Waimate Event Calendar
Waimate knows how to throw and host great events.
From motors and mountain bikes to markets, theatre and community days, there’s always something happening through the year.
Check the calendar to see what’s coming up and plan your visit around it.
Annual events
Bookarama Waimate
Bookarama and Waimate Museum
Waimate Bookarama is a must for anyone who loves a good second-hand book.
Browse thousands of novels, non-fiction books, children’s books, magazines and puzzles, with plenty of bargains and unexpected finds waiting on the tables. Held over Labour Weekend, Bookarama raises funds for the Waimate Historical Society and the work of Waimate Museum and Archives.
Ready, set, show.
Ready Set Show
The costumes, the lighting, the staging – these are seriously impressive productions.
READY SET SHOW brings together some of Waimate's talented performers for an evening packed with music, comedy, dance and entertainment.
Three shows to choose from:
Friday 30 October – 7pm
Saturday 31 October – 2pm
Saturday 31 October – 7pm
Tickets available from Value Village Waimate - 29 Queen Street Waimate.
Or online here: https://events.humanitix.com/ready-set-show
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Ready, set, show.
Ready Set Show
The costumes, the lighting, the staging – these are seriously impressive productions.
READY SET SHOW brings together some of Waimate's talented performers for an evening packed with music, comedy, dance and entertainment.
Three shows to choose from:
Friday 30 October – 7pm
Saturday 31 October – 2pm
Saturday 31 October – 7pm
Tickets available from Value Village Waimate - 29 Queen Street Waimate.
Or online here: https://events.humanitix.com/ready-set-show
Ready, set, show.
Ready Set Show
The costumes, the lighting, the staging – these are seriously impressive productions.
READY SET SHOW brings together some of Waimate's talented performers for an evening packed with music, comedy, dance and entertainment.
Three shows to choose from:
Friday 30 October – 7pm
Saturday 31 October – 2pm
Saturday 31 October – 7pm
Tickets available from Value Village Waimate - 29 Queen Street Waimate.
Or online here: https://events.humanitix.com/ready-set-show
Southern Canterbury A&P Show
The Waimate Show
The Southern Canterbury A&P Show – known locally as the Waimate Show – brings town and country together for one big day at the Waimate Showgrounds.
Held annually on the first Saturday in November, the show celebrates the district’s agricultural roots with equestrian events, show jumping, sheep, cattle, poultry, dog trials, wool competitions and plenty more.
There are trade sites, food, shopping, displays and entertainment to explore, along with creative competitions for adults and school students. Whether you’re competing, catching up with people or bringing the family for a day out, the Waimate Show is a longstanding highlight of the local calendar.
What: Southern Canterbury A&P Show – also known as the Waimate Show
When: Saturday 7 November 2026
Where: Waimate A&P Showgrounds, 26 Hakataramea Highway, Waimate
Website:Southern Canterbury A&P Association
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Beginners Crochet Workshop
Beginners Crochet Workshop, Waimate
Learn to crochet from scratch in this three-part workshop series run by Waimate crochet business Woolster.
Across three two-hour lessons, you’ll learn about yarn, hooks and other materials before getting to grips with basic stitches and crochet patterns. With no more than three people in each class, there will be plenty of personal guidance along the way.
All materials are included, and by the end of the series you’ll be ready to begin crochet projects of your own.
Dates: Saturday 24 October, 7 November and 21 November 2026
Suitable for: Absolute beginners – no experience needed
Duration: Three two-hour lessons
Cost: $40 per class or $100 for all three
Materials: Everything is included
Spaces: Popular – only one place left
This workshop is run by Woolster and partly funded by Creative Communities NZ.
Bushtown Miniature Railway
This Sunday is Bushtown Sunday!
Bushtown's miniature railway rides happen from 1–3pm on the second Sunday of each month.
What is Bushtown Heritage Park?
It's a seven-hectare heritage attraction telling the story of Waimate’s timber-milling history and the people who worked among the huge tōtara forests that once surrounded the town.
There’s plenty to explore:
Take a ride on the miniature train – $2 (cash only, no EFTPOS)
Wander through the Edwardian cottages
Walk among the tōtara – now tall enough that they’re starting to form a canopy of their own
There are bikes and other outdoor toys for the kids to enjoy
Second Sunday of every month
1–3pm
Train rides $2
Entry to Bushtown is free
Dobson Street, Waimate
Weather dependent – follow Bushtown Waimate for updates
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Beginners Crochet Workshop
Beginners Crochet Workshop, Waimate
Learn to crochet from scratch in this three-part workshop series run by Waimate crochet business Woolster.
Across three two-hour lessons, you’ll learn about yarn, hooks and other materials before getting to grips with basic stitches and crochet patterns. With no more than three people in each class, there will be plenty of personal guidance along the way.
All materials are included, and by the end of the series you’ll be ready to begin crochet projects of your own.
Dates: Saturday 24 October, 7 November and 21 November 2026
Suitable for: Absolute beginners – no experience needed
Duration: Three two-hour lessons
Cost: $40 per class or $100 for all three
Materials: Everything is included
Spaces: Popular – only one place left
This workshop is run by Woolster and partly funded by Creative Communities NZ.
Edition Zero Gravel
New Zealand’s premiere gravel riding event.
Head to Waimate for a huge weekend of gravel riding from 27–29 November 2026.
Choose your challenge, from the 53km Taster through to the epic 248km Mains course, taking riders through Waimate’s rural backcountry. The weekend also includes the Kiwi Gravel Expo, Velodrome Village, prizegiving and plenty of action at the finish line.
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Whitehorse Funduro
THE WHITEHORSE FUNDURO RETURNS FOR ITS 3RD YEAR.
Mark the date on your diaries - Sunday 29th November, 10am.
We will run the same stages as last year - a 3 stage, a 5 stage and an optional special stage 6 for the 5 stage riders.
We have had further upgrade work completed on the Whitehorse Big Easy to make the liason climbs a little easier. And Andrew Bailey is booked to do some upgrade work on Flying Falcon and Cheese Roll, utilising funds from last year's event and from the Whitehorse Big Easy, so make sure to support that event too!
Entries open soon!
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Positive Waimate Christmas Parade and Family Fun Fair
Positive Waimate Christmas Parade and Family Fun Fair
Get ready for the festive highlight of the year!
The fantastic floats make their way down the main street and then the children and their adults come together for loads of family entertainment at Seddon Square.
Everything is free for children under 12 years, and low cost for the children’s parents.
Keep your eyes peeled for a special appearance from Santa himself!
See you there to kick off the holiday season with true Waimate community spirit!
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Waimate Strawberry Fare
Waimate’s Strawberry Fare
When and where is the Waimate Strawberry Fare?
What: A free family festival celebrating Waimate strawberries
Where: Seddon Square, Queen Street, Waimate, South Canterbury
When: The second Saturday of December each year
Cost: Free entry
Held in Seddon Square in central Waimate on the second Saturday of December each year, the Waimate Strawberry Fare is one of South Canterbury’s largest annual events.
More than 14,000 people come from around New Zealand for this free family day out, with live entertainment, market stalls, activities and a wide range of food – including plenty of locally grown Waimate strawberries.
Strawberries have been grown in the Waimate District since 1880 and remain an important part of the local economy. The Strawberry Fare celebrates that long history with a rather large day in the middle of town.
Bushtown Miniature Railway
This Sunday is Bushtown Sunday!
Bushtown's miniature railway rides happen from 1–3pm on the second Sunday of each month.
What is Bushtown Heritage Park?
It's a seven-hectare heritage attraction telling the story of Waimate’s timber-milling history and the people who worked among the huge tōtara forests that once surrounded the town.
There’s plenty to explore:
Take a ride on the miniature train – $2 (cash only, no EFTPOS)
Wander through the Edwardian cottages
Walk among the tōtara – now tall enough that they’re starting to form a canopy of their own
There are bikes and other outdoor toys for the kids to enjoy
Second Sunday of every month
1–3pm
Train rides $2
Entry to Bushtown is free
Dobson Street, Waimate
Weather dependent – follow Bushtown Waimate for updates
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Waimate Caledonian Games
Waimate Caledonian Games
What: A traditional Caledonian sports day with more than 200 events
Where: Victoria Park, Waimate, South Canterbury
When: The fourth Saturday in January each year
Admission: Free
Held at Victoria Park in Waimate on the fourth Saturday in January each year, the Waimate Caledonian Games have been part of the district’s summer calendar for more than 145 years.
The programme features more than 200 events, including cycling, athletics, speed skating, bagpiping, Highland dancing, road running, gumboot throwing and the caber toss.
Admission is free, and you don’t have to be a spectator. Turn up on the day and enter selected events – although some may require slightly more athletic ability than others.
Waimate Rodeo
Waimate Rodeo
Bull riding, barrel racing and a full day of rodeo action in Waimate.
The Waimate Rodeo brings a full day of fast-paced rodeo action to the Southern Canterbury A&P Showgrounds each February.
Watch competitors take on bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping and other events in the arena.
With local riders, experienced competitors, food and family entertainment, it’s a lively day out and a popular event on Waimate’s summer calendar. Bring a hat, plenty of sunscreen and settle in beside the arena for some proper country entertainment.
Tickets: Available at the gate
Updates: Follow the Waimate Rodeo Club on Facebook
Bushtown Steam Up - Family Fun Weekend
Bushtown Steam Up Family Fun Weekend
Steam engines, vintage machinery and family entertainment in Waimate
See Waimate’s pioneering history come noisily back to life at the Bushtown Steam Up Family Fun Weekend. Held at Bushtown Heritage Park, this annual event features working steam engines, vintage machinery and traditional sawmilling, along with rides, displays, stalls, food and activities for the kids.
Explore Bushtown’s Edwardian main street and early-settler displays while engines chug, machinery clatters and the sawmill gets down to work. It’s an entertaining weekend for families, machinery enthusiasts and anyone interested in how things were done before everything came with a charger.
What, where and when
Where: Bushtown Heritage Park, Dobson Street, Waimate
More information: Bushtown Waimate or Bushtown Waimate on Facebook
March Hare Rally
March Hare Motorcycle Rally – Waimate
Motorbikes, live music and a legendary rally weekend in South Canterbury
Every March, the roar of motorcycles announces the arrival of one of Waimate’s biggest weekends. The March Hare Motorcycle Rally brings riders and motorcycle enthusiasts from around New Zealand to Waimate for a weekend of bikes, live bands, entertainment and famously friendly South Canterbury hospitality.
Held annually from the first Friday in March, the rally has been part of Waimate’s event calendar for nearly 40 years. Whether you’re a regular rallygoer or making your first trip to the March Hare, expect plenty of motorcycles, plenty of noise and a cracking weekend with people who share your enthusiasm for life on two wheels.
What, where and when
What: March Hare Motorcycle Rally
When: Annually from the first Friday in March
Where: Waimate, South Canterbury
More information: March Hare Rally website and March Hare Rally on Facebook
The Whitehorse Big Easy
The Whitehorse Big Easy is back!
We've set the date - Sunday 4 April.
Run. it. Walk it. Bike it.
Get out and experience the tracks in the flats and hills around Waimate.
This annual charity event is one for the calendar.
Lock your friends and whānau in.
Make a weekend of it in Waimo
UNCONFIRMED: Waimate Folk Festival
Waimate Winter Folk Festival
Held on Kings Birthday weekend - please follow the Facebook page for confirmation of the 2027 event.
It is a musical gathering for performers and enjoyers of folk music of all ages and levels of skill, from beginners to seasoned professionals.
Held in beautiful Gunns Bush at the camp with facilities.
Beginners Crochet Workshop
Beginners Crochet Workshop, Waimate
Learn to crochet from scratch in this three-part workshop series run by Waimate crochet business Woolster.
Across three two-hour lessons, you’ll learn about yarn, hooks and other materials before getting to grips with basic stitches and crochet patterns. With no more than three people in each class, there will be plenty of personal guidance along the way.
All materials are included, and by the end of the series you’ll be ready to begin crochet projects of your own.
Dates: Saturday 24 October, 7 November and 21 November 2026
Suitable for: Absolute beginners – no experience needed
Duration: Three two-hour lessons
Cost: $40 per class or $100 for all three
Materials: Everything is included
Spaces: Popular – only one place left
This workshop is run by Woolster and partly funded by Creative Communities NZ.
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
TERMINATOR 2 – JUDGEMENT DAY
The story of Tongan rugby legend Jonah Lomu – the youngest All Black of his time and one of rugby’s most extraordinary players.
Practical Magic 2
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return to the witchy world of the Owens family.
Bushtown Miniature Railway
All aboard! Take the kids for a ride on Bushtown's miniature railway these school holidays.
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
The PAW Patrol lands on a mysterious dinosaur island, where a volcano threatens everything in its path. It’s up to the pups to pull off their biggest rescue mission yet and save the island!
Waimate Community Market
Saturday morning at Seddon Square with local produce, baking, crafts, plants and plenty more.
Waimate Roller Disco
Roller Disco at the Waimate Event Centre
$10 cash entry fee on door
FUNDRAISER for Waimate Gymnastics Club
BBQ Dinner available , $3 sausage & Bread, $3 can of fizz, $6 Burgers
Please bring your own helmet and if you prefer your own skates, bring a friend, share the Event
lots of prizes and fun games on skates
Climbing
Have a go at the Waimate Event Centre’s indoor climbing wall - a great school holiday challenge for kids who like to climb! All equipment is supplied and adult supervision is required. $5 per person.
Indoor Disc Golf
Give indoor disc golf a go! Instead of aiming for a hole, players throw discs towards special disc golf baskets set up inside the Waimate Event Centre. All equipment supplied. $2 per person.
Gaming with Kate
Suited to ages 9 to 13. Games include Minecraft and Roblox. Bookings required.
Skating
et your skates on at the Waimate Event Centre! A fun, low-cost school holiday activity with plenty of room to skate around the indoor courts. Bring long socks and your own skates, or hire skates for $3.
Movies at the library
📮 POSTMAN PAT: THE MOVIE
Pat swaps his usual Greendale mail run for the bright lights of a TV talent show. But while he’s chasing fame, a fleet of robot Postmen is causing chaos back home. Can Pat save the day? 🤖📬
Hoops, badminton, pickleball and table tennis
Four hours of school holiday sport at the Waimate Event Centre. Have a go at badminton, pickleball, basketball hoops and table tennis - try one or work your way around them all. All equipment supplied, just bring clean sneakers. $2 per person.
Football
Burn off some school holiday energy with indoor football at the Waimate Event Centre. All equipment is supplied - just bring clean sneakers and get amongst it. $2 per person.
Origami for Halloween
Drop in anytime between 2pm and 4pm
Suited to ages 11 and under. Parental supervision essential.
Skating
Get your skates on at the Waimate Event Centre! A fun, low-cost school holiday activity with plenty of room to skate around the indoor courts. Bring long socks and your own skates, or hire skates for $3.
Lomu
The story of Tongan rugby legend Jonah Lomu – the youngest All Black of his time and one of rugby’s most extraordinary players.
Lomu
The story of Tongan rugby legend Jonah Lomu – the youngest All Black of his time and one of rugby’s most extraordinary players.
Waimate Community Market
Waimate Community Market
Buy direct from the makers and growers every Saturday morning.
It’s a proper farmers market with vintage and craft stalls thrown in.
Great coffee, food and provisions.
Skating
Get your skates on at the Waimate Event Centre! A fun, low-cost school holiday activity with plenty of room to skate around the indoor courts. Bring long socks and your own skates, or hire skates for $3.
Hoops, badminton, pickleball and table tennis
Four hours of school holiday sport at the Waimate Event Centre. Have a go at badminton, pickleball, basketball hoops and table tennis - try one or work your way around them all. All equipment supplied, just bring clean sneakers. $2 per person.
Family Fun Day Out
A school holiday family fun day with activities for the kids - come along and join in.
Spring Holiday Programme
2.5hrs hours of arty school holiday fun + ice cream & sprinkles at the end! Make some cool stuff, paint, draw, and have fun.
Movies at the library
🦖🐶 JURASSIC BARK
A fun prehistoric adventure for the whole family, packed with dinosaurs, dogs and plenty of action as an unlikely group of heroes sets out on a dino-sized mission!