Packed calendar for Matariki

Otago Daily Times

7 hours ago

Queenstown Goldrush on their way to beating Christchurch at the 2023 Erewhon Cup tournament at the Maniototo Adventure Park in Naseby. The battle for the Erewhon Cup, which can only be played on outdoor ice, will once again run over the Matariki weekend. PHOTO: JULIE ASHER
Maniototo is the place to be, with a mix of arts and sports events happening in the area over the Matariki weekend and into the school holidays.
For those who enjoy art, the Oturehua Town Hall will host the inaugural Ida Valley Winter Arts Show.
The event will begin with an alter-ego themed opening ceremony tonight at 7pm and will run over Matariki weekend.
Visitors will be able to vote for the people's choice award, to be announced at the closing ceremony on Sunday; the winning artist will receive $2500.
In Ranfurly the Lohi Fashion Show will be held tomorrow night at 6.30pm.
Lohi and The Thirsty Moa co-owner Russ Haig said the show was about showcasing local fashion made using natural or recycled products.
It was the fourth year of the show, which has previously attracted designers from as far away as Wellington.
Year 7 and 8 students from Maniototo Area School will also take part in the show.
The pupils had been split into six groups of six which each came up with a design using recycled materials. That design was made and the groups would talk about their design as the model walked the catwalk.
For sports lovers, the Erewhon Cup ice hockey tournament begins at the Maniototo Adventure Park in Naseby tonight.
This year the cup will be contested by five division one teams, including Wakatipu Goldrush which has won the cup every year since 2016.
Games will be spread over Matariki weekend and the Erewhon cup final played on Sunday at 11.40am.
The Erewhon Cup is the oldest ice hockey competition in New Zealand. It was first staged in Opawa, South Canterbury, in 1937. It is open to teams from the Southern Ice Hockey League. Because it has to be played outdoors, it can only be held at Tekapo, Alexandra or Naseby.
Later in the month the Maniototo Adventure Park will once again host the annual school holiday ice camp.
Children will be able to learn to skate and sample various ice sports including luge, figure skating and ice hockey.
Maniototo Adventure Park volunteer Karen Munro said the camps had run for a long time and had always been popular with children from across the country.