand entrance" and a host of soul and rock musicians.
The evening will feature performances from Trinity Roots, who will be offering up roots reggae tunes and a stripped- back soul and jazz. They will be joined by The Nudge, a Wellington-based "psych soul blues rock" trio.
Tickets cost $65 each plus a booking fee with earlybird tickets costing $55 each plus a booking fee. Tickets are available at www.dashtickets.co.nz or through www.kingstreetlive.co.nz.
Model Flying New Zealand National Championships, Clareville Showgrounds, December 31 to January 4
Miniature World War 2 Spitfires, vintage 1930s passenger planes and modern combat aircraft are all taking off over Wairarapa this summer at the Model Flying New Zealand National Championships.
The event, attended by around 150 airplane competitors from all over New Zealand, will feature indoor and outdoor events, showcasing free flight, remote-controlled and control-line aircraft, as well as aerobatics and smoke displays.
Entry to the event is free for members of the public. For more information about the club or the competition, contact Kerry Nichols on (06) 377 0937, or via email at knichols@wise.net.nz.
Exhibitions at Aratoi - running through to February
For the art lovers, there is plenty on at Aratoi, Wairarapa's Museum of Art and History, to tickle your visual and historic fancy. The museum has several major exhibitions running this summer, such as "Close To Home", an exhibition of portraits of colonial artist William Beetham and "Reflection and Image", a collection of landscapes and abstract art capturing Wairarapa's rugged coastline by Bridget Bidwill and Andree de Latour (both running from December 6 until February 23).
Entry is free. Contact Aratoi on 06 370 0001, or via email at info@aratoi.co.nz.
Storytelling tours at Stonehenge Aotearoa - every Saturday and Sunday and every day of the week from December 27 to January 19.
Offering a glimpse into astrological history and folklore, a trip to Carterton's very own Stonehenge makes for the perfect escape from civilisation on a warm afternoon. Throughout summer, Stonehenge Aotearoa will be offering daily guided tours of the structure, which include tales of the ancient solstices and equinoxes and the signs of the Zodiac. Guides explain how stones, posts and shadows were used to unlock the mysteries of the sky and the seasons by primitive civilisations.
Tours are $16 for adults, $13 for secondary students and senior citizens, and $8 for children under 13. For more information, phone (06) 377 1600 or email stonehenge@astronomynz.org.nz.
Castlepoint Fishing Competition, January 9 to 11.
Anglers of all shapes, sizes and ages are invited to cast their lines and win big at the 19th Annual Castlepoint Fishing Competition.
The competition will feature both boat and landfishing events, and a children's section for under 12s, where young fishermen and women can compete for spot prizes.
Adults can challenge for the title of Heaviest Snapper, Heaviest Kahawai and Heaviest Kingfish, and there are 11 other species prizes for both land and boat based anglers.
Registrations begin on Thursday January 9 from 4.00pm - 9pm at the Castlepoint Community Hall.
Entry fees are $35 for adults, and $5 for children under 12. More information is available at http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2014/19th-annual-castlepoint-fishing-competition/masterton.
Clareville Country Music Festival, Clareville Showgrounds, January 10 -12
Country music lovers can celebrate 2014 with some yodelling, banjo riffs and a healthy dose of toe-tapping.
The festival features a range of country music, both traditional and modern - including music from Brendan Dugan, Best Alternative Country Album winners Camille Te Nahu and Stuie French and New Zealand's Got Talent star Cruize Karaitiana.
There will also be country-themed activities for families to participate in, and food and coffee trucks on site. Motorhome and caravan sites on the showgrounds can also be booked for those attending all three days.
For more information on prices, accommodation bookings and entertainment, please visit www.clarevillecountrymusic.com.
Rotary Martinborough Fair, Martinborough Square, February 1 and March 1.
The fair, organised by the South Wairarapa Rotary Club, is reportedly the largest in Australasia, consisting of over 480 stalls selling artwork, crafts, clothing, food, furniture, kitchenware - and even environmentally-sustainable caskets.
The fair also features sideshow attractions, including bungee jump machines, water wheel pools, Segway machines and entertainment from local musicians.
The Martinborough fair runs from 8.00am to 4.00pm on both days. Entry is free for all ages.
The Classic Hits Winery Tour 2014, Alana Estate, Puruatanga Rd, Martinborough, Saturday February 8
Kiwi pub-rock legends The Exponents will be bringing such beloved hits as Why Does Love Do This To Me?, Victoria and I'll Say Goodbye to Wairarapa when the 2014 Classic Hits Winery Tour hits town.
Performing at Alana Estate, the Exponents will be the tour's headline act, bringing with them a stage show specifically designed for a winery environment.
They will be joined by X-Factor judge and Mt Zion actor Stan Walker and Breaks Co-op, who will be releasing their first album in eight years just prior to the tour.
For more information, visit www.winerytour.co.nz/home.
Trust House A&P Show, Solway Showgrounds, Saturday February 15
A fun, varied day in the sunshine for young and old. This year's A&P show features a "Gate to Plate" Lamb Competition, a dog and duck show, and entertainment from puppeteer Anna Bailey on String Bean Puppets, stiltwalkers and wearable from Highly Flammable Creative Entertainment, Pacific Island dancers and music from all-female Johnny Cash-themed band The Johnnies. For the kids, there will a be tug of war competition and rides.
Tickets for the day are $10 for adults, $5 for children and $25 for a family pass. Children under five are free.
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