With sunshine expected to complement a wealth of events, the long weekend in Rotorua is shaping up to be busy and fun.
Starting things off on Thursday (20 Oct, 5pm – 9pm), the Rotorua Night Market welcomes locals and visitors alike into the heart of Rotorua to enjoy international cuisine and live music.
Pedal power rules the weekend with the start of both the Rotorua Bike Festival and the Isuzu Utes Whaka 100 presented by RotoruaNZ on Thursday.
The Rotorua Bike Festival was started in 2013 and brings together a range of events with a focus on community rides and connecting people with the joy of riding. Check out their website for more information on rides, quiz nights and the Big Bike Film Night.
The Isuzu Utes Whaka 100 is the largest, mass-participation mountain bike event in the Southern Hemisphere and is considered by many to be one of the toughest mountain bike marathons.
This long weekend, Rotorua will play host to more than 2,600 participants, plus their supporters (approximately 5,000 in total), generating approximately $4.5 million dollars in economic benefit to Rotorua.
Many Whaka 100 events will be located on the bike tracks of Whakarewarewa Forest, however event registration will be located in Jean Batten Square, with the must-see Urban Eliminator taking over Pūkaki Street (from Fenton to Rangiuru Streets) and Tūtānekai Street (from Pūkaki to Arawa Streets) on Friday 21 October. (View road closures in place on the Rotorua Lakes Council website.
For those wanting a slightly more relaxed pace, check out the Kuirau Park Market on Saturday (22 October, 7am – 1pm) or the fantastic Lake Tarawera Spring Fair on Sunday (23 October, 10am – 2pm).
Located at Stoney Point Reserve, the Spring Fair is a family-friendly market offering arts and crafts, plants, food and much more. Bring your wallet as this is a cash only market, with proceeds supporting local groups including the Lake Tarawera Sailing Club, Tarawera FM and the Lake Tarawera Community Garden.
Jo Holmes, Head of Insights and Marketing for RotoruaNZ, is delighted to see more visitors in Rotorua.
“Rotorua is always a popular destination for long weekend travel, and the combination of Labour Day and the Whaka 100 means this weekend is shaping up to be a sell-out. Our forward looking accommodation reports show that we’re almost at capacity, which is great news for all the accommodation, hospitality and tourism businesses looking forward to welcoming visitors to the city,” says Mrs Holmes.
For more information on these events and many more, check out www.rotoruanui.nz