Queenstown Jazz Festival: for 10 days this town turns its collective focus on the hot jazz filling every bar and venue. Top musicians from around the world flock to this beautiful town at the peak of summer to play concerts with each other and enjoy the laid-back vibe.

Mt Gay Rum Donald Hay Race: each year this fun and competitive sailing race is held on Lake Wakatipu. There are several categories of yachts, and this well-known race attracts some of the best sailors from New Zealand. Plenty of extracurricular activities accompany the action to create a well-rounded event full of fun in the summer sun.

Gibbston Harvest Festival: once a sleepy sheep farming community, the quaint town of Gibbston is now better known for its excellent wines. The grape harvest is celebrated with this fun family-oriented festival. Various entertainments provide the backdrop for the 18 wineries and 15 local restaurants that serve up the treats, and all ticket proceeds go to a different charity each year.

Wearing of the Green: the Town Hall is transformed into a playground for theatre, music, dancing and partying as Queenstown celebrates St Patrick’s Day before anyone else on the planet. Gaelic games, live Celtic music and other fun activities happen at the town’s Irish pub Shannahans. The highlight is the countdown to midnight in honour of being the first town in the world to celebrate this global event.

Arrowtown Autumn Festival: more than 65 events are held in this historic town over the last weekend in April. A parade through town kicks things off, followed by a special market, various workshops, local entertainment and plenty of food. The festival is the town’s biggest celebration of the year, so they pull out all the stops. The beautiful colours of autumn provide the perfect backdrop.

Queenstown Winter Festival: Queenstown’s main party of the year celebrates the beautiful winter season with nine days of unbridled fun and mayhem. Parades romp through town, fireworks fill the night sky and crazy Mardi Gras ski events take place on the slopes. There are also cultural events such as theatre and concerts to balance the partying and street entertainment. A highlight is the hot air balloon show if the weather allows.

Wanaka Mountain Film Festival: for five days the town shifts into movie mode as this special film festival dedicated to adventure filmmaking comes to Queenstown. Guest speakers, workshops and other interesting events related to mountaineering and adventure sports fill the schedule.

Gay Ski Week: the largest gay ski party in the southern hemisphere descends on the ski resorts around Queenstown each winter for a week of socialising. There are ski events and competitions on the slopes during the day and plenty of creative night-time entertainment.

Spring Carnival: this fun annual event held at the Remarkables ski resort celebrates the end of another ski season. There are all kinds of fun and serious slope-side competitions to go with the packed schedule of social activities. After dark, the party heads indoors for live music.

leftNew Zealand Film Festival: this nationwide film festival has been coming to Queenstown since 1977 showcasing its own selection of films from the main programme. With New Zealand’s rising role in the realm of cinema, this festival gets better each year. The organisers choose the best international films from the past 12 months to feature at this popular event.

24 Hours of Southern Traverse: one of the world’s most intense races tests fitness, strength and stamina as racers traverse the back country around Wakatipu. Trekking, mountain biking and kayaking are the three components of this grueling 120-mile race which lasts up to 24 hours.

Summerdaze Festival: covering the entire Queenstown Lake district, this broad festival celebrates the simple joys of rural New Zealand life. A number of special fresh produce and arts and crafts markets are set up in neighboring towns. Agricultural shows are also held to promote the region’s vibrant farming and wine-growing scene.