Our Events

Our events are a way to share our little piece of paradise, a way to bring some awesomeness & aroha in different celebrations.. From rides through our district to a celebration of the humble gumboot, from festivals to community gatherings & a day dedicated to the huntaway dog.

Search our events, see what's happening and come experience the joy of our communities.

Hunterville Shemozzle

2nd November, 2024

Held in the main streets of Hunterville.

This iconic event features the 24th annual "Shepherds' Shemozzle" - a grueling race for Shepherds and their Huntaway dogs - along with many other competitions, events, activities and entertainment for all ages. A fun day not to be missed!

Marton Market Day

7th December, 2024

Held at Follet St Park and the Main Streets of Marton.

Marton Market Day is Rangitikei’s largest event and the most vibrant day in the district's calendar. Market Day takes over the town with over 250 stalls and great entertainment - all day long.

Marton Market Day is the very best place for all your Christmas shopping with something on offer to suit everyone.

A huge variety of stalls, including garden art, quality children’s toys and clothes, furniture, jewelry, pottery, food, plants, makeup, body products - and even the pets are catered for. Entertainment will have you laughing, singing, and joining in the dance.

Be sure to put it in your calendar so you don't forget to join us. Come along, bring your friends and family and make a day of it. Looking forward to having you join us in Marton.

Marton Country Music Festival

17th January, 2025

Held at Sir James Wilson Park, Marton

The Marton Country Music festival takes over Marton each year on the 3rd weekend of January. The Marton Country Music Festival Team led by John de Burgh is a group of like-minded people, who have a vision for a gathering of country music enthusiasts to share a weekend listening to and enjoying country music.

The Festival is now quite a huge event. Over the last 16 years, it has become an event that is looked forward to by artists and the public alike.

Kiwiburn

22nd January, 2025

Kiwiburn is a regional Burning Man event based in Hunterville, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand celebrating principles such as inclusion, radical self-expression, gifting, participative art and culture.

Turakina Highland Games

25th January, 2025

Held at the Turakina Domain.

New Zealand's oldest festival of sports, music & dance.

First held in 1864, the Turakina Highland Games is New Zealand's oldest festival of sports, music, and dance. We'd love to see you at this family fun day.

Rangitikei Shearing Sports

1st February, 2025

North Island Championships

Held at Memorial Hall Marton.

RSS-Marton show held on the first Saturday of every February, so come on down and bring the family to witness some of the locals mix it with the worlds best in the North Island Shearing And Woolhandling Championships held here at the Memorial Hall!

Otairi Station MTB & Trail Run

1st February, 2025

Held at Otairi Station, Turakina Valley Road.

Otairi Station is a hill country sheep and beef farm in the Turakina Valley, Hunterville. The Station has been owned and run by generations of the Duncan family since its purchase from local Iwi and subsequent development from bush over 150 years ago.

Mountain bike and e-bike options of 30kms and 20kms

Trail run options of 30kms, 20kms and 5km hill climb

Walk options of 20kms and 5km hill climb

The 19km distance from the front gate to the back paddock with formed tracks encompassing the property make it the ideal location to host such an event on private property. The Duncan family look forward to opening the gate for the first time and welcoming participants to share the experience of Otairi Station.

Marton Harvest Festival

6th April, 2025

Held at Sir James Wilson Park, Marton

The Marton Harvest Festival is a day to let your hair down, grab your friends and family, enjoy the music and celebrate the harvest season by tasting all the incredible produce from near and far.

The Marton Harvest Festival held at Sir James Wilson Park, is a day to let your hair down, grab your friends and family, enjoy the music and celebrate the harvest season by tasting all the incredible produce from near and far.

With over 150 quality stalls showcasing everything from cheeses, olive oils, gins and wines to pickles, jams, paintings & pots, plants and garden art to jewellery and food products, you will find all the gifts you need for the family and treats you want for yourself. This year we will have a particular emphasis on food and beverage producers in our area and from the wider region.

Marton is the home of Malteurop, a global leader in barley malting for beer, so if you are a home brewer make sure to get your entry into our very competitive home brew competition. We have some great prizes up for grabs this year.

With live NZ musicians playing all the tunes youknow and love throughout the day the ambience of the festival will be a positive toe tapping and knee raising event.

In addition to the usual festival activities there will be the traditianal giant pumpkin competition and of course the infamous pumpkin pie competition.

This is our day to celebrate the incredibly talented artisians from near and far and our day to celebrate our harvest in the myriad forms it takes in our region.

So spread the word, grab the family, join your friends and neighbours and enjoy a fantastic day out with good food, great stalls and fantastic entertainment.

Pedal 4 Pleasure

6th April, 2025

Held at Sir James Wilson Park alongside the Harvest Festival.

Come join us for a ride... be it a fun flat-ish 18km, or a slightly longer 42km, or go hard with the challenging 80km event. A great training session or a challenging group ride on our scenic, quiet back country roads.

Supporters can enjoy the day at the icon Marton Harvest Festival with loads of quality stalls, food, a beer tent, and live entertainment. Marton town turns it on with loads of local support in spot prizes including Wards Furniture major spot prize of a Lazyboy chair!

Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge

27th April, 2025

Held near Turakina.

The Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge is back for the 10th year running. The top 10 place getters plus a couple of wildcards from the NZ4X4 Trials series qualify for this unique Motorsport event.

This event has been created by CowperTrucks for spectator entertainment and prime time TV viewing on three’s CRC Motorsport show. Expect big crowds, extreme 4x4 action, live commentary, food and refreshments and great spectator viewing. If the sound of high revving performance V8’s and 4 banger turbo engines aren’t your cup of tea, or mud chucking gravity defying custom built 4x4 hot rods don’t do it for you then we would advise you stay at home. This is the real deal when it comes to off-road entertainment. There is only one of these events each year so don’t miss out. It all kicks off at 9am sharp with 12 different courses in total. Watch each truck one at a time battle against the 60 second count down clock while trying their utmost to drive through as many of the 10 gates as possible. Check out the CowperTrucks FB page for more event info and general 4x4 builds and related news. Pay cash at admission gate on the day. We are trying to have eftpos up and running if needed. See you all there. You will not be disappointed.

Rangitīkei Adventure Race

10th May, 2025

Held in the Rangitikei Region.

The Rangitikei Adventure Race is based around different sections of the Rangitikei River known as ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ of the region and thus gives its name to the surrounding district which in fact means “The Day of Striding Out” which is rather fitting for an adventure race!

The Rangitikei Adventure Race is based around different sections of the Rangitikei River known as ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ of the region and thus gives its name to the surrounding district which in fact means “The Day of Striding Out” which is rather fitting for and adventure race!

At 240kms the Rangitikei River is one of New Zealand’s longest and most scenically stunning rivers. It’s sheer vertical papa (clay) white cliffs (which are unique to this part of NZ) and deep canyons provide the perfect setting for adventure activities such as white water rafting and kayaking. The river is surrounded by some of the most scenic (and steep) farmland in NZ and is bordered by the Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges.

The Mudder

September, 2025

Held on Makuhou Road, Marton.

So what makes The Mudder unique? If you ask the entrants from previous years they will all tell you different things but one thing they all agree on is that this course is up there with the best.

This is no flat, dawdle around some obstacle course on the edge of suburbia.

The rugged hill country of the southern Rangitikei makes for plenty of lung burning and calf aching even before you throw in the obstacles. The course is designed to use the natural assets of the working sheep and beef farm it is hosted on. Many of the obstacles are based on natural springs that see guaranteed mud all year round. There is a dam with a floating island to crawl over, a 100 year old tree with roots straight out of a Hobbit scene and plenty of dams, bogs, and hills. Throw in some man made obstacles and you have a course that guarantees fun, laughter and a great day out.

There are new obstacles every year but exactly what they are will be kept secret until closer to the event. With 3km, 5km or 8km course options, The Mudder has something to suit both elite athletes and complete novices. Enter as a business or family for great team building or as a single if you are looking for a personal challenge. Costumes are welcome and encouraged and there will be some great prizes for the best dressed teams and individuals.