page_title: Wanaka
section_title: Festivals
hierarchical_section_title: Wanaka / Attractions / Festivals
caption_attribution_description: English: wanaka aerial panorama otago new zealand 2018
context_page_description: Wanaka, once called Pembroke, is a popular ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the southern end of Lake Wānaka, it is at the start of the Clutha River and is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park.
  Wanaka is primarily a resort town with both summer and winter seasons. Its economy is based on the many outdoor opportunities this offers.
  Historically, Māori visited the Wanaka area to hunt and fish in summer, or on their way to seek pounamu on the West Coast. Ngāi Tahu abandoned their seasonal camps after a raid by a North Island war party in 1836. The current town was founded during the gold rush of the 19th century. Along with the rest of the Queenstown-Lakes District, Wanaka is growing rapidly, with the population increasing by 50% between 2005 and 2015.
context_section_description: The biennial Warbirds over Wanaka airshow has become a major attraction for national and international guests.
  Wanakafest
  NZ Freeski open
  The biennial New Zealand music Rippon Festival
  Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival
  Festival of Colour and Aspiring Conversations. Two festivals organised by the Southern Lakes Arts Festival Trust. The Festival of Colour is a biennial multi disciplinary arts festival featuring theatre, music, dance and visual arts. Aspiring Conversations is an ideas festival. Both are timed for April in alternate years.
  Rhythm and Alps
caption: Aerial panorama of the town
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