What’s on in New Zealand
New Plymouth
If you are heading to New Plymouth for a break, Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park is a great place to base yourself as you explore everything the Taranaki region has to offer. With its beach front location you are perfectly placed to catch a wave in the world-class surf or enjoy a dip in the ocean.
Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park is New Plymouth’s only holiday park on the beach, by the city and is suited to all travellers with accommodation types to suit couples, families and sports or recreation groups. Book a spacious site, studios or cabin and enjoy the modern facilities on the beautifully kept grounds. For group offers and winter deals make sure you keep an eye on the Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park website and Facebook page.
Plan your trip to New Plymouth around the annual calendar of local and internationally acclaimed events that make this region a hive of activity all year round.
Here are a few of our favourite events to get you started:
Pukekura Festival of Lights
Held annually December – February
Pukekura Park is known as one of New Zealand’s premier botanical gardens. Every summer over 100,000 visitors descend upon the park as it is illuminated into a night-time playground with multi-coloured lights glistening amongst the gardens.
The festival plays host to a wide range of events and activities including evening performances, family friendly daytime activities, movies in the park, and jaw dropping light shows.
AmeriCARna
Held annually in February
Americarna is a celebration of American themed hot rods and muscle cars that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Over 750 vehicles are on display and entered in the various events and parades that make up Americarna.
Celebrating 12 years in 2019, the event is loved by the locals who often go all out theming themselves and their shop fronts in red, white and blue.
WOMAD
Held annually in March
WOMAD – World of Music, Arts and Dance is an internationally renowned festival, bringing together artists from all over the world. This festival is an exciting, annual celebration of performing and visual arts. The event is family oriented and prides itself on catering to a diverse audience, via a range of mediums and stages.
WOMAD is held at the stunning TSB Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park and in 2019 will celebrate 15 years of the festival being held in New Zealand.
Permian Monsters: Life before the Dinosaurs
Temporary Exhibition March – September 2018
Step back in time 290 million years to when bizarre-looking animals dominated life on land and sea, and find out about the greatest extinction the world has ever seen in Permian Monsters: Life before the Dinosaurs. This unique exhibition brings the past back to life with fossilised skeletons and full-size life models and animatronics of the animals that ruled the world millions of years before the age of dinosaurs, in a time known as the Permian.
Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs is a fun and interactive exhibition that blends art and science with a collection of new artwork which offers a glimpse back in time through the eyes of award winning paleo-artist Julius Csotonyi. View fossilised skeletons and reconstructed models of these amazing but bizarre creatures that dominated land and sea, and dig and identify fossils in the interactive dig pits throughout the exhibition.
Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs is a travelling exhibition produced by Gondwana Studios.
Comic Book Day
Saturday 5th May 2018
If you are a lover of comics and cosplay then get yourself to the comic book day for a few hours of card and comic swapping, cosplay and magic!
Taranaki Garden Spectacular
Held annually in October
The Taranaki Garden Spectacular is turning 30! There are 47 gardens in the 2018 festival – of which 42 are privately owned. Be inspired by the very best classic rambling country gardens, sub-tropical retreats and inner-city sanctuaries as you meet the creators and learn about their creations.
Check out the programme and create your own garden tour, book a guided tour or learn more about the Garden Speaker Series.
See a concert at TSB Bowl of Brooklands
Check out the events calendar for upcoming artists
The TSB Bowl of Brooklands boasts a large grass amphitheatre with a capacity of 15,000 and a stunning backdrop of Pukekura Park. This venue is made for concerts and has played host to the likes of Bryan Adams, Fleetwood Mac and The Winery Tour.
The venue was judged New Zealand’s most atmospheric venue and is the perfect place to take in a summer concert next time you visit.
Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park Events Calendar
See Facebook for details
The team at Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park love to celebrate! Keep an eye on their Facebook page of what’s on at the park including summer holiday activities, beach days, the annual Easter Hunt, Halloween trick or treating and more!
For more information on the Taranaki region visit Venture Taranaki
Photo credits: Rob Tucker, Jeremy Beckers and Patrick Reynolds via Venture Taranaki & Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park
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