High street to the hills, issue 29

Events worth noting around the country

Words: Ann Warnock

The Big Easy

23 January, Snow Farm, Mt Pisa, Wanaka

This mountain-bike event has both altitude and attitude as well as an opportunity to roar through the glorious rural Otago landscape. The 40km course commences at the Snow Farm on Mt Pisa then sweeps along the mountain ridge towards Wanaka before the long haul downhill to Albert Town. The track provides a rare opportunity to traverse the rugged valleys of several farms. This “day on the bike” also offers The Big Not so Easy – an additional 20km loop soaring over the top of Mt Pisa at 1900m before descending to rejoin the main race.

Phone (03) 443 5022, www.highlandevents.co.nz

The Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships

20 to 28 January, Piha, Auckland

The wild west coast at Piha will welcome 250 top international surfers when it hosts the biggest surfing spectacle staged in Australasia for more than 25 years. Thirty countries will be represented in what is billed as an Olympic-style event. The venue has been described by its international organizers as “an amazing location with perfect waves”.

Phone (07) 825 0018, www.isaworldjuniors.com.

2010 Chinese New Year Festival & Market Day

13 February, ASB Showgrounds, Auckland

New Zealand welcomes in the Year of the Tiger with total immersion Chinese-style. Savour the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of a Chinese New Year at a celebration that’s become a must-do on the summer cultural calendar. Chinese pageantry, traditional arts and kaleidoscope-coloured lion and dragon dances are just part of the offerings. There are also 240 specialist stalls selling exotic hot delicacies and traditional New Year fare.

www.aucklandchinese.org.nz

Lawrence Summer Arts Festival

23 to 24 January, Lawrence, Central Otago

This tiny treasure of a township bursts into life for its annual arts festival showcasing a heavyweight line-up of local talent from the works of artisan chair-maker James Stewart to ceramics by American-born, now Lawrence-based artist Majorie Millhon Hay and impressionist works by Rachel Hirabayashi. Much of the action – working artists and exhibitions – will be housed in Lawrence’s historic buildings. Fly-fishing, fine food and wine, good coffee, poetry and harp music are all part of the magical mix.

Phone (03) 485 9640, www.lawrence.co.nz

Bill Viola – The Messenger

20 February to 4 July, The New Dowse, Lower Hutt

Bill Viola is a pioneering video artist from the United States who creates evocative and intimate experiences. This fascinating video work is set in a darkened gallery space and is a five-metre-high projection of a figure slowly emerging from watery depths, taking a huge breath of air and sinking again. The experience has been described as mesmerising, forcing the viewer to notice intricate details. Viola created the work in 1996 to be shown in England’s Durham Cathedral.

Phone (04) 570 6500, www.dowse.org.nz.

Rakaia Salmon Fishing Competition

26 to 28 February, Rakaia River

With hope in their hearts, fishermen have been playing the waters of the Rakaia River every February since 1983 when this event was first held. Hailed as the country’s most successful freshwater fishing contest and the only salmon-fishing competition in New Zealand, its emphasis is on sportsmanship and wading into the water to have a go as well as attempting to bag the big prizes in the pool. Locals are keenly aware of preserving the eco-environment and fish stocks – hence the number of fish taken in the competition is limited.

Phone (03) 302 7257, www.rakaiasalmon.co.nz

W.A. Sutton: Watercolours of Italy

27 February to 25 April, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu

Thirty-six years ago Canterbury artist Bill Sutton (1917–2000) undertook an extensive eight-month tour of Italy, immersing himself in the country’s architecture and culture. A selection of detailed watercolours punctuates his travels through Rome, Florence and Venice. Famous buildings, ruins and landscapes showcase the artist’s skill as a draughtsman and watercolourist.

Phone (03) 941 7300, www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz

Newtown Festival Street Fair

7 March, Newtown, Wellington

This annual fair in Wellington’s culturally diverse suburb dishes up a smorgasbord of six live music stages, fairground fun, 200 stalls and a serious dollop of international food. The main street closes to traffic and a community party takes hold. Many local restaurants serve trays of food to pavement punters straight from their kitchens, there are colourful costumes and serious dancing in the streets. This is the focal point of the 10-day Newtown Festival.

www.newtownfestival.org.nz.

The Motown Event

13 February, Mission Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay

A celebration of 50 years of Motown hits is the big gig at the 18th annual Mission Concert staged at one of New Zealand’s oldest wineries. More than 25,000 punters will picnic and party as big-name artists including The Four Tops, The Temptations and Jimmy Barnes deliver over 35 of the best-selling Motown songs. Does the very thought of Baby Love, My Guy or I Heard it Through the Grapevine get those hips swaying?

Phone 0800 TICKETEK, www.missionconcert.co.nz

2010 New Zealand International Arts Festival

26 February to 21 March, Wellington

The country’s biggest biennial cultural blast is back and true to form it’s rolling out an artistic programme to blow your socks off. A play with no words set to a soundtrack from Simon and Garfunkel, Austrian composer Gustav Mahler’s orchestral masterpiece Symphony of a Thousand performed with world-renowned Russian conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy at the helm of the NZSO, a fusion of dance celebrating George Gershwin’s music and leading British writer and historian Simon Schama are all part of the heady mix.

Phone (04) 475 0149, www.nzfestival.nzpost.co.nz

The Waipiata Country Ute Muster

20 March, Waipiata

The concept of how to put a small Central Otago township on the map began over a cold beer at the local pub. The country’s only ute muster was hatched and the place has never looked back. Join ute owners, car enthusiasts and visitors from all corners of the South Island at this annual event. Prizes galore – for best-dressed ute, most feral ute, best classic ute, best chicks’ ute, best of the rest … Cowboy up on the mechanical bull, enter the tug of war, chuck a tyre, watch a sheep-shearing demo and dance the night away with a good old country hoedown. Throw in the tent and deck-chairs too.

Phone (03) 444 7788, www.utemuster.co.nz

New Zealand’s Great Kiwiana Festival

6 March, The Island Domain, Otorohanga

The small rural King Country township of Otorohanga has reinvented itself as the country’s hotspot for all things Kiwi and this festival rolls out a red carpet of treasured Kiwi icons. Singer Tina Cross heads the line-up of entertainment along with comedian Pio Terei. There will be a production of that old favourite, travelling television quiz show It’s in the Bag! and lashings of Kiwiana food – tuck into a custard square, a piece of pavlova or a barbied sausage.

Phone (07) 873 8951, www.kiwianatown.co.nz

Auckland Cup Week

6 to 13 March, Auckland Racing Club, Ellerslie Racecourse

Auckland Cup Week is about thrilling thoroughbred racing and glamour and is the largest and richest sporting event in the country. Whether you are sipping Champagne on the Cuvée Lawn, betting, or booting it on the catwalk at the Mercedes Prix de Fashion, this is sizzling summer fun. Be trackside for Telecom Derby Day on 6 March, Stella Artois Auckland Cup Day on 10 March and SKYCITY Diamond Day on 13 March.

Phone (09) 524 4069, www.aucklandcupweek.co.nz

The Second Test by Jonathan Brugh

16 to 27 March, Bats Theatre, Kent Terrace, Wellington

1953 was a defining year for New Zealand – the Tangiwai disaster brought the country together in grief at Christmas and the New Zealand cricket team embarked on its maiden tour to South Africa. How do they tie together? Using original archival footage, actor and playwright Jonathan Brugh has crafted his solo show. It’s a humorous, sad and poignant true story of courage in the face of ultimate loss.

Phone (04) 802 4175, www.bats.co.nz