Celebrating the changing of seasons in historic Arrowtown
Arrowtown Autumn Festival: 12-21 April 2013
Every year the changing of the seasons in Arrowtown is heralded, and celebrated, by the Arrowtown Autumn Festival. This historic gold mining town comes alive at the time of the festival and is a cherished favourite of the locals to engage in and show off what they know to be a very special and unique place. Visitors to the festival will find a programme teeming with arts, history and colour – it really is one of the best ways to experience this delightful town during the lively buzz of the festival. Arrowtown is simply stunning during autumn. The deciduous trees comprise a rainbow of rusty coppers, ochre yellows and fiery reds so get your cameras at the ready. Accommodation does get booked up in Arrowtown around the time of the festival but Queenstown is only a 25 minute drive and should be able to soak up any overspill. Basing yourself in Arrowtown itself will mean that you can join in festivities as much as you like. The festival, though vibrant, is not intrusive and is perfectly family-friendly so staying centrally won’t impact on the eardrums or a good night’s sleep. There is a jam-packed programme so here are some of our highlights of the coming 2013 festival to help make choosing when and where to be that little bit easier.
Buckingham Green, 2012 Arrowtown Autumn Festival
The Southland Times Festival Street Parade
Buckingham Street turns into a sea of colour, fancy and frivolous costumes and quirky floats. The local community always get stuck into this event. It’s genuinely heart-warming to see so many people take pride in their town and generations of Arrowtowners parading side by side. The legendary can-can is performed by the Buckingham Belles in homage to Arrowtown’s gold rush era and the Miner’s Band play after the parade by the cottages on Buckingham Street.
Price: FREE. When: 13th April at 2pm. Where: Buckingham Street. Classic Flights Aerobatic Display Aerobatic champion Ivan Krippner will wow the crowds as he makes heart-stopping aerial manoeuvres in his Pitts Special S2B plane. Upside down, loop the loop – this is not flying for the faint-hearted. Price: FREE. When: 13th April at 1.50pm. Where: The sky above Arrowtown. Pub to Pub Challenge A bar crawl with a difference, this event dares teams to dress up wacky and wild and engage in some crazy challenges. You can get involved and enter your own team by registering in advance at [email protected] or you can just watch the madcap action unfold from pub to pub. Price: FREE. When: 14th April at 1.00pm. Where: Various pubs along Buckingham Street.
2012 Street Parade, Arrowtown Autumn Festival
Richard Adams Workshop - 'Working on paper in abstraction'
New Zealand painter, Richard Adams, has achieved worldwide success and had much of his work exhibited internationally. This workshop welcomes artists of all levels and explores creating texture on paper through layers. Paper is provided but attendees will need their own paints and brushes. Price: $75. When: 14th April at 9.30pm-4.30pm. Where: Community Club Rooms, Centennial Avenue. Arrow Ambles Take part in a guided historical walk and watch the gold mining era of the 19th century come alive in Arrowtown. Your knowledgeable local guides are Russell, Rupert, Oweena, Rita and Alan. Price: FREE. When: 14th April at 10.00am. Where: Meet at Lakes District Museum. Wallace and Gibbs - Art 2 Wear This iconic event nearly always sells out. The range of wearable art is inspiring and breathtaking and a unique chance to experience the quirky and artistic side to Arrowtown. A glass of bubbles and canapés are served on arrival. Book ahead! Price: $35. When: 19th April at 8.00pm. Where: Athenaeum Hall. These are just a selection but it's really hard to pitch one event above another in what is a sterling programme. Other events include inspirational speakers, gold panning, street entertainment, a hypnotist stage show and live music.
Autumn Colours of Arrowtown
Autumn time in Arrowtown brings milder, more temperate weather than the baking summers. Rainfall is infrequent enough and there is plenty of sunshine so visitors can still enjoy the outdoors. You might want to interchange your festival going with local walks such as Tobin’s Track and Sawpit Gully. It’s also worth strolling at a leisurely pace around the back streets of Arrowtown where you will find boutique shops showcasing artisan pieces and clothing made from premium New Zealand products such as Merino wool. See our guides to shopping and art galleries.
The Chinese Settlement Village is a fascinating piece of Arrowtown’s gold mining history. Many of the houses once occupied by Chinese migrants in the 19th century are preserved outdoor museum pieces. The cramped, basic conditions the hardworking miners endured are still painfully evident. Amisfield Winery is located only five minutes’ drive from Arrowtown and is a prime spot for soaking up the autumn afternoon sunshine, sampling some of Central Otago’s finest wines and tasting sumptuous high-quality food much of which is sourced locally. Gibbston, the vineyard region, is also a short drive from Arrowtown, where you can find premier wineries such as the award-winning Brennan Wines and Gibbston Valley Winery. Please visit the Arrowtown Autumn Festival website for the full programme listing. There is an abundance of other activities in the Queenstown and Arrowtown area to complement your festival experience. Check out our Things To Do, Adventure, Nightlife, Restaurants and Shopping pages for inspiration while our video guides let you see what you can expect when visiting.
Sawpit Gully Walk, 2.5 loop walk from Arrowtown
