Industry News
Winter has arrived in New Zealand, and the 2024 winter season calendar is stocked up with some incredible events taking place across the mountain communities. There is a wide variety of fun to be had, from music festivals to some of the world’s top winter athletes competing against each other in skiing and snowboarding competitions throughout the season.
Once again, Mardi Gras is kicking off the season in New Zealand. The festival occurs every year in both Ohakune (North Island) and Queenstown (South Island). Both local and international electronic musicians will be performing, with special guest ‘Cyril’ headlining the concert. Ohakune is set to host on June 22, and Queenstown will be a week later on June 29. Tickets can be found here.
The June/July period marks a special time of year in New Zealand as it is the celebration of the Maori New Year, known as ‘Matariki.’ Matariki is a cluster of stars that appear at the start of the new moon in the lunar calendar. The celebration happens over a week-long period, with many cultural performances, light shows, and stargazing from city to city across the country.
The first event in August is the Winter Pride Festival. This celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community in NZ, beginning on August 22 and finishing on September 1. Winter Pride is split between Queenstown and Wanaka, with many fun activities on and off the hill. Anyone is welcome to join in; it’s a great way to explore the mountains, and there is often a guide attached to the event. To find out more, visit the event website.
Next in August is the Winter Games. The Winter Games is a competitive gathering of athletes from all across the world right here in New Zealand. There are three main categories split across three mountains: Freestyle (Cardrona), Alpine racing (Coronet Peak), and Freeride (Remarkables).
The level of competition is always high as the results count towards qualifying for FIS World cups, Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 and the Freeride World Tour. The Winter Games commence on August 23, and finish on September 1. The draft can be found here, detailing when and where the heats and finals are being held.
Mount Olympus Freeride Open (MOFO)
By September, spring has sprung upon the New Zealand Mountains. It is this time of year when many walks of earth congregate at Mount Olympus for the MOFO. The community MOFO welcomes all with open arms. At Mofo, anything goes, from nude skiing to snowblades, with a wild party to send off the gathering.
The event used to be a Freeride World Tour Qualifier, yet the unique essence surrounding MOFO lead to the organisers declaring it as a fun get-together for anyone looking to ski hard and party harder. Due to the time of year, the MOFO dates aren’t decided until August. For updates check the Mt Olympus website or Facebook page.
These five main events spearhead the New Zealand winter, however there are naturally many other small events happening around the country at other ski resorts throughout the season.
