Events
Annual events in Ohakune and the surrounding area include adrenaline pumping snow events, local country fairs, on-snow entertainment as well as New Zealand’s oldest Rodeo in Raetihi. Don’t think Ohakune is just for the snow junkies; there is loads happening during summer too.
WINTER
Mt Ruapehu has a huge number of winter competitions during the season. September is definitely the busiest month particularly with the many school championships held during this time. However, apart from the ski and snow board events there are other things both on and off the snow.
Waimarino Art Awards is open to artists and photographers living within the central North Island. Work submitted is on display during July and 2010 will be the 7th year this event has taken place. Organisers have seen a regular increase in participant numbers each year and the quality of work on display is outstanding. Held in nearby Raetihi (10kms from Ohakune), artists get the chance to win up to $2000 and there are prizes in junior categories as well.
The Ohakune Carrot Carnival is pretty unique … celebrating vegetables? Actually, it’s a great excuse for a fun day on the streets with kids’ rides, street entertainers, clowns, music, loads of stalls, competitions (for kids and adults), races, great coffee, food and, of course, carrot juice! In 2010 this event will be held in July.
The Mountain Mardi Gras, the biggest music bash of the year.
You gotta be at “The Junction” OHAKUNE to celebrate the beginning of winter. It’s a party at 600m above sea level and only 1000m away from the slopes of Mt Ruapehu. The fashionable, the snow-boarder, the skier, the dressed-up and the dressed-down all come together for one huge night of fun. In 2009 Midnight Youth topped the billing, bringing in a record 7600 partygoers. 
Typically held at the start of the winter season (June) this massive street party has revellers enjoying the plethora of bands and street entertainers and competitions. The evening culminates with a fireworks display, but the party keeps going ‘til the early hours!
Right through winter there is various entertainment in the bars and restaurants including live bands, DJ’s and comedians.
The Fallout Festival is typically a three-week long agenda of comedy, music and outright fun in Ohakune. You can catch a range of entertainers and activities at various bars, cafes and restaurant venues in the main township and at the Junction. The festival kicks off towards the end of August and, if there are any culture vultures amongst the festival attendees, you can check out the Winter Art Exhibition, all part of the gig!
In the height of winter the area plays host to the Cold Kiwi motorcycle rally. During September this event (2009 marked its 35th year) has motorbike fans converge on the area for the weekend. The activity, hosted by the Ruapehu Motor Cycle Club, is centred at Tangiwai, approximately 20km from Ohakune. It’s a unique event for motorcycle enthusiasts who travel from all over New Zealand – riding Vespas to Harleys, dirt bikes to Goldwings – to enjoy the music, food, competitions, spot prizes and more.
SPRING
During October there is a number of events as the winter season begins to wind down. The Peak to Keg race is claimed to be ‘the race of the season’! Individuals and teams are put to the test in this multi-disciplined event. Competitors start by skiing or snowboarding from the top of the Turoa Skifield to the base where they change into their trainers to run the 5kms down the road, then they claim their bikes and race the final 12km down the Ohakune Mountain Road and into the car park of the Powderhorn Chateau. That’s the hard part over – competitors then down a beer! Competitors and spectators alike enjoy further beers and a barbecue on the Matterhorn balcony for the prize giving.
Another fun event is the Export Pond Skim. This was a new event for 2009 where entrants ski/board down the Yahoo trail at Turoa, dropping into a pond and then skimming across the water to the other end – the challenge is not getting wet. There’s plenty of ‘dunkings’ and more wet competitors than dry, as well as the odd judge and spectator! This event was a great success in 2009 so it’s now on the regular events list.
In October Ohakune plays host to the Big Mountain Short Film Festival. In 2010 this unique event will celebrate its fifth year bringing short films from across New Zealand and around the world to Ohakune. This is a free 24-hour event during Labour Weekend.
In December The Goat Alpine Adventure Run takes place. If you’ve ‘goat’ what it takes you get to run in this exhilarating adventure from Whakapapa to Turoa Ski Field; 21kms around the mountain track. It is a demanding run but rated as one of New Zealand’s most popular off-road running events.
In the run up to Christmas there is the Santa Parade that takes place in nearby Raetihi (12km from Ohakune). This is run in conjunction with the town’s market day so visitors can pickup some great bargains and fresh produce.
SUMMER
Over the summer months the Department of Conservation (DoC) runs their Summer Nature Programme. These guided activities take place across the region covering Tongariro through to Taupo. Staff and volunteers run different events and there is something for everyone. Many of their more popular trips book out early so you need to be organised so as not to miss out. There are tons of things to choose from throughout January including climbs to the Crater Lake, mountain biking, discovering kiwis, fishing, kayaking, exploring the wetlands to name just a few. There are also many kids’ activities and family events like the New Year’s Day kite flying at the Chateau Tongariro or the Okupata Caves Adventure.
Celebrating the rural community surrounding Ohakune and recognising the many businesses here that are involved in the agriculture sector, February kicks off with the Waimarino Agricultural & Pastoral (A&P) Show. From sheep shearing to wood chopping, it’s a fun family weekend with a wide range of activities keeping the whole family entertained. A&P shows are a Kiwi tradition and include livestock competitions, agricultural demonstrations and displays, sideshows, stalls selling equipment, food and much more. These are community events and you can expect to find a huge variety of businesses and people participating. Also during February there is the Karioi Country Sports Day, which takes place east of Ohakune (approximately 15km).
In March Raetihi plays host to New Zealand’s longest running rodeo, the Waimarino Rodeo. Over one-weekend riders compete against stiff competition including teams from Australia. Events include bare back, bull ride, saddle bronc, rope & tie, barrel race, steer wrestling, team roping as well as steer and calf rides for the younger up and coming cowboys. This is the final rodeo of the season and has some great prize money up for grabs. All in all it is one of the most exciting action packed weekends of the season.
Alongside the rodeo is the Waimarino Shears, this event takes place on the Saturday and has New Zealand’s finest shearers competing against each other as well as shearers from overseas. The rodeo and shears both take place at the show grounds in nearby Raetihi.
AUTUMN
As well as the many farms in the area, the national parklands and many rivers offer some superb hunting grounds and fishing sites. Each year Ohakune has the Waimarino Easter Hunt (and there’s not an Easter Egg in sight). This three-day hunt competition has categories for best pig, deer and trout. There are also categories for the kids hunt (possum, eel and rabbit) and the big weigh-in takes place on Easter Sunday at the local Ohakune Club on Goldfinch Street, Ohakune. It’s a big event; whilst the hunters arrive throughout the day with their catches there are rides for the kids, stalls and races for adults and children.
Having been through all that Ohakune begins preparation for the snow. So it’s time to get your lift pass sorted and begin planning that costume for the next Mountain Mardi Gras!