Whanganui's month-long La Fiesta aims to create opportunities for women to meet their community, share skills and have a bit of fun.
It runs until March 13, featuring a wide variety of events including cooking classes, papermaking, music, art, movement and wellbeing.
Organiser Carla Donson of the Whanganui Women's Network
said she loved that newcomers could actively participate in La Fiesta.
"We've got people that have come here as genuine refugees and have been in our community for a matter of moments and are not only launching themselves in, but sharing some really important life stories as well as skills, " she said.
Regular festival participant and Whanganui resident Diana Leu is running her usual cooking class and Chinese tea ceremony events but this year added a screening of the Canadian documentary Badass Beauty Queen.
